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On how statistical mechanics can make you happier

#1
C C Offline
http://unveilingthereality.com/2015/04/1...u-happier/

EXCERPT: [...] My point is that the set of goals we want to achieve should be something deeply personal and that we all should be devoting more time in finding out what we really want instead of throwing ourselves into a frenetic race without a prior analysis. This post is about goals, how to define them better to increase our chances and how we can establish a relationship between statistical mechanics and the achievement of goals in life. Yes, you heard well, statistical mechanics and happiness have something to do. I will further explain if you continue reading. Given that frustration comes when our most important goals are not met, we should take a closer look at the way in which we define them and how the probability of achievement changes dramatically depending on certain details in our goal definition....

[...] Statistical mechanics is the branch of the Physics that deals with systems consisting in millions of elements interacting among themselves. The typical system studied by this branch is a gas with millions of molecules exchanging energy. From my point of view there is no any single reason why we could not extract valuable knowledge to be applied to other fields. It is precisely what I am intending with this post.

Statistical mechanics explains clearly why an initial configuration of molecules with ordered positions tends to get as disordered as possible, or why two portions of matter with different temperatures tend to a balanced temperature when they come into contact. The principles in action can be used in other aspects. For example, and it is something that I will address in another post, we could wonder why heat is distributed uniformly among a molecule net but money and power get stuck in certain circles not allowing a balanced society. Both systems can be explained in the same terms and some interesting insights can be withdrawn, like for example to establish a link between the way in which an asset (heat or money) flows within a network and the resultant probability distributions. Obviously the temperature distribution among molecules in a network is not the same as the wealth distribution within the population.

But that is another story, I am focused here to show the mechanism why a system tends to its maximum entropy or disorder and how the same principle may be involved in the process of achievement of our goals. I hope this drop makes you keep reading, welcome to this attempt to explain why our goals are often not met and how we could set a different strategy to improve our chances....
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