Value Drift
Type: Systems & Dynamics
Local HTML: value_drift.html
Definition
Changing what we value over time, often without noticing. The person you become may not want what the person you are wants.
Derek Parfit’s insight: Your future self is like a different person. Should you prioritize their wants over your own? But you ARE them.
Why It Matters
Long-term planning: Locking in decisions for “future you” is risky. Career: 20-year-old’s career plan may not suit 40-year-old. Relationships: “We’ll be together forever” — people change. Ethics: What if we could edit values? Should we?
Types of Drift
| Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Natural | Normal maturation | Youthful idealism → pragmatic moderation |
| Environmental | Context changes values | Poverty → wealth changes priorities |
| Social | Peer influence | Adopting group’s values |
| Instrumental | Means become ends | Money for security → money for status |
The Paradox
Ulysses contracts: Binding future you to current you’s values. But:
- Future you might be right
- Current you might be wrong
- Who has authority?
Fighting Negative Drift
- Regular review — Revisit values periodically
- Keep anchors — Reminders of what mattered
- Diverse inputs — Avoid echo chambers
- Accept some drift — Growth requires change
Related Biases
- [[Projection Bias** — Assuming future self wants what current self wants
- [[End-of-History Illusion** — Thinking we’ve finished changing
- [[Status Quo Bias** — Preferring current values
Audio
Podcast episode: Value Drift
Part of the Cognitive Bias Reference