--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Suppose you could be hooked up to a…" description: "\"Suppose you could be hooked up to a hypothetical 'experience machine' that, for the rest of your life, would stimulate your brain and give you any posi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/703/martin-seligman-5268_any_suppose-you-could-be-hooked-up-to-a-hypo_1811572.png" --- # Suppose you could be hooked up to a hypothetical… ![“Suppose you could be hooked up to a hypothetical 'experience machine' that, for the rest of your life, would stimulate your brain and give you any positive feelings you desire. Most people to whom I offer this imaginary choice refuse the machine. It is not just positive feelings we want: we want…” quote by Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/703/martin-seligman-5268_any_suppose-you-could-be-hooked-up-to-a-hypo_1811572.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/703/martin-seligman-5268_any_suppose-you-could-be-hooked-up-to-a-hypo_1811572.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/703/martin-seligman-5268_any_suppose-you-could-be-hooked-up-to-a-hypo_1811572.png) > “Suppose you could be hooked up to a hypothetical 'experience machine' that, for the rest of your life, would stimulate your brain and give you any positive feelings you desire. Most people to whom I offer this imaginary choice refuse the machine. It is not just positive feelings we want: we want to be entitled to our positive feelings.” [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that humans value authentic achievement and moral agency over mere pleasure, rejecting a life of artificial happiness without personal ownership. **In simple terms:** People prefer real achievement to fake happiness. Key Takeaway Seek authentic growth, not just pleasure. Themes authenticity meaning agency ethics well‑being Mood reflective thoughtful serious Type philosophical ethical psychological When to use this quote - career decisions - personal relationships - mental health treatment - education - public policy Key Concepts self‑determination eudaimonia moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to truly earn happiness? - Can pleasure without effort be fulfilling? A Different Perspective The machine may overlook the importance of suffering for personal development. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Choice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choice/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive/) [Positive feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-feelings/) [Rest of your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rest-of-your-life/) ## Related quotes > [At the core of all human behavior, the good feelings we all want are more or less the same. Therefore, what we get out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/at-the-core-of-all-human-behavior-the-good-feelings-we-all-want-are/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [“I tell myself: There is only one true thing in our world, to satisfy one's heart, to feel and go to the bottom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-stevens/i-tell-myself-there-is-only-one-true-thing-in-our-world-to-satisfy/) William Stevens > [By activating an expansive, tolerant, and creative mindset, positive feelings maximize the social, intellectual, and physical benefits that will accrue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/by-activating-an-expansive-tolerant-and-creative-mindset-positive/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [I still have feelings for you. 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And you have ticked so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iain-thomas/i-have-a-list-in-my-head-of-all-the-feelings-i-still-want-to-feel/) [Iain Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iain-thomas/) > [It's bad hiding your feelings for someone because the more you hide your feelings, the more you want that person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-bad-hiding-your-feelings-for-someone-because-the-more-you-hide/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I write to express my thoughts, my feelings. I want people to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mattie-stepanek/i-write-to-express-my-thoughts-my-feelings-i-want-people-to-think/) [Mattie Stepanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mattie-stepanek/) > [I'm blunt, honest and I don't bite my tongue when it comes to my feelings. 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I want somebody else to be comfortable, to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franka-potente/i-think-i-m-a-really-good-partner-and-very-sensitive-to-the-other/) [Franka Potente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franka-potente/) > [I can't control my feelings. Not that I want to cause you've got me feeling good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-can-t-control-my-feelings-not-that-i-want-to-cause-you-ve-got-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As a Marvel fan who grew up with 'The Avengers' and 'Ant-Man' and everything, I definitely have my own sort of feelings about what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-reed/as-a-marvel-fan-who-grew-up-with-the-avengers-and-ant-man-and/) [Peyton Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-reed/) > [“We’re so close but worlds apart, she doesn’t understand my feelings. I want her to know how I feel, what I crave, what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angeliena-cifelli/we-re-so-close-but-worlds-apart-she-doesn-t-understand-my-feelings-i/) Angeliena Cifelli ## More by Martin Seligman > [It used to be that whenever I introduced myself to people and told them I was a psychologist, they would shrink away from me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/it-used-to-be-that-whenever-i-introduced-myself-to-people-and-told/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [I have never worked on interrogation; I have never seen an interrogation, and I have only a passing knowledge of the literature on interrogation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/i-have-never-worked-on-interrogation-i-have-never-seen-an/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [I'm trying to broaden the scope of positive psychology well beyond the smiley face. Happiness is just one-fifth of what human beings choose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/i-m-trying-to-broaden-the-scope-of-positive-psychology-well-beyond/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [It's a matter of ABC: When we encounter ADVERSITY, we react by thinking about it. Our thoughts rapidly congeal into BELIEFS. These beliefs may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/it-s-a-matter-of-abc-when-we-encounter-adversity-we-react-by-thinking/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [One of the things psychologists used to say was that if you are depressed, anxious or angry, you couldn't be happy. 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Reliving childhood traumas gives you a nice afterglow, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/if-the-point-of-the-inner-child-movement-is-to-cure-adult-problems-it/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) > [I don't mind being wrong, and I don't mind changing my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/i-don-t-mind-being-wrong-and-i-don-t-mind-changing-my-mind/) [Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) [Explore all 102 Martin Seligman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/) ## More Any quotes > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. 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I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [We earned any fans with the way we play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-white/we-earned-any-fans-with-the-way-we-play/) [Jimmy White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-white/) > [Hard work and a good education will take you further than any government program.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/hard-work-and-a-good-education-will-take-you-further-than-any/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/) [Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/) > [The system in Germany is different, as you sign up with a company for two or three years, and you work exclusively with them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wlaschiha/the-system-in-germany-is-different-as-you-sign-up-with-a-company-for/) [Tom Wlaschiha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wlaschiha/) > [I'm writing about real things. 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