The Rule of Addiction

You need more to get the same thrill a second time.

This one explains the amount of violence on television and in movies but that is only one aspect. Basically it comes down to a performance that got you a promotion at one time can get you fired a few years later. Success is a moving target. When, in 1954 Roger Bannister ran the mile in 3minutes and 59.4 seconds, it was a major event. Now it is just the standard for middle distance runners.

The subtle impact of this is in observing performance. The first time a person performs brilliantly, it is usually noticed; the second time, not so much. Very quickly brilliance becomes the accepted standard for that person and to be noticed they have to be even better. Is it better to trivialize praise by constantly noticing the brilliant work, or trivialize brilliance by taking it for granted? There is no good answer to this; each person must find their own solution for each time this situation occurs.