> "The Diderot Effect states that obtaining a new possession often creates a spiral of consumption which leads you to acquire more new things. As a result, we end up buying things that our previous selves never needed to feel happy or fulfilled." I learned about this effect from [[Atomic Habits by James Clear]], but it originates from the Russian Empire. In the classic example, it explains the process of [[Lifestyle Creep]]. The Diderot effect is the process in which financial [[Minimalism|minimalism]] is destroyed. However, the Diderot effect can be applied in other areas. It in itself is basically in the form of the [[Sunk Cost Fallacy]]. > An example would be in programming. Opening the door to a single external library makes it easier to use more external libraries. Adding a [[Wordpress]] plugin leads to adding several. The ruin experienced parallels the classical Diderot effect. Avoiding these temptations prevents the ruin of the Diderot effect, but be warned that, in the case of programming, reinventing the wheel most of the time is not a great idea. # References