Via @[740721347:2048:Virginia Postrel].
While McCardle directs her message to women, it's true for men as well. While men don't have a hard limit for having children, we do eventually become so aged that we're no longer attractive to fertile women.
Here's an exercise for avoiding the sunk cost fallacy:
"Imagine you had just met your partner today. But imagine that a genie had gifted you all the information about them you have now, having lived with them for X years.
Now ask yourself: "Knowing what I know now, would I begin a relationship with this person again?"
If the answer is "No", then you should probably end the relationship.
After all, if you would not _begin_ a new relationship with them, then why would you _continue_ in a relationship with them?
On the other hand, if the answer is "Yes", then it's probably worthwhile to continue the relationship.
While McCardle directs her message to women, it's true for men as well. While men don't have a hard limit for having children, we do eventually become so aged that we're no longer attractive to fertile women.
Here's an exercise for avoiding the sunk cost fallacy:
"Imagine you had just met your partner today. But imagine that a genie had gifted you all the information about them you have now, having lived with them for X years.
Now ask yourself: "Knowing what I know now, would I begin a relationship with this person again?"
If the answer is "No", then you should probably end the relationship.
After all, if you would not _begin_ a new relationship with them, then why would you _continue_ in a relationship with them?
On the other hand, if the answer is "Yes", then it's probably worthwhile to continue the relationship.