AIM Framework glossary
Mimetic Treadmill (the Treadmill)
Canonical definition
The Mimetic Treadmill, known in the psychological literature as the hedonic treadmill, is the dynamic in which rising visibility, comparison, and scarcity of Positional Goods cause wM to dominate aggregate AIM Profiles, so that Individuals run ever harder in Status races without structural improvement in A-security or I-flourishing.
Explanation
As more aspects of life become ranked, scored, and posted, people spend increasing energy on keeping up with shifting models rather than on projects they would endorse under audience-removal. The treadmill image captures how each success quickly resets the comparison set, so that high effort yields little net gain in freedom or satisfaction.
Epistemic status
Framework-Specific Corollary. Derived from Differential Satiation (Axiom 6); the Easterlin Plateau is the observed pattern it accounts for.
Derivation
Related terms
- Mimetic Flywheel
- Easterlin Plateau
- Zero-Sum Status Competition
- Mimetic Premium (PM)