A lot of neuroscience research has pointed to the fact that people often don't make decisions entirely rationally or consciously. This applies to highly logical people as well.
I quit smoking after I wrote my master's thesis in 2007, but the scenario described certainly describes a conscious decision.
I'm more impressed by the number of tech nerds and investors that go completely balls out at Burning Man. It must be like 20% of YC companies represented.
