Read about it in a brief post I just put up at GNXP.com. The interesting thing is that in delaying gratification, and so increasing our future material welfare, we end up decreasing our hedonic well-being. The two are outta whack, probably because genes for delaying gratification have only become common within the past several hundred years.I've never had the problem of planning too much for the future -- strikes me as bizarre. I'm smart and hard-working enough to get stuff done, I'm not drowning in debt, and I don't splurge a lot. But I'm still incredibly impulsive and novelty-seeking -- as you can probably tell from how often and how widely my focus changes in writing these things.
Motivated more by avoidance of future regret than of present guilt, I've led a pretty satisfying life so far, on reflection. Had I done the prudent thing, I never would have lived in Barcelona -- twice -- leaving only when I was broke. I would have gone straight to grad school in linguistics and would be further along in "establishing my career," rather than wander the academic world in search of a greater rush. And I would never have encouraged my tutorees when they aggressively flirted with me.
I've never had the problem of planning too much for the future -- strikes me as bizarre. I'm smart and hard-working enough to get stuff done, I'm not drowning in debt, and I don't splurge a lot.
ReplyDeleteBy not splurging and running up excessive debt, you are planning for the future, whether you realize it or not.
it's pretty obvious i meant planning for my material / financial future.
ReplyDeleteI suffer from both in equal amounts. I am impulsive and I regret not using my potential in a more disciplined way.
ReplyDeleteI was never very on the ball in school. I didn't have the best academic record in college. Now I think that I might like to pursue graduate studies, but I feel that my grades bar me from good programs. I don't really know what to do with myself.