Tag Archive
Flexible Self-Control
The problem of self-control may be a ridiculous first world problem but it's the granddaddy of first world problems and I want to solve it. We live amidst a deluge of opportunities for instant gratification, especially in the form of food and entertainment, and most of us don't handle it well. The general problem, known as akrasia, is this: you understand your own best interests when you consider them dispassionately, but in the moment your decision-making is distorted. The best time for, say, a workout is always "tomorrow".... »
Force Majeure, Or Beeminder’s SOS Clause
Economists have been wondering for at least half a century why we don’t see more use of commitment devices in the real world. In 1955, one economist speculated that the reason is risk and uncertainty, “both as to future tastes and future opportunities.” We’ve been thinking hard about how to... »
Unintended Consequences
David Reiley is an economist and a Beeminder beta user, albeit one who has yet to partake of a commitment contract. He asks the following: For those of you who have given yourselves big incentives to do something, do you ever find that you are shortchanging other important areas of your life as a... »
Eating our own Dog Food
