= 27d567bc2d48d9f40e9ccc20ea370b15)
pwno comments on Share Your Anti-Akrasia Tricks - Less Wrong
You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.
= 783df68a0f980790206b9ea87794c5b6)
Loading…= b715d02e85f7b3b4ae65ca3d3e450868)
Subscribe to RSS Feed
Powered by Reddit
= f037147d6e6c911a85753b9abdedda8d)
You are viewing a comment permalink. View the original post to see all comments and the full post content.
Comments (117)
I read these tricks for avoiding procrastination and I find myself terrified at the idea of trying them at a gut level, because what if they work? What if I actually find myself playing fewer videogames and surfing the internet less? That doesn't actually sound better, now that I have to seriously consider the possibility of changing this state of affairs.
Based on this revelation, I have to say I am coming around to the point of view that a lot of what we call "akrasia" is just us not wanting to admit, to others or to ourselves, what our actual desires are, so we make up more socially acceptable desires and then when we pursue our actual desires instead we blame akrasia.
That's definitely a possible mistake. Sort of reminds me of how people say, "everyone acts rationally because they always do what they want to do. It is impossible to be irrational!" This isn't true, however, if you're trying to maximize utility within your expected lifetime.
But I think most of us use the word to categories the the feeling that arises from wanting to (not) want something. Because, after all, we aren't just trying to maximize utility for the moment we are in.