Could It Be Time to Spoil Yourself?

Description

A new paper suggests how and when to indulge your pleasure principle.

Subject

According to Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam’s Michail Kokkoris (2024), this dilemma becomes cast in the following way: “Does self-control suppress who we truly are, or does it help us become who we aspire to be?” By exerting self-control, you do “signal” to yourself that you’re someone who can adhere to a set of standards and that you are making progress toward your goals. But, by suppressing your desire to be less responsible, you could instead achieve greater self-expression by letting your creativity win out. Arguments could be made on both sides, Kokkoris points out, to support which path in the decision tree you take will most benefit your sense of well-being.