The problem of will power…
Dec 28th, 2011 by ljkim
Here’s a really fascinating talk by Daniel Goldstein dealing with the problems we all face with self control and will power… Part of you wants to save money, but the other part wants to buy stuff now. Part of you wants to lose weight and stay on your diet, the other part wants a Shack Stack and a side of curly fries. The most common way we deal with problems of will power are “commitment devices.” We can get rid of all the junk food in our house, or lock up our credit cards… and by doing that the “sensible self” is forcing the “other self” to comply. And although it can work – and sometimes it’s the best we can do – there are fundamental problems with doing this… So if you’re interested in what one brilliant mind in behavioral economics has to say, check out the talk, it’s an interesting 16 minutes – and then read the rest…
So here’s my conclusion when it comes to the will power problem, after listening to the talk… We’re all doomed. So there are “devices” we can use to help aid our “future selves” make the decisions for us (like “commitment devices” and his program). But if THAT is best that the most intelligent people in our world can offer – we’re doomed! Because we’ll win some battles, but we’ll lose many as well… And overall, people who don’t save won’t be able to save for the future – and people who have trouble with dieting won’t be able to stick to their diet till the end… we’re doomed. Our “present selves” our less-responsible, less-rational selves are too strong. How many times have I said “I’ll never do that again” only to do that again?
Or as Paul says in Romans 7:
I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out…For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.
So here’s the Bible’s solution: instead of using external means to try to curb our irresponsible selves – the Bible’s solution is to go to our ROOT motivations and change them so that we no longer WANT to do those things… So when we overeat, over-spend, over-play, get over-sexed, over-work, over-anything…it’s usually because we want comfort and feeling of significance that comes from it. But by accepting Jesus’ message, and *believing* it, we get that which Martin Luther called “a wholly alien righteousness” given to us as a gift – a significance and a glory that outshines the best of what money or food or sex or earthly applause can offer.
Instead of trying to fix a broken machine (which is us) by attaching other mechanisms to the outside of it (like commitment devices, and web apps) – God’s plan is to open us up and give us a new way of thinking that comes from believing we’re sinners saved by grace. If this intrigues you, if this sounds like something that you need, then join us in learning about God’s message…
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