Daniel Goldstein: The battle between your present and future self

[@Funstuff13613]

It works spending money in three ways: 1. Pay your way. 2. Save for tomorrow. 3. Enjoy yourself. This way you’re taking care of your obligations, relationships, future & present self.

[@LeeLightfoot]

the future self is always a possibly non-existent, eg "dead" self. We've evolved from hominids whose productive adulthood might only be 10 to 20 years, with death primes such as war,poverty,time-based stresses collapsing down decision-making. I'm thinking very few Syrians are currently worried about their cholesterol levels, for example

[@kitsurubami]

What's hard for me is not knowing if I'll still be alive tomorrow. Am i making my present self suffer for a nonexistent future self? I try to balance the desires of current me and potential future me. It doesn't really make me feel good though.

[@RobTradesFX]

You don't have to suffer. Enjoy what you have now (but not risk it all today for no tomorrow). Enjoy the process of investing on yourself for today and for tomorrow! That's the beauty of life. Growth. :)

[@violet101]

self discipline has always one the most precious skills one can have and in the future will become more and more valuable with the ever increasing temptations bombarded at us. I even read they'll purposing be releasing popcorn/cookie smells in movie theaters to get us salivating.

[@alexanderhawk2659]

The Present Self also must contend with a possibility that Future Self won't be around to enjoy the sacrifices because he might die tomorrow, while enjoying the present is a sure bet. So eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.

[@ivannamelnyk5514]

In my opinion, we should build ourselves now, and don't think about what might happen in the future. Of course, we need to take care about ourselves now, save money, eat healhy food, develop our body and mind. But we have to get satisfaction here and now. And after that, we will become happier and will live our life with love. I'm sure that our future gonna be perfet 🙏

[@Savaniel]

Man, I love these. Another great TED talk! Very helpful right now.

[@delerium2k]

Great talk. One thing to remember is your present self's projection of your future self relies on multiple assumptions. For example, the straightforward assumption that saving more now means you'll have more money later assumes the banking system is just fine and isn't undergoing catastrophic collapse ;)

[@ShuShuHsia]

tough crowd... i'm giggling at all his jokes and they're dead silent

[@KCatch22]

Very appropriate talk for right before New Years and making resolutions.

[@vishnumoorthy8859]

That quote on the painful exertions of human will hits home

[@AskAWalker]

I can see why this video isn't popular. The crowd is full of present selves.

[@RonieIslam8]

@JosephHuntington 1: Is purpose of life to feel happiness? 2: Is the feeling of superiority happiness? 3: Is the feeling of superiority really true if no one but your self can acknowledge it. 4: The method would not work if u are smart enough to figure out that other people might be using it as well.

[@Olivaemusic]

Supposing that in the future, When we get old, well being will be all about financial self sufficiency . According to that i just need to save money today to be happy in the future.

[@stanleyklein524]

How does one imagine a current self? A feeling? As mental content? One's behavior? What, put simply does (or do) a self (or selves) consist in? No one has any solid idea. No philosophers, and certainly no psychologists can provide a coherent, logically, and phenomenologically compelling description of what is a self (or selves) might entail. At best, we know the self via acquaintance (cf Russell, 1912) -- but that is at best. Given this state of affairs, how exactly does one imagine a future self (i.e., as an entity, state, collection of information, feelings, behaviors, etc., etc.) when it is unclear what is occurring when a person claims to be imagining his or her current (synchronic) self. More, what makes X (i.e., self) at some future date, the same X as at present (the issue of personal diachronicity)? Assuming there are material changes (weight, age, etc.) as well as mental changes (new experiences, memories, goals), we certainly do not have numerical identity. How much overlap is needed to claim that X at time 1 is the temporal continuant at some future X time 2? What does psychology have to offer to this age old problem (recognized in antiquity by such riddles as the the ship of Theseus)? Answer in brief = 0. Such central matters -- and there are Plenty more -- do not even register a blip with the "scholars" of academic psychology. Apparently they cling to the childish notion that "method will prevail (i.e., so long as we employ empirical procedures, conceptual issues will sort themselves). Of course, this sad attempt at reasoning only confuses necessity and sufficiency. Contemporary psychology is a pseudo-science occupied largely by "academics" who like to pronounce the logically unwarranted conclusions of their demonstrations (academic psychology does demonstrations -- whether traditional or with the crutch of machine [e.g. fMRI]). Unlike science, they do not rely on empiricism (i.e., experiments) to distinguish between theories (this is necessitated by the sad fact that there are virtually no scientifically justifiable theories in psychology. The most a psychological theory can predict is "effect present/effect absent. And ordinal prediction does not permit meaningful discrimination between hypothesized outcomes and theoretical predictions). These "scholars' are best kept in their towers and not allowed to disseminate their nonsense to an unsuspecting public. Don't we have enough fake news these days?

[@rampaginwalrus]

@Khyrid; I find, through peer studies and double blind tests I've done on my peers, that the most effective, and productive way of viewing "the meaning of life" is to decide that you are not important. You specifically are only here to make sure that no one else has to cry. You must be willing to suffer miserably for any stranger on the street. If every human would view the world like this. We would not only have peace, but we would be far beyond our own universe. Into the multiverse. If it is.

[@unfathomablebo]

Savings are in decline due to the proliferation of debt-backing in our economy, not an increasing clashing of selves. Other than that, good talk. The clash of short term rational self interest and long term self/collective interest is something that we will need to address in the future.

[@Chris_Myers.]

Channel of the future.. Failing to embrace any sort of HD video, and blasting out eardrums with horrendously loud introductions.. Gotta love it. . .

[@rampaginwalrus]

@RonieIslam8; 1: Purpose is to find something worth your life. 2: The feeling of superiority gives most a primal feeling of accomplishment, even if it is only self realized. 3: Yes, it's a feeling. No validation is expected. 4: 2 and 3 answer 4 if answered from a personal level as opposed to my laboratory perspective.

[@rampaginwalrus]

@Khyrid; he's speaking as a Nihilist. In the Very end none of this will matter. Although over thinking these things is not a good idea. We are animals. We should just live the way we want in the amount of time we have. Although choosing a more selfless way of life, to me, seems the most rewarding. Furthering humankind in an endeavor to have us survive. All from the basic instinctual desire for the continuation of the species. Imagine.

[@ChrisMylonasChannel]

Great talk. Reminds me the issues of our local society.

[@alSation81]

if this was titled "planning for your retirement", I never would have looked. I hope my "future self" is not this boring!

[@rampaginwalrus]

@JosephHuntington; the purpose to life should be to be willing to risk anything to see someone, anyone, everyone even; smile. If at the very least. Overall, just make everyone, save yourself, happy. If everyone is trying to make everyone happy, no one could ever be distraught. Obviously this would never work. But it's nice to imagine.

[@IceCreamMan1909]

"The battle between you and your future self" ? Unfortunately to many in our society the battle is between me and my present environment and lack of access to social mobility and me and my future environment and an even greater discrepancy in access to social mobility

[@iggy082]

your present self wants instant self gratification. your future self needs you to be prudent. but will he or she also be prudent? who's to say that when your future self becomes your present self he/she will also do things that will benefit his/her future self?

[@jpgrumbach8562]

Clever. Why providing my futself with drug money? I will curse myself when going on a heroin binge.

[@WhatsInsideSpace]

Interesting about the value of sacrificing short term satisfaction with long term benefits. It's a bit sad, though, that Daniel Goldstein conveys this by using money as a measure for the degree of happiness. I just don't think it's true that we will feel more content or satisfied or happy the more money we have. Especially not when we get older. We need less money when we are old than when we are young. When we are old we need to feel happy about having done good things.

[@t3tsuyaguy1]

Just the title immediately reminded me of my close friend Harvey who's fond of saying, "I'm not going to worry about that. That's future Harvey's problem."

[@miawells55]

Wonderful TED talk.

[@princeshewi]

so what was the conclusion about commitment devices and losing our self control ?

[@justgivemethetruth]

The savings rate is declining because people do not make enough money to afford to save money. And if they stopped spending the economy will hollow out from lack of demand. Not to mention that over time more and more people eventually hit a "Bernie Madoff" or "Savings & Loan Crisis" or whatever, people are afraid. CEOs talk about how they need predictability, but we have 300 million more regular people who have no predictability and no way to talk about it or fix it.

[@rampaginwalrus]

@Khyrid; your fear of death is no reason to misunderstand it. Be selfless enough to allow other humans to have a chance. Die so that they may live. We each get about 75 years average. This is more than enough to be content. Find love, help your peers, destroy walls, pick up enemies, teach your children. Imagination is all you need; after this, everything else has the opportunity to fall into place. Try to think a little more deeply about things. Death is our... observing parent, if you will.

[@tommmmmm]

Bookmarked, +1, Very worthy video. One of the best.

[@ThePostRockProject]

@GetMeThere1 You just proved my point. Everyone including yourself experiences these thoughts, of course its obvious but does that mean we shouldn't discuss it? TED talks are nothing more than what we could find in a simple Google search but people like you and me watch them because a spoken presentation is far more engaging.

[@adriennemiller.music.]

i dont wanna believe that im gonna get old. cause the truth is: we can never know.

[@daniesavage]

I needed to see this.

[@DarylBuck]

Assuming the money is worth anything at all of course.

[@Hammid]

For every Goldstein, money is everything.

[@Shiteatercrapsuck]

Hammid And what is everything for every Hammid?

[@Hammid]

Potato!

[@DarylBuck]

Hammid Cooked or Raw?

[@doibing9856]

You are literally taking a unit of measurement which measures the "value" of an item, and applying skepticism that the tool doesn't measure what it's designed to measure. That's like saying "assuming that that microscope can show me anything i can't already see". Of course it can, it's literally designed with that purpose in mind.

[@npsytg]

love the talk.. My present self always tries to crack the commitment devices and it often succeeds :(

[@guyneo]

Great story teller. Very insightful and interesting presentation.

[@madjunir]

It got a little boring and low energy after the first half, but overall it was very enlightening. Thumbs up!

[@mooxim]

I try to use commitment devices. I think he's right about them being disempowering. I'm gonna try to be more mindful of my future self and see what that does for my self discipline. To people complaining about investment, you can invest in yourself as well (education/training)

[@rampaginwalrus]

@Khyrid; How would I know... We are human no matter how hard we try to distance ourselves from the title. We have evolved to live about 30 years. Our teeth are proof of this. With our burgeoning intelligence, we have managed to overcome many of natures evolutionary restraints, or as I see them, checks. Mortality is all we need. It makes this, one, life; so much more beautiful. It causes us to live today for tomorrow. It causes us to search for happiness in the time we have.

[@rampaginwalrus]

@Static172; To strive for the impossible is the only way to make things as good as they could possibly be. If every human is willing to die for the happiness of every other human. No one will have to die. No one need even cry! It's impossible to achieve with such a large population. But It's nice to imagine. The least you can do is imagine love my friend. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."-Jimi Hendrix

[@UtkarshKumar-kw9oy]

I guess making people see what is the worst and what is the best case scenario of the future self can help them make good decisions in the present otherwise there would be nothing to sacrifice for if it doesn't mean something to them.

[@wailinburnin]

Excuse me, but if two out of three people in this defined demographic already can't retire (must work til the day they die), doesn't that mean that the problem is not the individual, but The System, itself? Isn't this a simple statement that the system is not working - not providing basic dignity for a simple majority of the individuals in that system? Isn't acceptance of such a status quo a statement of the sanctity and omnipotence (tyranny) of the present financial system driving two out of three to ruin? How can you explain the Grateful Dead taper model and its legacy of KZbin content creators, open source collaborators, or even Tesla's ripping up its patents - the free sharing of intellectual properties? Isn't this the real future, the direction the efforts should be going? "Buck up, hoard and covet", or "Cheer up, one of the three is your uncle, and he'll end up with enough for both of you!" is that the message here?

[@KeremPARLAKGUMUS-uc4xb]

it was a very nice speech, thanks

[@dirtbikeboyz]

the problem with saving money is the economy mixed with the consumer culture will never work unless you do have self control

[@Thelizzardcat]

I dont have the self discipline to do my homework right now ;) I am watching i TED talk, it is impossible.

[@nos4r237]

The Wedding Ring, the most common commitement device.

[@watisthis99]

@Khyrid A meaning to life is a non-sequitur, anyway. There is nothing to derive the idea of meaning from outside of our mind, but we often think there needs to be an absolute foundation for one. Regardless of a meaningless existence or not, the fact that life likely doesn't last forever should make us value it even more.

[@rampaginwalrus]

@Static172; in the end? No. But that is selfish. Live so that you may never see anyone, neither lover or enemy, cry. Or feel hurt. Live for tomorrow, but not in tomorrow. Live in the now, but aware of both past incidents, and future potentiality. Never strive for ignorance though. Ignorance is the great temptation that we must all be aware of.

[@system3142]

I agree. The internet is the best possible cure for procrastination.

[@rampaginwalrus]

@Khyrid; the idea is to be content so you don't overdo it. It could very well be a bad thing if we were to spread throughout the entire cosmos. We aren't ready yet. I don't know that we ever will... But the time will come when we are ready to transcend, and we will be able to. I only hope we are smart enough to see past these selfish desires and not fuck with our nature. The most we can hope to be, is human, there is no greater being than the one you are born with.

[@GetMeThere1]

@ThePostRockProject : A) TED talks are not created merely to provide a venue for people who "earn alot and enjoy what they do." The speakers are expected to have unique insights or information to share. B) So, you think that a talk that points out that people have inner conflicts and/or complexities is....substantial? I thought everyone older than eight was aware of those realities.

[@zydomason]

Interesting talk, though he missed a very important point. We can be somewhat certain about present events, but the future is so hard to predict, be it related to finances / health / life, whatever - it just seems unworthy to most of us to give up on something we can have now, with the risk of not retaining it sometime later.

[@borkoboyanov]

My mom tells everyone when she is about to quit cigarettes :) Effectively using social shame as her commitment device:) She practically smokes whenever she wants

[@rpm297]

Does this guy take into account future instability? Wars? Inflation, recessions? Depressions? Saving and planning for the future is important, provided you have enough to maintain day to day. Unfortunately I feel that potential savings is slowly being eaten by increasing taxation and inflation. Show me an economic viewpoint that takes those instability factors in account and I'll listen more intently.

[@watisthis99]

@Khyrid I agree. It does need to be redefined, but mostly in the sense that it needs to combat the redundancy of nihilism, which is where I think a lot of problems arise. Hell, even people who are purported to believe in spirits and magic today use nihilism as some last crusade to defend their faith.

[@eris1aughs]

a part of the equation not being mentioned, is that people actually make way less money now than they did in the 50-70's. that is why they save less, because they HAVE less...

[@NMradioo]

Some of us realise that the value of the video is not based on how high the picture is but rather the information the video contains

[@lorizoli]

Let tomorrow take care of tomorrow, today has enough of it's own problems. (Doesn't mean that you shouldn't plan, but you need trust divine providence and yourself and not worry about it. ) This person is appealing to your fears about the future.

[@run1]

Good talk TED

[@KingGJr]

Anyone else feel like they were listening to Nicolas Cage?

[@aaroninky]

That Homer analogy was absolutely torturous.

[@rampaginwalrus]

@RonieIslam8; Philosophical thinking told me. It would be impossible to have everyone with the same goal in life. Everyone has completely different interests. Your goal in life should be to find your personal goal in life, and to pursue it. I was trying to be as vague as possible. The english is fine. You may not understand the way I write very well. I didn't meant purpose in life, just purpose. But I altered it so you'd understand. No offense.

[@xPBJ]

liked the first half D:

[@mirfan4458]

Great work💯

[@EntinludeX]

Past-me is always screwing over future-me. Present-me blames both of them. Nothing will ever get resolved untill someone invents time-travel.

[@Discustable]

Is sitting watching ted talks when i have an exam tomorrow the same as flipping my future self the bird?

[@rampaginwalrus]

@RonieIslam8; There is no inherent meaning of life. We aren't special in the cosmic perspective . But many people feel the inherent need for meaning, so I advise people to strive to help people. It's kind of like trying to trick people to trick themselves into being good. They know it's a good idea. But it's not at all easy. So I have to make it sound all poetic and romantic. Which I can be good at.

[@sursur4224]

My future self may be dead and hence I will never use my 150% of current income. However, I have to suffer the next 20 years and save, save, save. Instead, focus on earning more, so that you leave on returns (in case you are lucky to still be alive) when you can’t work anymore. Saving is the mentality of poor. This guy doesn’t get behavioural psychology. .

[@watisthis99]

@Khyrid Wouldn't that be like saying humans are predisposed to logical thinking? Many people come to the conclusion that life inherently doesn't have a meaning, or that life doesn't even require a meaning. I don't know if we're so much as born to assign meaning to things than we are to see patterns and associate them with what we already know; but how can we possibly know an answer to a question that hasn't been asked?

[@jessicagentry2200]

I love those apartments!

[@Alpinex105]

@MiranUT The religious divisons clash all the time. It's true for certain groups. However if we take a scientific approach some aspects are entirely false or cannot be determined. They however are not mutually exclusive.

[@brentonplace4762]

If anyone knows of one of the apps he is talking about please share it hear. I've looked for them and can't find them.

[@jpgrumbach8562]

It is called allianzapp.

[@TheUltimateRage]

@JosephHuntington Very very wise words my friend; I'm diggin' that!

[@LeonidasGGG]

@MiranUT Agreed... and thanks, I was really confused with the purpose of this talk.

[@rampaginwalrus]

@Static172; science is pliable. New information requires us to change our current understanding of the cosmos.

[@PerspectiveEngineer]

sure. I'll buy that.

[@ashliebelle]

I'm watching KZbin instead of packing for Christmas weekend. I'm going to be late to work. I think my future self and I are enemies...

[@MastermindX]

But how could the sailors hear what Odysseus was saying if they had their ears filled with wax? Also, what the fuck are you talking about?

[@ThePostRockProject]

@GetMeThere1 yes what he does may not be the most beneficial to society but what do you do? He obviously enjoys what he does and probably earns quite alot from it. It definitely isn't "crap" because nobody here can deny feeling torn over a decision as if they have 2 sides to them.

[@airyx7877]

That's also how you sell an ideology that helps others more than yourself, if you make it that far too finally enjoy your life after being miserable for so long.

[@braboempreendimento]

Muito bom o vídeo.... parabéns.

[@ForOrAgainstUs]

He was way better than that applause granted him.

[@KTrooper52]

Not the same topic at all. I actually like this talk better in any case.

[@bharathwajan1]

Seriously this doesn't make any sense. I am talking about the dry run he mentions in the introduction. He wants to be tied down only so he can listen to the song...how does untying him would make him listen to the song since he is not the one with wax on his ears? Can the speaker explain this leap of logic?

[@ryangoh2436]

Tying/Untying has nothing to do with Odysseus' ability to listen to the song. He cannot be untied because if he is, he will be led by the sirens' song to direct the boat to its demise.

[@MiranUT]

@spanishprisoner - I'm not trying to pick a fight. Consider saving in silver & gold till the governments become reasonable again. It will protect you from inflation. This video doesn't mention that you need gather information and make the best decisions you can based on what you know now. Currently the USA is the biggest debtor nation in the world & soon won't be able to service this debt. The only ways out: growth, higher taxes or inflation. What do you think it'll be? My guess is inflation.

[@watisthis99]

@Khyrid If we go back to the reference of cause and effect, there doesn't seem to be any correlation to a meaning of life. Cause and effect expresses how something happens without an inherent reason of 'why' something happens. I believe humans mistake how for why and end up stuck on that non-existent question with an impossible answer. The idea that someone would flop down to the ground motionless would just be the result of misinterpretation, and nihilism would be deemed unnecessary.

[@devgarg7469]

Very helpful

[@GetMeThere1]

@ThePostRockProject : "You just proved my point." I think for that, you need to have begun with a point.

[@ringsgold]

I'm going to hire my future self a lawyer.

[@rampaginwalrus]

@Lojikish; Love = Best motivation. Fear = Oppression.

[@LXBalla4414]

this doesn't consider ulterior factors such as financial crises, natural disasters etc...

[@jdeemi]

Great idea... except the real estate market crashed, my 401k crashed, and my health care cost doubled, and the currency inflated. All of our gramma told us everything you're saying.....if you lived in Germany in 1939 all those rules didn't matter and they don't matter now...

[@rampaginwalrus]

@Khyrid; I put it poorly. But you understand the concept. What makes me me isn't really me any more than it is you. Which it is, you. So it is, me. At least one of the particles making up each of us had to be connected at some point in history. Shit I can't put things accurately right now. I feel "bubbly" from all of this food, excuse the terribly constructed ideas and sentences. Three family holiday meals and what's left of the candy...

[@SIMUN2277]

I hoped he will give us some kind of advice to act like our future-selves :(

[@glendlc.youtube5825]

just made life more complicated

[@subhasharma4425]

yes ok right. brilliant stuff but in my country i dont need much to retire and enjoy my life

[@Jakyle1]

@Static172 That depends on what and who you're investing in.

[@lindabb7064]

I don't believe I'm going to get old, I just believe I'm going to die.