I Meant to Blog This Virginia Postrel Atlantic Column on Procrastination a While Ago...

Nick Gillespie | April 23, 2009

...but I just didn't get around to it.

Former Reason editor Virginia Postrel gives a very interesting and nuanced reading from the leading edge of procrastination studies and experimental economics. Force yourself (or have some make you) to read it. Now! A snippet:

Whether designed to boost a sagging economy or just generate sales, these [sales] promotions naturally raise the question of whether consumers should succumb to such lures. Which is the real you: the present self who wants to stay in bed rather than exercise and who runs errands instead of visiting a museum, or the future you who wants to be fit and have happy memories? The you who avoids temptation by staying out of the mall, or the you who wishes you hadn't been such a hermit?

They are both real, of course. The intimate contest for self-command never ends, and lifetime happiness requires finding the right balance between present impulses and future well-being. We know we need bosses and deadlines to help us get work done. But sometimes we can also use an external push to make us have a good time. In both cases, our future self will appreciate the help.

Whole thing here.

Check out Postrel's Reason archive and her blog Deep Glamour.

Comments

Alan Vanneman|4.23.09 @ 2:08PM|#

I forced myself to read this, what the hey, it's only two paragraphs, and I wish I hadn't. What a yawner! Like so many of Ginny's offerings, I have to say.

"The intimate contest for self-command never ends, and lifetime happiness requires finding the right balance between present impulses and future well-being."

So true! So very true! And so very very trite!

Thanks, Anonymous Poster! Thanks a lot!

Invisible Finger|4.23.09 @ 2:15PM|#

Gotta agree with Alan on this one.

"We know we need bosses and deadlines to help us get work done. "

Perhaps that's not a good thing. The world would have been a better place had some boss not given Virginia a deadline to produce this piece of crap. A little more time, a lot less oversight, and Ginny might've produced a decent column like she did 12-15 years ago. Can't blame her for wanting to get paid, but crap is still crap.

|4.23.09 @ 2:27PM|#

"We know we need bosses...?" Nope, sorry, I refuse to give her that. I've met plenty of deadlines I imposed on myself and I've punted plenty of deadlines imposed on me by others.

Jeff P|4.23.09 @ 2:35PM|#

If Virginia was still editing Reason this link would have been done in a timelier fashion...

Citizen Nothing|4.23.09 @ 2:39PM|#

"...and I've punted plenty of deadlines imposed on my by others."
Remind me not to hire Johnny Clarke.
Someone needs to put together a Vanneman/David Denby, Snark/Anti-snark caged deathmatch.

Xeones|4.23.09 @ 2:51PM|#

Snark/Anti-snark

That would destroy the universe!

I didn't read the article. I might later.

|4.23.09 @ 2:59PM|#

"Procrastination isn't a problem -- it's the solution"

- Ellen DeGeneres

|4.23.09 @ 2:59PM|#

I think cutting your balls off is a bit extreme.

|4.23.09 @ 3:00PM|#

Which is the real you

I make this distinction between sober me and drunk me. Some things are better done by sober me. Other things are for drunk me. Moving the piece of furniture that huge fucking spider crawled out of? That was a job for drunk me.

|4.23.09 @ 3:20PM|#

Please, like I admit that in interviews.

Paul|4.23.09 @ 4:47PM|#

Someone needs to put together a Vanneman/David Denby, Snark/Anti-snark caged deathmatch.

We could call it "Fops Gone Wild!"

Imagine the sight of powdered wigs flyin' around the ring!

My question: Which one's David Denby?

|4.23.09 @ 6:19PM|#

I thought for a long time about going into procrastination studies.

The Wine Commonsewer (You can |4.24.09 @ 10:26AM|#

Loved it. There is a reason why VP is writing for the Atlantic rather than leaving comments at H&R....