Oliver Burkeman article about willpower

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Too solid flesh
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Joined: Wed Jan 17, 2007 5:22 pm
Location: England

Oliver Burkeman article about willpower

Post by Too solid flesh » Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:07 am

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/ ... NTCMP=SRCH

I hadn't read about the follow up to the marshmallow study. It's really good to know that there are skills to learn.
Be kind, for everybody you meet is fighting a hard battle.

wosnes
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Post by wosnes » Mon Aug 06, 2012 11:09 am

The marshmallow study was mentioned in Bringing Up Bébé by Pamela Druckerman. In fact, Walter Mischel now lives in Paris and she interviewed him. They don't talk about waiting to eat the marshmallow in terms of "willpower," but in terms of delaying gratification and being patient.

This is something that French kids are apparently taught almost from birth. According to Druckerman, French parents don't see how children can enjoy themselves without learning to be patient and delaying gratification.

This reminds me of what Mark Bittman says about being hungry; it's not an emergency. We can wait to eat.
"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do. Not that the nature of the thing itself has changed but our power to do it is increased." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."

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