Immediate Wants and Long-term Goals

This is the problem I am facing as I try to lose weight. Instead of eating sensibly, I binge - because it makes me feel better - any thoughts of the future vanish, under the pressure of what I want now.

I have a lot of company here - obesity is a common problem in much of the world. And it is all caused by the same problem - our need to feel good now, is stronger than our ability to take care of ourselves. Short-term gains at the expense of long-term losses.

We all know this, and solemnly promise that we will do better - but don't.

This problem is one of the big problems we have to face. That can be summarized easily - keeping our wits around us, and behaving sensibly. Even when immediate gratifications are more powerful!

So far, I am sure you are with me - but I will probably lose you in the next step, when I speak of the destructiveness of our time. People everywhere have turned against their world (the world they were brought up in) - and are destroying it. They have been treated badly - and are responding appropriately (they think) by destroying it - even if that means destroying themselves!

I am speaking of the difference between conscious behavior and unconscious behavior - that is more powerful, but hidden. One of the trends of our time, is to deny that the unconscious exists!

This morning, I am reading How Trump is Ending the American Era, an excellent article in the Atlantic magazine. He also says things are much worse under the surface. But does not say much more about this.

Mr. Cohen should, because what's under the surface is more important than what's above it.
For all the visible damage the president has done to the nation’s global standing the American Ere American Er