Wright: When we look really thoroughly and deeply at kind of the whole landscape of human regret, what we see is a reverse image of how to live a better life. The ones that bother me still are signals about, at some level, of what i value. And this is the thing about regret, its power as an emotion. It clarifies what we value, and it instructs us on how to do better.
“Embedded in songs, emblazoned on skin, and embraced by sages, the anti-regret philosophy is so self-evidently true that it’s more often asserted than argued.” So writes Daniel Pink in his new book, “The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward.” There’s just one problem, he adds. The “no regrets” philosophy? It’s hogwash. Regrets may churn our stomachs, but they also improve our decisions and strengthen our values. They’re a photographic negative of the good life.
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