Stay Tuned with Preet Procrastination, Polarization & Politics (with Tim Urban)
Mar 31, 2022
Tim Urban, author of the blog "Wait But Why," dives into the intriguing psychology of procrastination, describing the internal struggle between the 'instant gratification monkey' and the 'rational decision maker.' He shares insights on how societal pressures and pluralistic ignorance shape our beliefs and behaviors. The conversation also touches on the ramifications of a recent court ruling regarding attorney-client privilege linked to Donald Trump and a seven-hour gap in his phone logs. Urban argues that artificial intelligence poses a greater existential threat than climate change.
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Episode notes
Thesis Procrastination
- Tim Urban procrastinated on his 90-page senior thesis.
- He explains procrastination with a framework of brain characters.
Instant Gratification Monkey
- The instant gratification monkey, a brain character, seeks easy and fun activities.
- This works for dogs and monkeys, but hinders humans in advanced civilizations.
Panic Monster
- Procrastinators often rely on the panic monster, another brain character.
- The panic monster appears when deadlines approach, enabling action.