let's THiNK about it

Part IWe are in the era of "treat yo' self" and "you deserve it," which is at odds with the attitudes and behaviors of many successful people.What is will power? Ryder maps out three types of will found in psychoanalysis and how they relate to time. Freudian can be considered the "will to pleasure" based on your past, Adlerian is the "will to power (or superiority)" based around the present, and Frankl's logotherapy can be seen as the "will to meaning" based in part upon your future self.He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.Friedrich Nietzsche Will itself can be seen as motivations transformed into incentives, these incentives turn our choice into actions, and that in turn become our behaviors. These actions/behaviors show our values to the world, and thus it becomes who we are.Part IISo, why do we do what we don't want to do... instead of doing what we say we want to do?Ainslie discusses the Utilitarian and Cognitive camps to talk about 'satisfaction models'. A key point is to think of your internal desires as an internal marketplace, with different factions jockeying to win their reward. This follows the same principles of an army or corporation, any large group, where commands can be issued, but it is up to the managers to motivate the underlings, and an underground economy is formed that actually determines what gets done.Utilitarians tend to think in logically: we do what rewards us. Yet, there are several instances where we hurt ourselves, or do not follow logical principles. It is as if the current temptation is stronger than our ability to delay gratification.This brings up the "survival function" where we discount the future for the present, complicating rewards by discounting their value over time. Humans, and animals, tend to pick the more immediate, and often poorer, reward rather than wait for the long-term reward that would allow us to achieve our stated goals.This invokes the "pleasure principle" that is built into humans, and we must consider the role of reason vs. pleasure. If reason only exists to fulfill our desires, then we can't rely on it to thwart our desires... unless we weaponize our desire. We must have a bigger, better, stronger desire that allows us to displace the short-term weak rewards we crave.As well, we can, with forethought, plan around our future failures. If we know we will be tempted, we can, like Odysseus, plan around our temptations, but this does not work when temptation or instinct is sprung upon you.Part IIITaking a closer look at why we function the way we do, Ainslie points out "exponential discounts" versus "hyperbolic discounts." Humans tend towards hyperbolic, but someone like a banker looks long-term and realizes that if rates stay steady the long-term game wins. The banker can then take advantage of the hyperbolic person who values something strongly in the immediate moment without planning ahead.The banker is an example of a long-term rewards thinker, and the hyperbolic is the rest of us reacting to our immediate need. Ainslie brings up that rewards and pleasures are not the same thing. Rewards are behaviors that you repeat, and they may be painful, while pleasures tend to be desire fulfillment.Consider the instinct of a mother bear to protect her cubs: this is behavior does not produce pleasure for individual, but it does reward the species. Similarly, humans have a list of behaviors that can be hacked and are not good for individual welfare, but play a role in gene propagation. Nature tends to make these species rewards "pleasurable" so that we undertake hoarding food or having sex. So, why has nature not figured out the hyperbolic behavior can be taken advantage of by the banker on an exponential, logical curve?We end on two analogies for how to consider long-term v. short-term rewards. One is perspective where we understand that the building at the end of the block is larger than the one we are standing next to, even though the one we are next to looms larger, taking up more attention. Rewards function this was as well: the nearer reward demands attention, blocking out the ability to stay focused on the long-term reward in the distance. The other is a "chain of predation" where small fish are eaten by progressively larger fish... but with rewards it functions in reverse where the small reward (the current itch) eats the larger rewards (mid-range goals) until we never get to the big long-term reward.0:56 Why does will power break down?3:29 Will and 3 schools of Psychoanalysis tied to Past/Present/Future6:49 Procrastination and Chunky Monkey: Who am I?110:01 Illogical Decisions or Survival Discounting?15:05 physics for the mind: weaponize your desires17:09 Outwit your self: Odysseus19:38 Pleasure for survival: instinct vs. logic23:45 Rewards Perspective and the Reverse Chain of Predation. 

PART I : Time travel is a technology that allows us to fix mistakes, to rewrite our failures. This gives us more agency and less humility. WE begin to relate to our agency more than people. In the movie "The Fountain" the doctor spends his time searching for a solution rather than spending time with his love. If tech amplifies your desires and will (speeds them up), but we cannot control our desires we are doomed to become monsters. The series "Dark" on Netflix explores this morphing of compassion and agency into goals that rationalize betrayal and murder... for the greater good, of course. PART II: In the West science, chemistry and tech solve everything, yet we are less happy now than 50 years ago. We have no way to make suffering meaningful, so it is shameful. Eastern religions and ancient wisdom offer alternatives for how we should approach the world. PART III: Sci-fi in the 60's and 70's played with training humans to become super-human, where biology and discipline become the technology by which to change the world. In movies we still see increased biological power in superheroes and mutants, who fight against the fate of the world (an alien attack or asteroid). In the Dune series, people are the technology: bred to enhance computer-like or prescient tendencies. But, with people as a weapon, they are trained to be rational and not cave to their animal instincts. "Fear is the mindkiller." To be human is to not react like an animal, following your impulses. The key questions are 1) can you control your desires, because they shape your will? And 2) technology amplifies your agency, allowing you to act rather than learning from suffering, so you achieve your desires faster, but have less control over what you desire. With technology we may become more animal than human. https://thewilltodiy.com/step-18-time-travel-fate-will/01:11 Time travel morality: Baby Killing03:07 Captain Agency: Trickle Down Love7:54 We have the means, but no meaning9:05 Time Travel: Benefit Velcrosnatch12:01 Will & Fate: Fear is the mind-killer

We first pick on Rene Descartes for championing internal reasoning as a way to know yourself, instead of community, objective reality, or some form of morals and ethics. In Matthew Crawford's "Shopclass as Soul Craft" he mentions this division as he draws our attention to subtle distinctions about how people relate to the world. Primarily, how does one make a choice and act on it when "desire" drives our rationalizing? We discuss  "disposition" in your job, and the flaw of being an "idiot" by being your private (internal) self when in a public role (your job) and confronted by external problems. One problem is the internal reasoning where a model of the world exists in your mind, but does not function well in reality. The intellectual model cares not for the particulars of reality, and is ASSERTIVE whereas someone engaged with the external world and it's subtle nuances must be ATTENTIVE. The "stochastic arts" are not necessarily to create or PRODUCE something, but similar to a doctor or mechanic, they receive a complex thing (something which can never be comprehensively known) and must attend to it as a forensic investigator to PROMOTE the thing to a better state of being. This is at direct odds with self-involvement and narcissism... at least it is if the doctor or mechanic is good. https://thewilltodiy.com/step-17-stochastic-arts-the-cure-for-narcissism/3:36 The Wild West of "desire" driving" action.  4:49 "Brave New World" mistaking ends/means for progress: morality is a fart 6:11 Why is someone an "idiot"? They are being private while in public.8:19 The lure of "easy intellectual mastery" over the messy particulars of reality 10:09 The stochastic arts: to promote (not produce) requires humility and "attentiveness" which may be the cure for narcissism.     

Drawing from ideas in "Marginal Revolution" and "Sapiens," Ryder discusses some ideas on how our society is formed through tribes and stories. The internet and social media have thrown a wrench in social cohesion: after we became quite good at deconstructing all the narratives that held a society together, now we promote madness and contradiction. In an attempt at a path forward, Ryder draws from Matthew Crawford's "Shop Class as Soul Craft" to discuss how iterative oscillations towards an objective goal differ from deconstructing societal problems both in form and what they return to the individual. He discusses two thoughts from Douglas Murray's "The Madness of Crowds," namely the lack of forgiveness on the internet and current internet politics primary goal of spreading doubt, announcing a clear trend towards group think and illogic warned about in Timothy Snyder's "On Tyranny." For sources: https://thewilltodiy.com/step-16-madness-and-oscillations/3:16 To overcome the Dunbar limit we need shared narratives, which social media is destroying4:43 How did "deconstructing grand narratives" open the way for the "dark side" of Sith Lord absolutes? 6:36 Objective truth: you can't bullshit your way out of bad craftsmanship. 7:26 I have deconstructed the world, but I am still left with my pain looking for more targets to deconstruct. 8:44 There is no space for "forgiveness" on the internet: it's goal is to perpetuate doubt

In this episode Ryder discusses how ideas become pervasive. We accept that technology is progress, and the thing we created, now controls us under the guise of being essential or more efficient. And essentialism is at odds with human needs and society. Ryder walks through how online surveillance to enhance products also captured 'exhaust data' which tracked users behavior. Eventually google figured out how to capitalize on this data, turning it into a revenue stream, but at the cost of user security and consent. While many people claim not to care, Ryder maps out a few examples of how this path is leading to negative results and manipulation by Facebook, Tinder, Pokemon Go, and Walmart. He also discusses the tech and techniques developed and pioneered online being used by China to control citizens through social credit scores and facial recognition for tracking and abusing ethnic minorities. The Will to DIY website has references and sources: https://thewilltodiy.com/step-15-surveillance-capitalism/2:18 Technology as the new religion: removing human agency for the sake of "progress"5:00 Your tears were lost, but now they are found. And Google will use them to manipulate you. 8:59 Control Corp's happy familteam loves their tracking devices!13:27 "Lure Modules" via Pokemon Go: pre-determining your behavior 15:49 "You really hurt your Uncle Walmart" the panopticon of time19:30 China's social credit system: the "trustworthiness score" 

In Part I we recap some of Foucault's panoptic implications, and then begin to consider some critiques of his ideas, with a heavy emphasis on Gilles Deleuze and how the controlled environment and "productive soul training" of Foucault is no longer a primary means of power how power moves, disperses, and obfuscates itself.In Part II Deleuze discusses the multiplicity and fragmentation of the corporation, and thus the individual, who can now be seen as a password or code, a set of behavior patterns  to be controlled at access points rather than restrained and trained. Control tasks and access to desires, and a corporations short-term goals can be achieved, yest the power is so dispersed (rhizomatic) and motivations obfuscated that we seem to be fighting against ourselves when we push back. Haggerty and Ericson's notion of the "surveillant assemblage" and how the dispersed recording machines work together to generate a "data double," with the ability to predict events and behaviors leads us into Surveillance Capitalism. The Will to DIY website has references: https://thewilltodiy.com/step-14-post-panopticon/1:05 Control Corp is looking for new members to join our familteam! 3:40 Corporations as a "control society" with their own desires, abstracting individuals into passwords. 5:19 Trouble at the DMV confirming you are who you say you are? Become a Certified Clear Connect Verified Consumer* today! 8:31 What is a "dividual"? You being fragmented until corporations can build a "data double" of you. 11:25 Strutting your curated self on social media still hands over data (on you and your viewers) to companies who obfuscate thier intent.  

After discussing the social contract and the balance of "Freedom From/Freedom To" Ryder looks at another form of social power dynamics that stem from ideological prison design, grow into institutional and workplace behavior modification, and eventually spread to the public internalizing self discipline and punishment, and participating not only in surveilling other citizens, but directing their gaze and attention to re-affirm and verify the authority of the state. This episode introduces Jeremy Benthem's prison design, a limited version of Michel Foucault's ideas from both Discipline & Punish and Power/Knowledge texts, as well as a brief extrapolation of Tony Bennett's "exhibitionary control." The Will to DIY has a list of links and commentary: https://thewilltodiy.com/step-13-the-panopticon/Many thanks to Mistah Lisa and Jonathan Whitfill. 1:40 Benthem: Guarding prisoners with "visible, but unverifiable power"4:11 Foucault: Our escaped prisoner walks into a real bar, and gets committed to an asylum. 6:56 The manager's "surveillance discourse" instills "normative behavior" 9:00 The Reflective Intelligence Meter: measure your intelligence now! 11:42 Our escaped prisoner escapes the asylum, and is declared a "genius" in the art world for pointing his eyeballs.   

Part I: Isaiah Berlin's notion of Freedom From/Freedom To and how that relates to the social contract in a way that shows you really are not all that free. Your body and life actually belong to the state, so they can mandate your behavior for the common good. Part II: Jurgen Habermas syas that many of the Ends/Means problems with Enlightenment Rationality are not considering the balancing effect of the Public Sphere where people follow principles of Communicative Rationality (and Action) to reach agreements. A key tenant is that the person speaking must believe what they say and use rational logic, otherwise the conversation is not worth having. Part III:  Jonathan Haidt discusses how since 2007 (the advent of the like and retweet) that social media became performative public display, not authentic conversations. If this is the new public sphere, then it has been instrumentalized.  When presented with new information we have started asking "Do I have to believe this?" with the answer being "no."  Thus, there is no longer an agreed upon source for truth. Part IV: The contradictions inherent to politicized beliefs. When does your Freedom To not wear a mask impinge on someone else's Freedom From disease? Why does belief in God, politics, or your rights as a citizen allow you to harm others? It seems a small thing to ask strong people to moderate their behavior. (all music courtesy of Ryder's mouth)The Will to DIY website has references: https://thewilltodiy.com/step-12-the-social-sphere-and-communicative-action/0:32 A man walks into a bar: I should be "free to" get a drink and "free from" harassment.4:55 The Social Contract: You are not "free from" being offended... unless you live in a Mad Max world.6:15 A man walks into a bar, a conversation ensues: how do we handle the drunk guy in the corner? 12:30 A blue donkey walks into a red elephant bar, and gets kicked out. Team identity wins and people lose. 19:32 The last man walks into the bar: he is brave and claims to love his community, so he carries a gun, but won't wear a mask to save those weaker than him.    

Pulling from Isaiah Berlin's Positive and Negative Freedom, Ryder looks at the "social contract" and the tacit promise of safety (Freedom From) in exchange for taxes and good citizenship. There are no conclusions reached, just a framework for thinking about freedom and the nation/state's responsibility to uphold citizen rights. The Will to DIY website has references: https://thewilltodiy.com/step-11-the-social-contract-freedom-to-freedom-from/1:43 When I was growing up facts would lead me to truth, but Isaiah Berlin points out the contradictions of logical reasoning. 3:30 Freedom is a broad term, but it helps to consider what you are "free from" and what you are "free to" do. 4:50 Your free speech has limits in a society, jackass. 5:32 The social contract provides "freedoms" but at a cost to "freedoms"8:00 Representative democracy: is the social contract still alive?  

Drawing from a great article, "Economy of Life?," Ryder discusses some thoughts on how people make decisions based on emotion instead of intelligence. (Yes, Ryder is aware, the 'economy or life' distinction is hyperbolic.)He discusses how the economy has become a religion with associated rituals and dogma and the politicians are priests. The problem is, when a storm hits praying for rain isn't gong to help, and politicians doubling down (fixing capitalism with more capitalism) is simply a preacher telling you to pray more and have faith. Ryder also mentions the American history of risk for beliefs, and how this trend is nothing new. It probably doesn't mean they are idiots. Maybe. 0:55 The two camps of Coronavirus: Economy of Life1:58 Humans are heuristic machines, not logic machines: we tend to react for short-term benefit rather than think4:02 Prognostication: The Economy is more like mysticism than a science, requiring "faith" to survive. 5:50 Contradictory injunctions from leaders: stay home and go to work. 6:50 Our leaders worship the economy, making citizens sacrificial to "the greater good"