1 00:00:01,080 --> 00:00:04,520 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff you Should Know from How Stuff Works 2 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:11,640 Speaker 1: dot com. Hey, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Josh 3 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: Clarkin sitting across from me putting on his Love Your Mama. 4 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 1: Umlit ball, what what Philip Flavors? That is almond? Actually 5 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:22,959 Speaker 1: is yummy. Let's look at that plug right out of 6 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:26,439 Speaker 1: the gate. This is Charles W. Chuck Bryant. Hello. Those 7 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:28,920 Speaker 1: are nice lips you got there, man. Wow, they're now 8 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:34,839 Speaker 1: moistified like moist bologney. Yep. Well, the two of us 9 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: get together as we are right now, and you have 10 00:00:36,840 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 1: yourself Stuff you should know the podcast. Nope, this is 11 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,560 Speaker 1: the podcast. It ain't going nowhere. It ain't gonna change. 12 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: Don't worry, folks. Yeah, same as it ever was. If 13 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: you love the TV show, we thank you. If you 14 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 1: don't like it, hang out with us here online. Yeah uh, 15 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: not to be confused with our online presence, our website, 16 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: our new website, the home of Chuck Josh Stuff you 17 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 1: should Know dot com. This is pretty cool. I don't 18 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:03,639 Speaker 1: mind saying words about this because we got a new 19 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 1: website and it's like, it's awesome. It's got video and 20 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: and blogs and photos and it's like all sorts of 21 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 1: cool stuff. It's us. It's our house on the on 22 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 1: the web. It's really cool. I mean stuff. You should 23 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:17,679 Speaker 1: know dot com it's our website, mind blowing, five years 24 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: in the making. Yeah. So uh. And then not to 25 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 1: be confused with our Twitter handle, s y sk podcast. 26 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:25,400 Speaker 1: Not to be confused with our Facebook page, Facebook, dot 27 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: com slash stuff. You should know, boy your front load 28 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: this one. Yeah, alright, all that's out of the way, right. Um, So, Chuck, 29 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 1: you're doing good, You're feeling well. I'm not feeling great, 30 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 1: but you know, yeah, you're ready to be done. No, 31 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 1: I'm ready to talk about willpower though, because it is 32 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: a topic that I struggle with, as do most people. 33 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: I think, like you struggle with the topic, or you 34 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: struggle with willpower. I think everybody struggles with willpower. Oh yeah, well, 35 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:53,800 Speaker 1: as a matter of fact, um, I think you're absolutely right. 36 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: There is a very famous guy named Plato, famous Greek 37 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: philosopher Plato. Plato, Plato, yes not Plato, right, um, And 38 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: Plato decided well suggested that the entire human experience, that 39 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: the sum of human existence could be basically nailed down 40 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: with just this. You have a higher self and a 41 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: lower self and your purpose for living is to overcome 42 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:32,360 Speaker 1: the usually more powerful urges of the lower self in 43 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 1: order to fulfill the goals of the higher self. I 44 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:40,079 Speaker 1: am down without it makes uttering complete sense. I don't 45 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 1: know about the reason for living, but the struggle man 46 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 1: struggle or at least okay, Yeah, like that's if you're born. 47 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:49,679 Speaker 1: You're going to face that, but you're going to face 48 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 1: it in varying degrees because, as we found, willpower, which 49 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: is what you use to get over your lower urges 50 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: and pursue your higher goals. Um, it comes in differing 51 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 1: amounts for differing people, different people. Yeah, and it. And 52 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:07,800 Speaker 1: Robert Lamb wrote the original article from house Stuff Works 53 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: from Stuff to Blow your Mind, and he points out 54 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 1: that we're at odds with our own, uh nature, as 55 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 1: we have evolved here on the planet because you know, 56 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: we craved sugary sweet things because sugar gave us lots 57 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 1: of energy back in the day, and back in the 58 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 1: day they didn't have little debby cakes within hands reach 59 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 1: at all times. So we're sort of at odds with ourselves. 60 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: And he points out sexually as well, um, we evolved 61 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 1: to spread the seed and procreate as much as possible 62 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: to ensure the survival of the species. And um, nowadays 63 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: you can't really do that stuff, or if you do, 64 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:50,120 Speaker 1: you're a flander or a jerk or your spreading disease 65 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: and your public health nuisance. Yeah. So, um, we're at 66 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: odds with ourselves, with our very existence. Yeah, and not 67 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 1: only internally, but you make the point, um as a 68 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 1: side as well. I mean, society and evolution tussle. So 69 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:05,640 Speaker 1: you can make the case that society represents our higher 70 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 1: self and you know, are what we are, basic instincts 71 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 1: that we've evolved to are are lower selves. So that's 72 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: what's going on. And it's will power, will power that 73 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: will get us over the bumps that come along in 74 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:24,520 Speaker 1: life inevitably. Yeah. And if I think most people relate 75 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: will power to things like eating or going to the gym, 76 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:32,920 Speaker 1: or indulging in uh uh sexual proclivities and things like that, 77 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:36,479 Speaker 1: But I think it's broader than that. In general. I 78 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 1: think it's the will to, like Plato said, to strive too, 79 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:44,599 Speaker 1: I guess, do the right thing. Yeah, by yourself, by others, 80 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: by society at large. Right. And I guess also, um, 81 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 1: how often you come up against that? How often you 82 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 1: have to exercise willpower because you you just hit it 83 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: on the head. Will Power is the act of making 84 00:04:56,640 --> 00:05:00,040 Speaker 1: a decision. You're deciding to do something or not to 85 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:03,680 Speaker 1: do something. Um, how often you do that it does 86 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 1: depend on how you define the world around you, Like, 87 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:10,720 Speaker 1: are these things you know? Are you surrounded by temptations 88 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:12,280 Speaker 1: that you have to ward off all the time and 89 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 1: you're paying attention to it and they're always closing in? Uh? 90 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:18,599 Speaker 1: If you like that, then you're going to exercise your 91 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: willpower a lot. If you don't see the world as temptations, 92 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:24,039 Speaker 1: you give into them all the time, you're not going 93 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 1: to If you look at the world as something that 94 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 1: you can handle, you're probably not gonna have to exercise 95 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:32,040 Speaker 1: your willpower too much then either. But it's all they're all. 96 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 1: Those are three different ways of of living and they 97 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:39,720 Speaker 1: all are I guess described by willpower and how you 98 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 1: use it. Yeah, that's a good point. Um. Robert h 99 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:46,840 Speaker 1: makes a point that has backed up somewhat by science, 100 00:05:47,279 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: actually completely by science. The and he he puts in 101 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:53,760 Speaker 1: terms of a video game, which makes sense that if 102 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 1: you were a video game and you have a willpower meter, 103 00:05:57,839 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: that that willpower meter is replenished and depleted on a daily, 104 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:07,800 Speaker 1: probably hourly basis. And the more you uh use your 105 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 1: willpower and say, you know what, I'm not going to 106 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 1: have that little debby cake, Your little willpower meter goes 107 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 1: down and it depletes itself, so you're not going to 108 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 1: have as much willpower maybe for the next decision. Right. 109 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 1: It's really interesting. Yeah, that's um pretty new. Our understanding 110 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: of willpower like that is very new. The first guy 111 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 1: to really kind of put it out like that was 112 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:34,360 Speaker 1: Freud Um and he basically said, uh, you we have 113 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:37,839 Speaker 1: this thing called willpower. We have an ego. Yeah, that's 114 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:42,800 Speaker 1: that's what the Freudians associate with willpowers, the ego, and 115 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:45,919 Speaker 1: your ego is this finite thing. It has a finite 116 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 1: energy reserve. It uses energy, and therefore it can be sapped. 117 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 1: And then Freud fell out of fashion, and um, everybody 118 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 1: just kind of stopped looking at willpower that way. And 119 00:06:56,720 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 1: uh it wasn't until in Florida State University psychologist named 120 00:07:00,960 --> 00:07:06,680 Speaker 1: Roy uh Baumeister the bomb he uh he figured out 121 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: through this test using chocolate and radishes. I believe that, um, you, 122 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:18,440 Speaker 1: if you are staving off temptation using willpower, you actually 123 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:22,960 Speaker 1: do terribly on like another test of willpower. Yeah, they 124 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 1: used persistence tests UM basically puzzles that you have to 125 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: just keep at it and keep at it's not something 126 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 1: you could complete immediately, And offered some people chocolate chip 127 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 1: cookies and other chocolate treats of their liking and offered 128 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 1: other people radishes instead, which is not a fair fight, right, 129 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 1: I mean, he really stacked the deck like maybe a radish, 130 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: a shaved radish in a salad or something. But if 131 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: all you're looking at is a plate of radish, then yeah, 132 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 1: I would take the cookie. So what he found out though, 133 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 1: was the people who ate the radishes had more trouble 134 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 1: completing the test. I guess because I guess the ideas 135 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 1: they're using up all their willpower to not eat the cookie, 136 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:05,280 Speaker 1: so they don't have time for the test the persistence. 137 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 1: And there was also a another kind of follow up 138 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 1: study a few years after that by um the the 139 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: University of Iowa professor with the greatest name of all 140 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 1: of the faculty there, Baba shiv Um and uh Dr 141 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 1: shiv Um, had a uh basically tested willpower by saying 142 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: this group is going to remember a two digit number, 143 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 1: and this group is gonna remember a seven digit number 144 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 1: and then we're gonna test their willpower um by tempting 145 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 1: them with chocolate cake and uh. Dr Shiv found that 146 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: there was the people who were using their working memory 147 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:46,560 Speaker 1: their cognitive capacity to remember the seven digit number had 148 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 1: a harder time resisting. So it basically proves that we 149 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 1: use our working memory to resist temptation. And I guess 150 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:57,319 Speaker 1: it's something like reminding yourself, you know, at the at 151 00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 1: the forefront of your mind, not to do something, you know, 152 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 1: until the temptation pasts. Who knows, Yeah, maybe I had 153 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 1: that cookie yesterday, so man, I can't eat it today. 154 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: Or we use our working memory to remind ourselves of 155 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 1: our long term goals in the face of a short 156 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:15,680 Speaker 1: term reward. Well, that's one of the big keys I think. Yeah, 157 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 1: and uh, that's something Robert hits on, which is I 158 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 1: want that cookie now, and I know bikini seasons coming up, 159 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 1: and you've seen me in a bikini. Josh, it's not pretty. 160 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: I will never get that out of my memory, working 161 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: memory or other one that bikini. And but that's sort 162 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,559 Speaker 1: of what we're at odds with is the short term 163 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 1: I think humans as a group tend to enjoy the 164 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:45,959 Speaker 1: short short term pleasures and if you truly learn to 165 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 1: conquer that in in uh lieu of long term gain, 166 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 1: that's when you're like you're winning, is Charlie Sheen would say, 167 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 1: right exactly, Although Charlie Sheen is not exactly one who's 168 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:59,319 Speaker 1: known to exercise the willpower. No, you know, that was 169 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 1: a really ad person to tap for that, But well 170 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 1: I think that's the opposite he was. He thought winning 171 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 1: was the short term game. Yeah, I guess yeah, yeah, 172 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 1: people like when you guys record this, but it's been 173 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 1: I think today might be the very day where you 174 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 1: could get away with it. So it was perfect by 175 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:21,440 Speaker 1: the way. Um, so from all these tests, like when 176 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 1: Baumeister um put his study ego depletion colon is the 177 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 1: active self a limited resource, it just basically kicked off 178 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 1: the slew of follow up studies from Dr Shiv and others, 179 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 1: and um. One of the things that they found was 180 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:42,520 Speaker 1: that you can kind of watch people exercise willpower on 181 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:46,599 Speaker 1: the old Wonder machine. Yeah yeah, um. Using m r 182 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 1: s they put people in and had them think about, 183 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: I guess a suite or a health food and decide 184 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 1: between them and cal Tech. Yeah, And they found that 185 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:03,120 Speaker 1: the venture. Amedial prefrontal cortex lights up when you're making 186 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: that decision when you're considering it, which made sense. They 187 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 1: I think they kind of expected that, but they were 188 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 1: also surprised to find that the Dorso lateral prefrontal cortex um, 189 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 1: which is located a little further back, Um, that lit 190 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 1: up as well. And they think that that has lit 191 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 1: up for the people who made the good decision only 192 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 1: thank you. And they think that that's maybe part of 193 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:27,840 Speaker 1: your that's part of the working memory where you're like, no, 194 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:32,560 Speaker 1: I can't eat that, because that's tapping into that higher 195 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:38,719 Speaker 1: self goal pursuit. That's the Dorso lateral prefrontal cortex. Right, 196 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:41,679 Speaker 1: you did a nice job there, by the way, thanks, 197 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:11,520 Speaker 1: uh so. The bomber also went on to say that, 198 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 1: um he could. He compares the willpower, your own willpower 199 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:19,440 Speaker 1: to a muscle or something like a muscle, and you 200 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 1: can deplete it, Like he said, if you overwork your muscles, 201 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 1: you're just gonna deplete your muscles and be worn out 202 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:28,720 Speaker 1: at the end of the day. Or you can exercise 203 00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 1: that muscle in a in a healthy way and make 204 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:34,600 Speaker 1: it stronger in the long term. Right, Um, do you 205 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 1: do this after reading this, a third realized that I 206 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 1: actually kind of exercised willpower all the time. What you 207 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:45,400 Speaker 1: I think you especially do so like, for example, I 208 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:48,280 Speaker 1: have a mail key that I used to go get 209 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 1: the mail, right and we keep it in our car, 210 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:54,200 Speaker 1: and I had to go to the car and get 211 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:55,600 Speaker 1: the mail key and then go get the mail. And 212 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:58,480 Speaker 1: it was cold out yesterday, and then on the way 213 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:00,640 Speaker 1: back I could have just take in the mail key 214 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:03,760 Speaker 1: inside with me and taking it back to the car, 215 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 1: and the next time I went to the car again 216 00:13:05,440 --> 00:13:07,960 Speaker 1: it was very cold. But instead I walked up a 217 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 1: flight of stairs, put the mail key into the car, 218 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 1: and then went back home. So you're you're you made 219 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 1: that decision and you struggled with it, even if in 220 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:20,439 Speaker 1: a minor way. Yes, I did it specifically because there 221 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:23,760 Speaker 1: was no reason whatsoever for me to do that rationally, 222 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:25,920 Speaker 1: and as far as common sense went, there was no 223 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:29,520 Speaker 1: there's no purpose to it. But by doing it, I 224 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 1: basically just exercised my willpower. It was something I didn't 225 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:34,400 Speaker 1: really want to do, but it wasn't a big deal, 226 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 1: but it was I could like doing that accumulates. Yeah, 227 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: I think I think you and I are really different 228 00:13:42,559 --> 00:13:45,599 Speaker 1: in that way. I see you as someone who actively 229 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 1: works that muscle a lot on a daily basis, and 230 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:52,439 Speaker 1: I don't enough and not that I just have no willpower, 231 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:56,439 Speaker 1: but I don't give it, give decisions like that enough consideration. 232 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 1: Does that make sense completely? I was like, yeah, I'll 233 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 1: just go upstairs and the key on the coffee table, 234 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:05,800 Speaker 1: which a sane person she kind of has that that thought. 235 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:07,559 Speaker 1: I think that puts you in the same camp. Yeah, 236 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,719 Speaker 1: but that doesn't ensure that I'm making good decisions for 237 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:12,880 Speaker 1: my life, you know. You know, but I mean I 238 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 1: don't think you're making bad ones. But it's good to 239 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 1: self reflect, you know, Yeah, I do kind of It's 240 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 1: kind of fun. You know, it's like a game. Yeah, 241 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 1: I want to you know, It's it's like how Ramrod 242 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:25,960 Speaker 1: Street can I stay in? You know? That's what I'm 243 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 1: building towards. Uh so um. Another thing Robert points out 244 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 1: from the science side of things is as far as 245 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:36,080 Speaker 1: giving into the short term in favor of the long term, 246 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 1: is glucose plays a big part in that. And I 247 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 1: think they found that a quick um shot of sugar, 248 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 1: I don't think a whole lot can sometimes stave off 249 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 1: or build up that willpower. Reserve in the term. Yeah, 250 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 1: it's like, uh, you you were talking about how we 251 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 1: have like a UM willpower bar, and every time we 252 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:57,200 Speaker 1: were this temptation is depleted a little more and more. 253 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:00,800 Speaker 1: They found that a shot of glucose replenishes the willpower bar. 254 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 1: So is that in lieu of like, hey boy, I 255 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 1: really want that cupcake, but let me have the juice 256 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 1: box instead. That's the irony of it, is giving into 257 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:13,560 Speaker 1: that cupcake may help you exercise your willpower with other 258 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:16,920 Speaker 1: stuff later further on. Can't that weird? But yeah, I 259 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: mean if you had something healthier, that would be the 260 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:22,120 Speaker 1: better choice. But the point is is like any kind 261 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 1: of shot of glucos has been shown to UM to 262 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:28,600 Speaker 1: to re up your your willpower. And this was very 263 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 1: much poop pooed at first, this idea, UM, I think Baumeister, 264 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 1: This is really great article by John Tierney in New 265 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:38,760 Speaker 1: York Times magazine. It's from UM the August before last. 266 00:15:38,800 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: It's called do You Suffer from Decision Fatigue? Our buddy 267 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 1: Chad loves this proselytized this article. Remember, okay, this is 268 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 1: the one, so I strongly recommend everybody to read. It's 269 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 1: a good one. But um and and it it talks 270 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: about Baumeister like thinking that you know, glucose has something 271 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 1: to do with this um and it was poop pooed 272 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 1: at first, because everybody knows the brain uses the same 273 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 1: amount of energy pretty much all day long. So that 274 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:06,280 Speaker 1: didn't make any sense. Like if you're if you're ego 275 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:09,720 Speaker 1: depleted and you're you're suffering from some sort of willpower fatigue, 276 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 1: but your brain still using the same amount of energy, 277 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 1: those two don't jibe. Again with the m r I. 278 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 1: What they found was somebody suffering from ego depletion from 279 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:23,200 Speaker 1: willpower fatigue who took a shot of glue coast or 280 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: whatever UM. Their brains lit up in areas that had 281 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 1: to do with exercising will power. So while your brain 282 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 1: was using the same amount of energy, it was using 283 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:37,000 Speaker 1: them in different places when your willpower was fatigued. And 284 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 1: that gluecoast basically was like spinach to popeye for that 285 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:44,760 Speaker 1: part of your brain that's charged with exercising willpower. Isn't 286 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 1: that Yeah? So what do you carry on a packet 287 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 1: sugar with you at all times? Come on sugar right now? Um? Also, uh, 288 00:16:53,240 --> 00:16:55,880 Speaker 1: the in that same article they talk about this uh, 289 00:16:56,240 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 1: this kind of landmark study of an Israeli parole board, 290 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:04,439 Speaker 1: and um, they found that you if you were a 291 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 1: parole e and you came to them after it had 292 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:10,720 Speaker 1: been a while since a break or lunch or breakfast, 293 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 1: your chances of being paroled dropped by like fifty or 294 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:18,160 Speaker 1: sixty oh if the parole board had not had breakfast, 295 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: yes or no. If they if you came to them 296 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 1: like right after things got started, after breakfast or after lunch, 297 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 1: your chances of being paroled were like fifty to fifty 298 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:32,679 Speaker 1: six greater than people who came to them for identical 299 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 1: crimes like a couple hours later. I'm sure that makes 300 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:37,600 Speaker 1: the criminals of the world feel pretty great. Yeah, exactly. 301 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 1: So arbitrary. And they what they found is it's not laziness. 302 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:44,600 Speaker 1: It's not like physical fatigue where like you can tell 303 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 1: you're tired. What our brains do is they employ the 304 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:51,919 Speaker 1: strategy where you you are, you become risk averse, like 305 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 1: you don't want to make a decision, so you say, 306 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 1: you know what, I'm just gonna put this off. You're 307 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 1: gonna go back to jail. I'm not going to grant 308 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 1: your parole because that's risky behavior. To let you back 309 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:03,240 Speaker 1: out in the world, and I'm just I've made too 310 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:05,439 Speaker 1: many decisions today. But you're not thinking this. You just 311 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:07,359 Speaker 1: say parole to nine and you have no idea why. 312 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:10,119 Speaker 1: It just makes sense to you at the time. But 313 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:14,840 Speaker 1: if you had had some gluecoast that same instance, you 314 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 1: may you may be like, well, yeah, I think you're 315 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 1: you're ready to come back out in society. That reminds 316 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 1: me of the band Rush, Yes, that we talked about before. 317 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:27,639 Speaker 1: I remember this from when I was a teenager. You 318 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:30,680 Speaker 1: know the lyric um Man, what song is it? If 319 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:33,119 Speaker 1: you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice? 320 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:35,880 Speaker 1: Fretty will Oh, yeah, that's from that song, of course. 321 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:39,200 Speaker 1: I think on the original album jacket it says if 322 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:41,679 Speaker 1: you choose not to decide, you cannot have made a choice. 323 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 1: Is the right? Yeah? My brother and I used to 324 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:46,399 Speaker 1: laugh that. I think Neil Perd actually wrote a lot 325 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:49,320 Speaker 1: of the lyrics back then that Getty Lee dislike, you know, 326 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:52,760 Speaker 1: edged it out with events. But it's the complete opposite meanings. 327 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:55,919 Speaker 1: So it's interesting that at some point Rush, I guess 328 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:58,760 Speaker 1: that maybe a band argument or something. I'm glad Getty 329 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:00,920 Speaker 1: Lee won. Yeah, you you have made a choice. No, 330 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:03,719 Speaker 1: you cannot have made a choice. Just shut up, play drums. 331 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 1: Your voice is weird. I remember hearing that the first time. 332 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:08,800 Speaker 1: I was like, oh man, oh yeah, blew me away? 333 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:11,960 Speaker 1: Yeah yeah, free will. I can't believe I didn't remember 334 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:13,520 Speaker 1: the name, Like, I can't think of the name of 335 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:17,400 Speaker 1: this song, but it's about free will? Was it red 336 00:19:17,400 --> 00:19:22,440 Speaker 1: bar Chetta? All right? Oh? I didn't really fully get 337 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:29,359 Speaker 1: the the Stanford UH psychologist Walton and Dweck, and that 338 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:33,800 Speaker 1: is Dweck. It sounds like saying direct wrong. Um. I 339 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 1: didn't fully get that that They they said that people 340 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:42,399 Speaker 1: UH who have will found willpower fatigue tend to slack 341 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:45,920 Speaker 1: off when they felt their resolve wavering, but then people 342 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:50,439 Speaker 1: who felt their resolve was limitless pressed on. I like that. 343 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:52,159 Speaker 1: Just I don't get the point there. It seems like 344 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:55,119 Speaker 1: a no brainer. Yeah, I think I think it is. 345 00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:57,679 Speaker 1: You may just be looking too deeply. It was like 346 00:19:57,680 --> 00:19:59,920 Speaker 1: what I was talking about earlier at the beginning, where 347 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:02,760 Speaker 1: like depending on how you see the world, like do 348 00:20:02,760 --> 00:20:05,160 Speaker 1: you see the world is like, like you have willpower, 349 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:09,000 Speaker 1: so you can overcome any temptation, You're going to last longer. 350 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,719 Speaker 1: On tests of will power than somebody who is like, um, 351 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:15,320 Speaker 1: I'm feeling kind of weak today, you know, and then 352 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:17,960 Speaker 1: you're just gonna give in. Okay, So it is pretty simple. Yeah, 353 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:19,880 Speaker 1: all right, I thought it was a dummy. Not only 354 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 1: is it simple, I managed to make it more complex 355 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:26,320 Speaker 1: and talk about it at length. Uh. They do know 356 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:31,200 Speaker 1: that people, generally there is some genetic component involved, Like 357 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:34,520 Speaker 1: if your parents are super self disciplined, then you were 358 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:36,840 Speaker 1: more likely to turn out that way, right. I found 359 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:38,959 Speaker 1: that to be true from friends of mine whose parents 360 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 1: were like super self discipline and their kids kind of 361 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:43,440 Speaker 1: turned out that way too. Yeah, but I wonder, And 362 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 1: Robert makes a point in the article like is it 363 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:50,440 Speaker 1: genetic or epigenetic? Yeah, I don't know, probably both. Yeah, 364 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 1: I would think my guests, we just chose not to decide. 365 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:57,399 Speaker 1: We cannot have made a choice. Uh. And then the 366 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:01,720 Speaker 1: old marshmallow experiment this uh stand for not the prison experiment, 367 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:06,280 Speaker 1: but the marshmallow experiment from the nineteen sixties, very famous 368 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:10,160 Speaker 1: one where they placed these uh tortured these kids basically 369 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:12,879 Speaker 1: by placing a marshmallow in front of them and saying, 370 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:16,879 Speaker 1: if you hold off on eating that marshmallow in fifteen minutes, 371 00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:19,280 Speaker 1: you will have to, And of course not many of 372 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 1: the kids could hold out, but they found that the 373 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 1: ones who did hold out for the second marshmallow went 374 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 1: on in life to greater successes, at least if you 375 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 1: count s a T scores as a measure of success, 376 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:33,919 Speaker 1: two points higher than the ones who chowed down on 377 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:37,440 Speaker 1: the marshmallow, and the ones who ate the marshmallow later 378 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 1: on had struggles with relationships and stress and uh attention. Yeah, 379 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:45,199 Speaker 1: so I wonder if that has even do with like 380 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:47,399 Speaker 1: you know, O c D. I wonder as well, I 381 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 1: wonder how much um of our modern problems are really 382 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: just crises of willpower? Yeah, I wonder. Um there was 383 00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:58,160 Speaker 1: a follow up to that sixties experiment. There's been a bunch, 384 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:00,440 Speaker 1: but there was one in at the University of Rochester 385 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 1: that was carried out last year that um found we 386 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 1: are more willing to exercise willpower if we think that 387 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:11,080 Speaker 1: what we're holding out for is actually going to happen, 388 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:14,919 Speaker 1: you know. Uh, And they did that by this is hilarious. 389 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:17,720 Speaker 1: It's funny. He studies with kids are always they're so 390 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:21,399 Speaker 1: cruel and funny. I mean, not the really truly cruel 391 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 1: ones that like any psychological study that has the kids 392 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:28,159 Speaker 1: almost invariably has some cruel aspect to it, and this 393 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:32,160 Speaker 1: one was no, uh, was no exception. Basically, uh, they said, 394 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:36,480 Speaker 1: here's the control group, here's here's the experimental group, and 395 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 1: the control group, we want to give you some extra 396 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:42,200 Speaker 1: art supplies. Let us go get them. And they came 397 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:46,080 Speaker 1: back with some extra art supplies. The experimental group. They said, hey, 398 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:48,200 Speaker 1: we're gonna get you some more art supplies. We'll be 399 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 1: right back. And they came back. They're like, we don't 400 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 1: have any more art supplies. We know you were really excited, 401 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:55,359 Speaker 1: but sorry, you're gonna have to make do with that 402 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:58,680 Speaker 1: old red pen. And then they tested them with the 403 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:02,040 Speaker 1: marshmallow experiment it and found that the ones who had 404 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:05,200 Speaker 1: gotten the art supplies, the promise hadn't been broken. Sure, 405 00:23:05,760 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 1: they held out longer than the ones who had been 406 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:11,119 Speaker 1: lied to. Yeah, they're like, screw that, you're not bringing 407 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:14,160 Speaker 1: me to marshmallows, this marshmallow right now exactly, I'm gonna 408 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 1: kick you in the shin afterwards too. I'll show you. Yeah, 409 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:19,160 Speaker 1: that's not cruel on the level. What was that one? 410 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 1: The one kid, remember the that we talked about that 411 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:28,359 Speaker 1: was tested on like oh, kept in a closet. No, 412 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 1: they tested fear conditioning and extension and the kid it 413 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:36,040 Speaker 1: was little Albert where they like they would put a 414 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 1: bunny in his lap and then bang of metal with 415 00:23:39,119 --> 00:23:42,399 Speaker 1: a hammer and scare the Jesus out of him. Right, 416 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:45,399 Speaker 1: And then they came to like fear rabbits, like there 417 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:47,399 Speaker 1: was a search for him, right, and they eventually found him, 418 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:49,520 Speaker 1: they thought, I think, so, I don't remember I wrote 419 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 1: a blog post that I'll have to republish or whatever 420 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:54,440 Speaker 1: because it's been a while, I don't remember. But yeah, 421 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 1: they figured out who it was pretty much. So this 422 00:23:57,119 --> 00:23:59,359 Speaker 1: isn't on that level. No, no, no, this is just 423 00:23:59,400 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 1: Marshmallows yesterday. Um. So, oh, there's one other point I 424 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:06,680 Speaker 1: wanted to bring up that I thought was pretty interesting 425 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:11,960 Speaker 1: and horrible from that John Tierney article. Um, where with 426 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:16,840 Speaker 1: with decision fatigue, with exercising willpower disproportionately affects the poor 427 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:21,120 Speaker 1: and they think that possibly now, uh, that poverty exists 428 00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 1: in a cycle because if you're a poor person, you 429 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:28,040 Speaker 1: have to exercise willpower, you have to make more decisions 430 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 1: than somebody who has more resources, more money, like say 431 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:34,399 Speaker 1: you're walking through the grocery store. Um, you know, I 432 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 1: want the soap and this food. If you're poor, you 433 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:40,439 Speaker 1: might have to say I want both, but I have 434 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:42,560 Speaker 1: to just buy one. I don't have enough for both, 435 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:44,520 Speaker 1: So how much is it going to be? And their 436 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 1: willpower there there there, their resources of of willpower of 437 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 1: decision making become fatigued a lot faster because they have 438 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:55,600 Speaker 1: to exercise it a lot more and they don't have 439 00:24:56,280 --> 00:25:00,800 Speaker 1: the uh, the resources to get themselves out of poverty, 440 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:05,439 Speaker 1: to indulge or to like study or do you know, 441 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:09,639 Speaker 1: do more that they already have the deck stacked against 442 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 1: them resource wise. But then you throw in this, this 443 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:18,440 Speaker 1: idea of willpower. Possibly that's that makes it even more difficulty. Boy, 444 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:21,159 Speaker 1: I never really thought about that. It's pretty interesting stuff. 445 00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 1: It makes you, It makes me, you know, you feel 446 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:25,480 Speaker 1: for him even more. Yeah, and it makes me feel 447 00:25:25,520 --> 00:25:28,800 Speaker 1: bad when say, do I want the peanut butter ganash 448 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,320 Speaker 1: cupcake or the chocolate? You know what, Just go ahead 449 00:25:31,320 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 1: and give me both, right exactly, Well, you can buy 450 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:37,720 Speaker 1: both and then just take one to somebody who's struggling 451 00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:39,680 Speaker 1: in the grocery store trying to figure out they're gonna 452 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:49,680 Speaker 1: buy soap for food. It's a good idea. Yeah. Yeah, 453 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:15,520 Speaker 1: uh you got anything else? Man? No, this is this 454 00:26:15,560 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 1: is a good one. Yeah. I like willpower. It's fun. 455 00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:19,920 Speaker 1: Go out and exercise it in little ways. It's fun. 456 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 1: Or don't either that or um strap of car battery 457 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:28,560 Speaker 1: to your inner thighs. It's just for fun. Uh okay. Well, 458 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:30,239 Speaker 1: if you want to learn more about willpower and read 459 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:33,719 Speaker 1: this good article by Robert Lamb, you can type in 460 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:36,080 Speaker 1: willpower in the search bar at how stuff works dot 461 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:37,480 Speaker 1: com and it will bring it up. And I said 462 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 1: search bar. So it's time for a listener mail, Yeah, Josh. Quickly, 463 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:44,479 Speaker 1: before we do that, we need to say a special 464 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 1: thank you to a fan of ours who helped us 465 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:52,320 Speaker 1: out with our Wikipedia page. Oh nice, thank you. And 466 00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:55,400 Speaker 1: he was very cool and and his name and he's 467 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:57,879 Speaker 1: been mentioned on tech stuff evidently too. Oh well, this 468 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 1: guy's a star and we're not gonna help that against him. 469 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:03,359 Speaker 1: And this is how he His name is felled A 470 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 1: N t r I K s h yadav y A 471 00:27:08,119 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 1: d A D And he says, you pronounce it won tricks. 472 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:19,560 Speaker 1: The tea is soft though, as in math son trin trip. Yeah, 473 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:22,920 Speaker 1: there you go, he he phonetically spelled out. He told 474 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:24,640 Speaker 1: me what it sounded like, and I still can't quite 475 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:26,399 Speaker 1: do it. So we just want to say thanks a 476 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:30,480 Speaker 1: lot for helping us with the Wikipedia page and now 477 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:34,320 Speaker 1: a listener mail that I'm gonna call. That's why sk 478 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 1: can help you get ladies. This is from Todd in 479 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 1: Oklahoma City. Guys and Jerry, I've come to the conclusion 480 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:44,520 Speaker 1: that I may owe you a big thank you. Your 481 00:27:44,520 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 1: podcast has created the impression, whether fiction or reality, that 482 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:51,040 Speaker 1: I am somehow a guy who knows about stuff with 483 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:54,960 Speaker 1: the ladies. My new girlfriend, in fact, mentions as one 484 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 1: of my winning traits that I am often saying interesting 485 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:00,600 Speaker 1: things and this really interested me, so I asked her 486 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:04,080 Speaker 1: for some examples of things that I say, and it 487 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:06,720 Speaker 1: was notable that every example that she sided was something 488 00:28:07,119 --> 00:28:10,280 Speaker 1: that I learned listening to your podcast at work. So 489 00:28:10,359 --> 00:28:12,800 Speaker 1: it is quite possible, sirs, that you and your podcast 490 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:16,439 Speaker 1: made my baby fall in love with me. I'd like 491 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:19,240 Speaker 1: to shake your hands. Every single guy should listen to 492 00:28:19,280 --> 00:28:22,040 Speaker 1: your podcasts because it may at least get you a 493 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:25,720 Speaker 1: second date. And that is Todd from Oklahoma City, who 494 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:31,040 Speaker 1: is banking on our knowledge to woo women. And I 495 00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:33,119 Speaker 1: guess you got a girlfriend of it. Good going, Todd. 496 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:36,440 Speaker 1: Good for you. We're glad we could help. Man, we're married, dude, 497 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 1: so we we live vicariously through these emails. That's not true. Well, no, 498 00:28:43,440 --> 00:28:45,720 Speaker 1: I think it's great. I'm happy for Todd. I don't 499 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:50,800 Speaker 1: mean I live vicariously. I wish I would. No, No, 500 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:53,120 Speaker 1: I just mean like, that's great. I'm glad someone out 501 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 1: there is getting a date because of this. Yeah. I 502 00:28:55,240 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 1: love helping people find love connections. Yeah. As a matter 503 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,120 Speaker 1: of fact, we should do a speed dating episode. I 504 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:03,120 Speaker 1: wrote an article on it once and it's pretty neat. Yeah. 505 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:05,160 Speaker 1: My friend p J E met p j he uh 506 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 1: he He just texted me yesterday and said, hey, this 507 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:10,160 Speaker 1: girl he does a lot of online dating. He said 508 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:12,440 Speaker 1: part of her profiles that she's like a huge fan 509 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:15,480 Speaker 1: of you guys. And I said data. Yeah, well I 510 00:29:15,480 --> 00:29:18,200 Speaker 1: don't a data. Ye. There you go. You're doing it 511 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 1: all over the place. Man's right. Um, let's see if 512 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:24,760 Speaker 1: we have affected your life positively. Um, we want to 513 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:29,880 Speaker 1: hear about it, not negatively, just positively. You can tweet 514 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:31,680 Speaker 1: to us at s Y s K podcast. You can 515 00:29:31,760 --> 00:29:34,239 Speaker 1: join us on Facebook dot com slash stuff you should know. 516 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 1: You can send us an email to Stuff Podcast at 517 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:40,120 Speaker 1: Discovery dot com, and you can always find us hanging 518 00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:42,800 Speaker 1: out at our home on the web. Stuff you Should 519 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:50,800 Speaker 1: Know dot com for more on this and thousands of 520 00:29:50,800 --> 00:30:04,000 Speaker 1: other topics. Is It How Stuff Works dot com.