Willpower.

[dantheman123]

can we change the amount of willpower to resist temptation that we have or do we always have the same amount of willpower that nature gave us? I'd like to have more willpower.

[MrBen5]

Hmmm, good question dan. the best test is to place a bar of chocolate infront of a woman and see how long it takes her to grab it and eat it. Do it again 5 mins later and see if it takes the same amount of time...

[Hapus]

Hey Mr Ben! You could put as much choc as you wanted to in front of me and I wouldn't pick it up - I only ever eat it now and then, and then a small piece is enough. HA!

[MrBen5]

Ok, i suppose that was a bad example. How about, take a woman opposite a shop which has a 'SALE' sign on it. Time how long it takes her to run in the shop and have a look. Do it again with a different shop, again seeing if there is any difference in the time... I think you should have your answer there then dantheman. Peoples willpower is the same as it always is and was. Its just that people use willpower as an excuse for certain actions...

[ELVIS68]

I`ve found the willpower to go a week without smoking, sometimes 2 weeks, but I still smoke when I`m having a drink

[warpig1]

MrBen, why are your examples just relating to women?

[Miss Inquiry]

I'd have eaten the chocolate before you had even put it down, absolutely no willpower when it comes to free chocolate, but with regards to smoking, I smoked for 10 years, stopped the day I bought my new car (3 months ago) and havn't smoked since. No patches/gum just willpower.

Where did you say the sale was? I'm off........

[MrBen5]

Sorry Warpig1, they were just examples. At the risk of being sexist, i will add another example. Its like a guy talking to a woman with a low cut top on. Time how long it takes for him to look at her breasts. Do the same again, but with any woman with a low cut top on. The results will be the same. No matter if he is married/cohabiting whatever. Some things people have no willpower over...

[warpig1]

lol MrBen, thank you, harmony is restored. By the way I have a low cut top on!!!!


Are you are thinking about boobs now?????

[MrBen5]

I think about boobs every 2 seconds. It doesnt help with the fact that i have an FHM desktop calender on my desk at work.lol

[Octavius]

Well you clearly have akrasia. Self-control has variable effects on people. It can be affected because of illness and past experiences and it can be improved through the course of life. You need to change your perception of your 'self' and the adjust the boundaries for that self.

It's all in the mind, so if you can regulate that, you can exercise self control and remove negative akrasia.

Maybe as a start you should focus on increasing your ablilty to defer gratification; that is, to be more able to refuse a small reward now for the sake of a bigger reward later.

As Socrates said, if one judges action A to be the best course of action, why would one do anything other than A? Therefore akrasia could be an illiogical concept, which is where the cycle of self control comes into play. You need to be careful of the inconsistent triad though. Many people of an addictive nature (smoking, gambling etc) fal foul of this.