Living with Randomitis
Using the story of Odysseus and the Sirens, this concept illustrates the wisdom of avoiding temptation by implementing structural constraints rather than relying on willpower alone.
THE IDEA
Living with Randomitis
Odysseus, the Homerian hero, had the reputation of using guile to overcome stronger opponents. I find the most spectacular use of such guile was against no other opponent than himself.
In Book 12 of the Odyssey, the hero encounters the sirens, on an island not far from the rocks of Charybdis and Scylla. Their songs are known to charm the sailors into madness, causing them irresistibly to cast themselves into the sea off the sirens’ coast, and perish. The indescribable beauty of the sirens’ songs is contrasted with the moldering corpses of sailors who strayed into the area around them. Odysseus, forewarned by Circe, contrives the following ruse. He fills the ears of all his men with wax, to the point of total deafness, and has himself tied to the mast. The sailors are under strict instructions not to release him. As they approach the sirens’ island, the sea is calm and over the water comes the sound of a music so ravishing that Odysseus struggles to get loose, expending an inordinate amount of energy to unrestrain himself. His men tie him even further, until they are safely past the poisoned sounds.
The first lesson I took from the story is not to even attempt to be Odysseus. He is a mythological character and I am not. He can be tied to the mast; I can merely reach the rank of a sailor who needs to have his ears filled with wax.
When to use it
Automating savings to avoid the temptation to spend.
Keeping unhealthy food out of the house to avoid snacking.
Using website blockers to prevent distraction during work hours.
Precommitting to a decision by telling others your plan, making it harder to back out.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Odysseus and the Sirens
Odysseus has his men fill their ears with wax and ties himself to the mast to resist the Sirens' song, illustrating the use of external constraints to overcome temptation.
Automatic Savings Deductions
An automatic transfer moves money from checking to savings before routine spending decisions. It reduces how much appears immediately available to spend, though the person may still be able to transfer the money back.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
In what areas of your life do you try to rely on willpower alone, when you could instead put in place structural constraints?
What precommitment strategies have you used successfully, and how did they affect your behavior?
How can you redesign your environment to reduce the need for self-control?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Fooled by Randomness The Hidden Role of Chance in the Markets and in Life (Nassim Nicholas Taleb)