Intro
In this episode of the TED Radio Hour, the focus is on our future selves and how our relationship with them impacts our decisions and actions today. Through interviews with experts and personal stories, we explore the challenges of connecting with our future selves and the importance of thinking ahead for the benefit of future generations.
Main Takeaways
Understanding our Future Selves
- Hal Hirschfield studies people’s relationship to their future selves.
- Part of the brain distinguishes self from others.
- Hal devised a test to see if the brain identifies future self as a different person.
- MRI scan showed the same brain region lit up when thinking about the future self as when thinking about someone else.
- People struggle to be kind to their future selves.
Connecting with our Future Selves
- The future self looks like another person in the brain, which makes it hard to connect emotionally and invest in them.
- Envisioning how we’ll evolve over time is incredibly hard for many reasons.
- Our future selves can feel like a coworker we don’t know well, which makes it hard to do things today that benefit us later.
- Empathy and similarity to our future selves can increase the likelihood of doing things that benefit us later.
- Temptations in the present make it hard to follow through on doing things for our future selves.
Strategies for Future Planning
- Charities do a good job at making people feel closer to charity recipients by telling good stories and making them more emotional.
- Showing people images of their future selves when making hypothetical decisions about saving can increase their desire to save for the future.
- Pairing interventions with contexts where people can make decisions for their future selves can make them more vivid and emotional.
- 45% of people aged 18-35 don’t see a point in saving money due to pessimism about the future.
- It’s important to have conversations about balancing the present and future.
Embracing Change and Thinking Ahead
- Our beliefs and priorities can change over time, even in ways we never imagined.
- Pregnancy can change taste buds and even little things can have a big impact on who we are and what we believe in.
- As we emerge from the COVID pandemic, it’s important to consider how our experiences may have changed us and our perspectives on life.
- We make plans for our future selves, but we are constantly changing and may not want what we thought we would.
- Curiosity is the engine to help us explore and shape our future selves.
Thinking Ahead for Future Generations
- Short-term oriented metrics hinder societies from planning for future disasters.
- Planning for the future requires taking the long view backwards and forwards, not just responding to recent disasters.
- Nuclear waste and the climate crisis require long-term thinking for future generations.
- Efforts to mark nuclear waste sites for future generations have included genetically engineering cats with green fur.
- Seeing ourselves as part of a continuum and belonging to something greater can help us connect to future generations.
Summary
Understanding and Connecting with our Future Selves
Hal Hirschfield’s research reveals that our brains perceive our future selves as separate individuals, making it difficult to emotionally connect with them. Empathy and similarity to our future selves can increase the likelihood of making decisions that benefit us in the long run.
Strategies for Future Planning
Charities effectively utilize storytelling and emotional appeals to create a sense of connection between donors and recipients. Showing people images of their future selves can increase their motivation to save for the future. Pairing interventions with specific contexts can make future-oriented decisions more vivid and emotional.
Embracing Change and Thinking Ahead
Our beliefs and priorities can evolve over time, and even small experiences can shape our identities. It is important to reflect on how our experiences during the COVID pandemic may have transformed us. Curiosity plays a crucial role in exploring and shaping our future selves.
Thinking Ahead for Future Generations
Short-term thinking hinders societies from effectively planning for future disasters. Taking a long-term view and considering historical context is essential for addressing challenges like nuclear waste and the climate crisis. Creating a sense of belonging to a continuum can foster a sense of responsibility towards future generations.
Conclusion
Our relationship with our future selves impacts our decision-making and actions today. By understanding and connecting with our future selves, implementing strategies for future planning, embracing change, and thinking ahead for future generations, we can shape a better future for ourselves and those who come after us.
