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TED Radio Hour

Future You

49 min episode · 2 min read
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Episode

49 min

Read time

2 min

AI-Generated Summary

Key Takeaways

  • Why do people struggle to make decisions benefiting their future selves?
  • How can we plan for the future when we'll become different people?
  • What methods help societies think beyond short-term political and economic cycles?

What It Covers

Psychologist Hal Hershfield's brain research reveals why people struggle with future planning, plus philosophical perspectives on personal change and collective responsibility across generations.

Key Questions Answered

  • Why do people struggle to make decisions benefiting their future selves?
  • How can we plan for the future when we'll become different people?
  • What methods help societies think beyond short-term political and economic cycles?

Notable Moment

Stephanie Rinca told her husband to never put her on life support if terminally ill, but when facing ALS at fifty-nine, she chose the ventilator.

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