Scott Alexander shares intriguing excerpts from 'Willpower', a book on self-control, while cautioning readers about the claims' reliability and expressing skepticism about some assertions.
Longer summary
This post is a collection of highlighted passages from the book 'Willpower' that the author found surprising or counterintuitive. The excerpts cover various topics related to self-control, including the Zeigarnik effect, writing habits, religious influence on self-discipline, cultural differences in self-control, dieting challenges, and ego depletion. Scott Alexander emphasizes that he has not fact-checked these claims and expresses skepticism about some of the book's assertions. He also provides occasional commentary on certain passages, relating them to his own experiences or other sources.
Shorter summary