25. Is Hedonism Better Than Self-Control?

Everybody's got a big butt. I'm Angela Duckworth. I'm Steven Dubner. And you're listening to No. No Stupid Questions.

Today on the show, when is it time to put down the task list and just chill for a while? I quickly discovered that I could do yoga with one device. And with another check and reply to my emails. Also, is it wrong to feel numb to the gravity of the pandemic? You compassionless Cretan.

So Angela, I see a new study here published by researchers at the University of Zurich and Rodbaud University in the Netherlands, which argues that hedonism, or pleasure seeking, leads to happiness as effectively as self-control leads to happiness. So provocative. This seems to argue directly against the Angela Duckworth school of achievement leads to happiness, which, by the way, I subscribe to as well, but now I'm starting to think, what the heck are we all just wasting our time trying to achieve things when we'd be happier just lying in the hammock all day? For the record, Stephen, it's probably relationships, actually.

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