Future You

This episode of the TED Radio Hour, titled "Future You," explores the complex relationship people have with their future selves and the challenges of planning for a future that is often difficult to envision. Manoush Zomorodi interviews psychologist Hal Hirshfield, who discusses his research showing that our brains perceive our future selves as different people, leading to difficulties in making decisions that benefit us later. The episode further delves into the philosophical aspects of future planning with journalist Shankar Vedantam, who introduces the concept of the "illusion of continuity," the mistaken belief that we will remain the same people in the future. Bina Venkatraman discusses collective future planning, using historical examples to illustrate the importance of long-term thinking and societal memory. The episode concludes with philosopher Roman Kriznaric, who advocates for becoming "good ancestors" by considering the well-being of future generations and regenerating the planet.