[sifar]

>> Do you really think that you, by willpower alone, are going to be able to resist all the temptations of multinational corporations who collectively spend billions researching how to manipulate your lizard brain?

Well, it is difficult, but not impossible to develop oneself to withstand this onslaught. They create these entrapments, mostly through the use of technology :).

However, you are right, that in itself may not be enough if you are still embedded in it. But wouldn't it be great, if we can figure out how to do that. Yes, it needs some resources, in terms of community, wealth . I feel this is the next chapter in our philosophical evolution - to create a philosophy which makes you anti fragile to these things. Those before us did not face this problem at this scale.

And The problem is, people mistake a way of life for life itself. And it becomes difficult for them to change that for a better life.

I am not talking about the Amish here, but the general populace so dependent on modern technology. A simple suggestion to get rid of their smartphones gives people anxiety attack and make them go all defensive.

[ericdykstra]

I don't doubt that you can do it, personally, but you only have to look at American obesity rates to see that a lack of self-control is a system-level problem, not just an individual making a bad decision.

If we "figure out how to do it" on an individual level, there's no doubt that corporations will do whatever they can to subvert whatever it is that is causing you to indulge in less of their products.

The Amish have found one way to fix the problem on a system-wide level. It's not the only way, but I don't think we're going to find a way to do it without having a base in reality, family, community, purpose, and changing social norms.

[kevingadd]

Obesity is not specifically caused by "lack of self-control". American diets and food ingredients have changed dramatically over the last few decades and that has a major impact.

Naturally if you're making an effort to eat using organic/locally-grown ingredients (if not stuff you grew yourself), you're not going to be impacted by that.