The Barrow

Recently, especially amidst the hubbub around the new Odyssey film, (we'll see how it turns out) I have been thinking about what psychologists call a “commitment device.”

First, some context: in the Odyssey, Odysseus must tie himself to the mast of his ship in order to keep himself from steering into the rocks, toward the Sirens' beautiful song.

The idea is that to avoid doing something harmful, sometimes you must all but physically restrain yourself. A promise, an oath, something that binds you to your principles (perhaps also a New Year's resolution...).

Make use of these however is best. Sometimes you need to.