Self-Control in an Age of Excess

Daniel Akst discusses why a lack of self-control is a central problem of our time—temptations have multiplied and social constraints have eroded. In We Have Met the Enemy: Self-Control in an Age of Excess he shows the ways freedom can be dangerous: Half of all deaths in America are due to overeating, smoking, drinking too much, failing to exercise, and other bad habits. He also looks at ways to save ourselves from overindulgence.