WAMU 88.5 : The Diane Rehm Show

Filed Under:

Frank Partnoy: "Wait: The Art and Science of Delay"

July 10, 2012
comments

American society is obsessed with speed, productivity and efficiency. We are told to never put off until tomorrow what can been done today. Quick decision making is considered a virtue, while procrastination is a sin. But University of San Diego law and finance professor Frank Partnoy says not so fast. In ancient Egypt and Rome, procrastination was thought to be useful and wise. Partnoy spent more than three years combing through scientific studies and interviewing experts in different fields to study the role of timing in decision making. He tells us why the longer we can wait before acting, the better.

Read An Excerpt

Excerpt from "Wait: The Art and Science of Delay" by Frank Partnoy. Copyright 2012 by Callum Roberts. Reprinted here by permission of PublicAffairs. All rights reserved.

Arts & Culture

NPR

China Builds Museums ... But Will The Visitors Come?

China is on a spree to build world-class museums and has opened about 100 of them annually in recent years. Two of the biggest opened on the same day last fall on opposite banks of Shanghai's Huangpu River. But filling these museums — with both art and visitors — is proving more challenging.

Food

NPR

Nutrition Group Says Chocolate Milk Is OK, No Need For Aspartame

The nation's largest group of nutritionists is urging the FDA to reject the dairy industry's petition to change the definition of milk. The petition aims to allow aspartame or other alternatives to be used to sweeten milk in an effort to boost consumption in schools.

Politics

NPR

IRS Official In Charge Of Nonprofits Declines To Testify

Lois Lerner, who heads the IRS division dealing with nonprofits seeking tax-exempt status, will not testify on Wednesday despite a congressional subpoena, her attorney says. She is accused of closely scrutinizing conservative groups that sought tax-exempt status.

Technology

NPR

Microsoft Reveals New Xbox One Game System

Microsoft unveiled its new Xbox One Tuesday, displaying a device that takes new steps in game consoles' journey into becoming all-purpose entertainment and communication devices. The new console replaces the Xbox 360, which has been on the market for more than seven years.

Leave a Comment

Help keep the conversation civil. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct before posting your comments.