Interview, Podcast
Altruistic perfectionism is self-defeating | Tim LeBon
- High personal standards often trigger misery, depression, anxiety, and reduced goal achievement, while the "80,000 Hours" message of maximizing impact may attract perfectionists and exacerbate struggles for those already holding unreasonably high standards.
- Clinical and moral perfectionism frequently manifest as "boom and bust" cycles, procrastination due to perceived insurmountable tasks, self-hatred from failing unfeasible identity-linked standards, and a double standard that is harsher on oneself than on others.
- Shame, a destructive outcome of moral perfectionism and scrupulosity (obsessive worry about minor moral infractions), causes avoidance behaviors that hinder seeking help or performing jobs requiring social interaction, such as greeting hundreds of people.
- Perfectionist worldviews arise from genetics, upbringing, and environments, including the effective altruism context, and are reinforced by human brains designed for prehistoric anxiety and instinctive "fast thinking" rather than energy-intensive modern ethical reasoning.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) success relies on "home practice" adherence, though clients often resist shifting goals from "perfection" to "excellence," and those with severe depression may require medication to engage effectively in therapy.
- Exposure therapy for phobias and compulsive behaviors yields extremely high cure rates for patients who maintain consistent treatment, while the "STOP" technique serves as a tool to manage negative automatic thoughts and emotions.
- Stoicism, a synthesis with CBT and positive psychology, emphasizes the "dichotomy of control" and frames virtues like courage and wisdom as win-win skills for flourishing, distinct from the unmanageable nature of act utilitarianism and the rare achievement of the Stoic "sage."
- One week of Stoic practice increases well-being, reduces anger, and boosts resilience, with "zest" showing the most significant increase; effects persist for months if the practice continues for a month.
- Ancient Stoic ideas regarding interpretation influencing distress indirectly influenced modern CBT through Albert Ellis and Aaron T. Beck, while positive psychology research supports the "Expanding Circle" concept of extending concern from self to the wider world.
- Group discussions regarding shared beliefs can lead to "extremization," causing individuals to adopt more extreme positions, while some individuals may maintain perfectionist processes without recognizing the label.