You read ‘Ulysses,’ I’ll eat potato chips! Science defends simple pleasures

Researchers in Europe find that short-term hedonism may be as satisfying as longer-term accomplishments. A kind of science we can all get behind? Katharina Bernecker, a researcher in motivational psychology and co-author, with Daniela Becker, of the paper Beyond Self-Control: Mechanisms of Hedonic Goal Pursuit and Its Relevance for Well-Being, has said the time has come for a 're-think'. Jason Gay, from The Wall Street Journal, explores what this means.