Self-control is the ability to control oneself from giving into one's impulses. When resources were scarce, self-control meant survival. If a person couldn't control themselves, they would die of starvation or dehydration or find themselves exiled from the tribe. When resources became less scarce (but not necessarily abundant), self-control meant long-term gain. If a person couldn't control themselves, they would miss out on future opportunity.

Today, we live in an age of abundance, where we can have just about everything we could ever want in less than an hour with little to no long-term repercussions. It's interesting to consider what role self-control plays in this more modern era. These days, it seems, self-control is less a practice in survival or long-term gain but instead a practice in spiritual sacrifice.