Short Term Rewards and Long Term Consequences

Extensive study has been made in psychology that shows the importance of delayed gratification in cognitive health.

Morality has the notion of temptation as a central theme, and their rules are designed to create conditions and incentives that avoid them.

As such it should be a well-understood by anyone with a brain if they would like to operate it with any degree of proficiency.

Temptation and Delayed Gratification are two sides to the same coin. With Temptation you eschew short-term pleasure to avoid negative consequences in the future (usually addiction). With Delayed Gratification you do the same in order to obtain a greater reward.