[Adam] Smith believed that much of human behavior was under the influence of the “passions” – emotions such as fear and anger, and drives such as hunger and sex – but these passions were moderated by an internal “voice of reason,” which he called an “impartial spectator.” The impartial spectator allows one to see one’s own feelings and the pulls of immediate gratification from the perspective of an external observer. In the area of self-control and self-governance, the impartial spectator takes the form of a long-term interest (i.e., I won’t have that cookie today because I can see that I will regret it down the road). In the area of social interaction, the impartial spectator allows us to see things from another’s perspective rather than to be blinded by our own needs.
