There was an article in New Scientist about this - it's an effect on humans where a short term goal is always considered more important than the long term.
Problem: Need to travel.
Short term: Buy diesel.
Long term: Research bio, get WVO, make bio, test it, put it in the car. Profit.
In the article it was in the context of why we're totally failing to manage climate change - it's much easier to maintain the status quo and continue to burn dinosaurs than it is to stump up the enormous investment required for renewables. Besides, every other country is doing it right?
There's many things you could attach it to. Going to the gym and credit cards are the first that occur to me.