It's a little more effective, though, as crowd control: "do this now and (heh) you'll get rewarded after you're dead" just doesn't have the same motivational power as "do this, and get rewarded NOW". I understand that it works, but some basic element at the core of my personality doesn't really want to think about the fact that humans really *are* that stupid and gullible.

* contemplates writing a book entitled, "The Power of Negative Thinking," just because.