Re:Why 'Nudges' Hardly Help
by SilasX on Tuesday December 08, 2015 @02:49PM
(#10698910)
Indeed they are, because they a) pick extreme lower hanging fruit, and b) completely trivialize the costs thereof.
Imagine that they start nudging in cases where the benefit of that option isn't nearly as clear, and you have to go through that for virtually every transaction:
You reach for an item on the shelf: "Wait! Did you know you can pick this other item with slightly less fat?" Repeat x100 for every shopping trip.
Your paycheck is now 80% deductions: "We found that the optimal budget buys these necessities in bulk under these programs. Don't worry! You can opt out of this first one by going to this office, the second by going to this office, the third..."
"We found we could increase employment and reduce dependence on public assistance by randomly changing the procedure for applying for benefits!"
Imagine that they start nudging in cases where the benefit of that option isn't nearly as clear, and you have to go through that for virtually every transaction:
You reach for an item on the shelf: "Wait! Did you know you can pick this other item with slightly less fat?" Repeat x100 for every shopping trip.
Your paycheck is now 80% deductions: "We found that the optimal budget buys these necessities in bulk under these programs. Don't worry! You can opt out of this first one by going to this office, the second by going to this office, the third..."
"We found we could increase employment and reduce dependence on public assistance by randomly changing the procedure for applying for benefits!"