A textbook for your next great leader.
Why do humans make so many bad choices? And how can we, as a society, as governments, as organizations, help each other to make the right choices? The answer, according to authors/professors Richard Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein, is to nudge them in the right direction, and without infringing on their freedoms, of course. The resulting philosophy is called libertarian paternalism and it is at the centre of the bestselling book Nudge. Thaler and Sunstein make the argument that organizations, from small nonprofits to large governments, should enact programs that effortlessly lead their members in directions that are naturally good for them. One example includes requiring students to opt-out of medical insurance programs as opposed to opting-in, bypassing the human tendency towards laziness. Throughout the book, the authors explore ideas on “improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness,” expanding on their relatively simple theory of choice architecture to make it seem larger than life. At first, it seems geared towards somewhat basic purposes; improving children’s nutrition by paying careful attention to where each food item is placed in the school cafeteria, the aforementioned health insurance program, etc. But as the book goes on, the authors lightheartedly and adeptly convinced me that nudging could provide a solution for many of the world’s larger problems, including race and the separation of Church and State.
The best part of the book for me is the authors’ fine ability to communicate their thought-provoking idea. Both authors are intellectuals who possess either an amazing editor or actual writing skill, something academics are not known for.
Fans of Malcolm Gladwell and Steven J. Levitt’s Freakonomics will appreciate the sociological discussions that Nudge will inevitably provoke. Even more exciting, is how future thought-leaders and politicians will use the ideas in this book to advance humanity. After all, our futures are decided with every choice we make, and if we’re not making the right one where does that leave us? We can all use a little nudge once in a while. – Mike Berard