The Incentive Problem
People tend to move toward rewards and away from consequences. Understanding incentives often explains behavior better than understanding intentions.
common sense
Why Every Organization Eventually Protects Itself
Most organizations begin with a purpose. As they grow, protecting the organization itself often becomes just as important—and sometimes more important—than the original mission.
The Instant Gratification Trap
Food, entertainment, shopping, and validation now arrive almost instantly. Unfortunately, health, wealth, relationships, and wisdom still operate on a much slower schedule.
People Believe What Benefits Them
Most people don’t start with evidence and arrive at a conclusion. They start with a conclusion and look for evidence. Human nature has been doing it for centuries.
Chatrodamus Meters: Readings From the B.S. Front
Society measures everything except the things driving us crazy. That’s why Chatrodamus created the Bullshit Detector, Scam Detector, Troll Detector, and several other completely unofficial instruments for monitoring modern nonsense before it reaches critical levels.
The Myth of “Common Sense”
Everybody loves “common sense.” It’s the one thing every man claims to have, like a strong back and a firm handshake. It’s the compliment we give ourselves and the insult we aim at everyone else. “Use common sense.”“Come on, it’s just common sense.”“They have no common sense.” But here’s the punchline: Almost nobody defines it. … Read more
Why Scams Thrive in a World That Knows Better
Scams thrive not because people are dumb, but because they’re human. When you’re tired, broke, or desperate, hope sells better than honesty. The conman’s trick is knowing that the feeling of progress is often more tempting than the grind of progress itself.