People often make decisions to their disadvantage – whether through laziness, bias, lack of knowledge, or other reasons. People do little sports, eat unhealthy food and destroy the environment.
To make better decisions, a little "nudge" in the right direction is often enough. For example, the food arrangement in a canteen significantly influences whether diners are more likely to reach for the salad or the french fries.
A form of society in which such nudges come from the state is what the authors call "libertarian paternalism." By intelligently presenting options, the state ensures that people make sensible choices for themselves and society without restricting citizens' freedom of choice.
The authors discuss the pros and cons of "libertarian paternalism" using numerous illustrative examples from education, the environment, retirement planning, finance, insurance, and health – and ethical issues are also addressed, such as opt-in vs. opt-out rules for organ donation (a surprisingly complex topic).
The book is highly interesting, entertaining, and very easy to read – a recommendation for those who want to impact others positively and those who want to see the world with slightly more open eyes and recognize "nudges" in their environment.
🎧 Suitable as an audiobook? Yes.
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