Research backs up your statement that "many other nuanced factors beyond [your] conscious mind" influence your chances of giving. Specifically, one's mood has been found to be a factor. Knowing this, its influence is usually in my mind when someone approaches me for a favor, but mood still influences my choice, and I can attest to what the research has found. It all kind of gets back to what I said about your respective experiences with Adam Schiff and Mickey Rooney: what we do is more often about our qualities than objective appraisal of what we are justified in doung. If you're nice, or if you're feeling good, you're more likely to do the good thing, regardless of whether the case for doing so is compelling.
I think of myself as a social scientist, but I am philosophically against the "nudge." In my mind, the Cass Sunsteins of the world are using their power for evil. I don't care if nudges are for the good of society in the aggregate. I want to do what I want to do, and I don't want to end up in a different place without knowing it. I don't want to be tricked. I know this is completely whimsical and indefensible, but it's the way that I feel. A life without any prejudices would be no life at all, and this is one of mine. But you can still see the guilt I feel, in line with one of the themes of your piece.
Thoughtful insights, as always, David! I also thank you for your admirable restraint in not poking fun at the "pledge" button that I had not once, but twice (my own tech challenge) at the bottom of my piece. I do think that I want to scale back that "pledge" plea.
I think it would require a very wide definition of a nudge to see that as a nudge. Although certainly it would be for the good of all mankind were everyone to read The Inside Edge!
My wife and I budget our charitable giving and are generous with it, but I don't give extra at Point of Sale (I was one of the "Never" answers in the poll). I also don't tip at Point of Sale for items that don't require any extra service. If I get a sandwich from Jersey Mike's or Subway, I don't see a need to tip - they're doing their job. If I get one at a local restaurant that charges before service but they bring my sandwich to me, fill up my coffee or water, and bus the table, I'm happy to pre-tip at Point of Sale or after the fact if I have cash (which I usually don't carry).
Good stuff, Keith....also, on another tangent: a year ago, after a Celtics v Heat Eastern Conf. Finals game at the Garden, my son and I encountered sax player drawing a huge crowd....He had a Venmo account displayed in big print, so folks could tip him that way. Makes total sense---dollars and cents, yuk yuk.
Research backs up your statement that "many other nuanced factors beyond [your] conscious mind" influence your chances of giving. Specifically, one's mood has been found to be a factor. Knowing this, its influence is usually in my mind when someone approaches me for a favor, but mood still influences my choice, and I can attest to what the research has found. It all kind of gets back to what I said about your respective experiences with Adam Schiff and Mickey Rooney: what we do is more often about our qualities than objective appraisal of what we are justified in doung. If you're nice, or if you're feeling good, you're more likely to do the good thing, regardless of whether the case for doing so is compelling.
I think of myself as a social scientist, but I am philosophically against the "nudge." In my mind, the Cass Sunsteins of the world are using their power for evil. I don't care if nudges are for the good of society in the aggregate. I want to do what I want to do, and I don't want to end up in a different place without knowing it. I don't want to be tricked. I know this is completely whimsical and indefensible, but it's the way that I feel. A life without any prejudices would be no life at all, and this is one of mine. But you can still see the guilt I feel, in line with one of the themes of your piece.
Thoughtful insights, as always, David! I also thank you for your admirable restraint in not poking fun at the "pledge" button that I had not once, but twice (my own tech challenge) at the bottom of my piece. I do think that I want to scale back that "pledge" plea.
I think it would require a very wide definition of a nudge to see that as a nudge. Although certainly it would be for the good of all mankind were everyone to read The Inside Edge!
My wife and I budget our charitable giving and are generous with it, but I don't give extra at Point of Sale (I was one of the "Never" answers in the poll). I also don't tip at Point of Sale for items that don't require any extra service. If I get a sandwich from Jersey Mike's or Subway, I don't see a need to tip - they're doing their job. If I get one at a local restaurant that charges before service but they bring my sandwich to me, fill up my coffee or water, and bus the table, I'm happy to pre-tip at Point of Sale or after the fact if I have cash (which I usually don't carry).
Good stuff, Keith....also, on another tangent: a year ago, after a Celtics v Heat Eastern Conf. Finals game at the Garden, my son and I encountered sax player drawing a huge crowd....He had a Venmo account displayed in big print, so folks could tip him that way. Makes total sense---dollars and cents, yuk yuk.
A smart street performer - if I found his music enjoyable, I would have Venmo'd him a fiver.