As we’ve known for years, the UK Nudge Unit was set up to make government psychological control respectable. Government has always been about control, so why not make it respectable and nicer? Crude, but it does seem to have been the rationale.
This seems to be one reason why the main UK political parties make little difference to political direction. Politically diverse nudging by government wouldn't work, so the role of the political class is to evade countercontrol on behalf of the controllers.
The great problem is to arrange effective countercontrol and hence to bring some important consequences to bear on the behavior of the controller. Some classical examples of a lack of balance between control and countercontrol arise when control is delegated and countercontrol then becomes ineffective. Hospitals for psychotics and homes for retardates, orphans, and old people are noted for weak countercontrol, because those who are concerned for the welfare of such people often do not know what is happening.
B. F. Skinner - Beyond Freedom and Dignity (1971)
B. F. Skinner - Beyond Freedom and Dignity (1971)
2 comments:
The Nudge Unit might be illustrative of a difference between governance and manipulation. Traditionally, governments passed laws prohibiting certain things (and making a few others mandatory if you were already engaged in a process) so people knew that there would be legal consequences if they transgressed. The big advantage is that almost everyone knew what was going on, and so the process could be amended democratically.
Manipulation, on the other hand, tends to be secret. Things being presented in a certain way so the subjects merely comply, without having any redress or even knowing about it.
Sam - yes that's a good point, manipulation does tend to be secret. No wonder it's popular in government and the media. There has always been a furtive ascendency issue with it where being 'in the know' appeals to those who like secretive behaviour.
Post a Comment