↓ Skip to main content

Behavioral Economics

The Architecture of Choice

2 July 2020·332 words·2 mins

Human Systems and Behavior Choice Architecture Behavioral Economics Decision Making Cognitive Biases Nudges Decision-Making and Bias

A comprehensive exploration of choice architecture, behavioral economics, and the psychology of decision-making in modern society.

The Architecture of Choice - Part 1: The Bandwidth Problem: Why Modern Choice Overloads the Human Brain

2 July 2020·1663 words·8 mins

Human Systems and Behavior Cognitive Biases Decision Making Behavioral Economics Attention Scarcity Bounded Rationality Decision-Making and Bias

Exploring how modern life's abundance of choices overwhelms our cognitive bandwidth, leading to systematic decision-making errors.

The Unvarnished Ledger - Part 5: The Myth of Optimization

9 June 2020·416 words·2 mins

Human Systems and Behavior Productivity Self-Improvement Behavioral Economics Diminishing Returns Anti-Fragility Consumer Psychology Decision-Making and Bias Policy and Critique Political Economy

The tyranny of marginal gains—why chasing the final 20% of optimization creates more stress than value, and how 'good enough' beats perfect.

The Unvarnished Ledger - Part 4: The Experience Premium

8 June 2020·377 words·2 mins

Human Systems and Behavior Personal Finance Experience Economy Social Media Consumer Behavior Behavioral Economics Consumer Psychology Decision-Making and Bias Policy and Critique Political Economy

When you're paying for the right to post about it—how social currency economics drives the experience premium.

The Unvarnished Ledger - Part 3: The Productivity Paradox

7 June 2020·357 words·2 mins

Human Systems and Behavior Productivity Technology Behavioral Economics Focus Digital Minimalism Consumer Psychology Decision-Making and Bias Policy and Critique Political Economy

Why the golden age of efficiency has produced an epidemic of busyness without achievement—and how to escape algorithmic whiplash.

The Unvarnished Ledger - Part 2: The Subscription Trap

6 June 2020·378 words·2 mins

Human Systems and Behavior Personal Finance Subscription Economy Behavioral Economics Consumer Behavior Zero Marginal Cost Consumer Psychology Decision-Making and Bias Policy and Critique Political Economy

How zero marginal cost business models exploit the margin of indifference—and why those $9.99 fees add up to a budget-busting torrent.

The Unvarnished Ledger - Part 1: The Latte Factor

5 June 2020·556 words·3 mins

Human Systems and Behavior Personal Finance Inflation Behavioral Economics Consumer Behavior Monetary Policy Consumer Psychology Decision-Making and Bias Policy and Critique Political Economy

How monetary policy quietly shrinks your morning ritual—and why your daily coffee has become a leading economic indicator.

Capitalism Unmasked - Part 9: The Myth of the Rational Consumer

11 February 2020·710 words·4 mins

Human Systems and Behavior Capitalism Consumer Behavior Behavioral Economics Marketing Myth-Busting Policy and Critique

Challenging the assumption that consumers make rational choices - exploring how marketing, psychology, and limited information shape our decisions.

Capitalism Unmasked - Part 5: The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy of Distrust

7 February 2020·1280 words·7 mins

Human Systems and Behavior Capitalism Human-Nature Myth-Busting Behavioral Economics Policy and Critique

Debunking the myth that people are purely self-interested - human motivations are complex and assuming the worst leads to worse outcomes.

The Digital Persuasion Engine - Part 1: Dark Patterns: A User's Guide to Manipulation

5 January 2020·1176 words·6 mins

Human Systems and Behavior Dark Patterns Digital Manipulation Behavioral Economics User Experience Consumer Psychology

How deceptive design patterns exploit human psychology for commercial gain.