Every day, we make decisions on topics ranging from personal investments to schools for our children to the meals we eat to the causes we champion. Unfortunately, we often choose poorly. The reason, the authors explain, is that, being human, we all are susceptible to various biases that can lead us to blunder. Our mistakes make us poorer and less healthy; we often make bad decisions involving education, personal finance, health care, mortgages and credit cards, the family, and even the planet itself.
Thaler and Sunstein invite us to enter an alternative world, one that takes our humanness as a given. They show that by knowing how people think, we can design choice environments that make it easier for people to choose what is best for themselves, their families, and their society. Using colorful examples from the most important aspects of life, Thaler and Sunstein demonstrate how thoughtful โchoice architectureโ can be established to nudge us in beneficial directions without restricting freedom of choice. Nudge offers a unique new takeโfrom neither the left nor the rightโon many hot-button issues, for individuals and governments alike. This is one of the most engaging and provocative books to come along in many years.
Media Buzz
Today - April 18, 2009 Good Morning America - March 20, 2009 NewsHour with Jim Lehrer - October 8, 2008 Fair Game with Faith Salie - April 21, 2008 Day To Day - April 10, 2008