The Architecture of Choice - Part 4: When a Nudge Becomes a Shove: The Regressive Costs of Protecting Consumers
The Architecture of Choice ← Series Home The Illusion of Harmless Paternalism The premise of soft paternalism—the nudge—is that it alters choice architecture without significantly changing economic incentives, allowing consumers to easily opt out of the preferred path. Nudge advocates argue that this makes such interventions harmless and less subject to ethical debate than “hard paternalism,” which relies on mandates and bans. However, in practice, the lines blur considerably, as even minor costs or inconveniences imposed by a soft nudge can become coercive for certain populations. Furthermore, a non-coercive but ineffective nudge often generates calls to “ramp up” the pressure, transforming the soft nudge into a hard regulatory shove backed by the coercive power of the state. ...