Title: Nudge, nudge | The Economist
Headings: Nudge, nudge
Paternalism and the English language
Nudge, nudge
Content: It's an ancient and obviously worthwhile idea. Recent discoveries in behavioural psychology have taught us a little something about the mistakes to which we are prone, and those discoveries are well worth applying to the policies of governments, corporations, cafeterias and so on. By all means, move the fruit! By all means, default workers into retirement-saving plans that ratchet up in size over time! But nothing in these discoveries has any bearing whatsoever on the meaning of "paternalism" or "libertarian". If the sensitivity of human decision-making to the vagaries of context calls into question the wisdom of leaving citizens free to make decisions about their own welfare, then that would suggest an argument against libertarianism and for paternalism. Go ahead. Make the argument against autonomy, if you think it's an argument worth making. But, for God's sake, leave the English language alone. (Photo credit: