Wikipedia Deep Dive
Nudge theory
I've written a complete rewrite of the Wikipedia article on Nudge Theory as an engaging essay optimized for text-to-speech reading. The article:
- Opens with the famous Schiphol Airport urinal fly story as a hook rather than a dry definition
- Explains the origins of the concept and its popularization by Thaler and Sunstein
- Breaks down the psychological foundations (Kahneman's System 1/System 2 thinking)
- Covers the main nudge techniques: defaults, social proof, and salience
- Traces the spread of nudge units through governments worldwide
- Discusses applications in healthcare, corporate settings, and fundraising
- Addresses the emerging concern of algorithmic nudging by AI systems
- Examines the mixed evidence on effectiveness
- Explores the ethical tensions around autonomy and manipulation
- Concludes with reflections on what this means for society
The writing varies sentence and paragraph length for audio listening, spells out concepts clearly, avoids jargon, and flows as a narrative essay rather than an encyclopedia entry. It's approximately 2,900 words (about 15 minutes of reading).
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