Hypocrisy Versus Social Desirability Bias

Due to Social Desirability Bias, governments habitually impose bad policies that sound good.  Identity trumps prosperity.  Health trumps fun.  Safety trumps convenience.  And demagogues rule the world. 

One of the most rhetorically powerful antidotes, as I’ve argued, is to appeal to freedom.  Don’t say, “Money matters more than patriotism,” “Vacations matter more than pandemics,” or “I can’t be bothered to follow these safety rules.”  Instead, when you want prosperity, fun, and convenience, cry...