At least for the suggestions in the link around improving consumer behavior (with the effect of improving the world), it seems to be similar (in intent, at least) to the Thaler/Sunstein “nudges”, where things like choice architecture can help move people to choose better outcomes.
I’m unsure about how effective nudges are, though, in terms of how much additional change we can expect (e.g. effort to consumer response ratio) before it becomes not worth the resources.
Also, it seems like these two would overlap for some qualities. I recall reading about a nudge where consumers could purchase a pin (or other accesory) that would light up red to green corresponding to their carbon footprint. Obviously this could be easy to fake, but it does bring up the idea that there are certain positive traits we could more publicly reward people for doing via some sort of novel signaling products.
Other possible things that might be good to have a way of signaling:
donations (maybe the IRS can issue standardized accessories/thingies based off of how much you donate?)
To me, the idea of a social credit program seems to trespass on some internal ethical boundary i have. Part of this may be because China has other policies like removing foreign competition and blocking certain sites that infringe upon free thought and autonomy, and those are things I value.
So, I’m not in favor of the social credit program.
At least for the suggestions in the link around improving consumer behavior (with the effect of improving the world), it seems to be similar (in intent, at least) to the Thaler/Sunstein “nudges”, where things like choice architecture can help move people to choose better outcomes.
I’m unsure about how effective nudges are, though, in terms of how much additional change we can expect (e.g. effort to consumer response ratio) before it becomes not worth the resources.
Also, it seems like these two would overlap for some qualities. I recall reading about a nudge where consumers could purchase a pin (or other accesory) that would light up red to green corresponding to their carbon footprint. Obviously this could be easy to fake, but it does bring up the idea that there are certain positive traits we could more publicly reward people for doing via some sort of novel signaling products.
Other possible things that might be good to have a way of signaling:
donations (maybe the IRS can issue standardized accessories/thingies based off of how much you donate?)
energy / water usage
proportion of waste you recycle
Are you in favor of China’s social credit program? Or do you mean something different when you speak about incentivising positive traits?
To me, the idea of a social credit program seems to trespass on some internal ethical boundary i have. Part of this may be because China has other policies like removing foreign competition and blocking certain sites that infringe upon free thought and autonomy, and those are things I value.
So, I’m not in favor of the social credit program.