Koenfucius’ best of 2022

Counting down the ten most popular articles of 2022

1 About a death
The passing of Queen Elizabeth dominated the headlines for days, and tens of millions of people around the world took notice and were moved to respond. Why is the death of someone we never met, and who didn’t know us such a momentous event? On how we react to death and why we grieve

2 There is more to behaviour than behaviour
Pretty much all our problems are behavioural…but does that mean the solutions are?

3. The value of not flying
Why might people decline an offer of up to $10,000 just to keep their feet on the ground?

4. An accidental behavioural economist cannot help himself
In which the author is reminded of the importance of questioning one’s intuitions — even if well-informed — and assumptions, and of what ultimately is behind many of our decisions

5. The illusion of dispassionate decision making
We don’t always need to perform a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis to make good decisions.

6. Poor Homo Economicus
An accidental behavioural economist takes up the defence of Homo Economicus

7. Apples and oranges — Part I: what is wrong with utilitarianism, anyway?
Utilitarianism is a philosophy to guide the choices we make, in which these should be judged on their consequences, against a requirement of maximizing happiness and well-being (or minimizing harm) for all affected individuals. Is this approach realistic and useful, or fundamentally unfit for purpose?

8. Knowing when to stop
We can evidently not spend an infinite amount of time on making a decision, but stopping too quickly can be no less detrimental

9. The prime placebo
What we actually receive for the extra money we pay for next day delivery is not necessarily what we assume it is

10. Music, economics, ethics, and the dangers of myside bias
The story of an old rocker pulling his music from a streaming platform ties together two key facets of our society, and warns us not to confuse preferences with general principles