Incentives - Revision history

Fractalguy: /* Incentives and Motivation in Video */

2025-09-23T16:44:59Z

Incentives and Motivation in Video

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:44, 23 September 2025
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	<br>		<br>
	{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLiasZwWTjA\|\|center\|Societal Expectations and Inner Desires: The Complex Dynamics of Motivation\|frame}}		{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLiasZwWTjA\|\|center\|Societal Expectations and Inner Desires: The Complex Dynamics of Motivation\|frame}}
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			{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4s13muQzgg\|\|center\|The Cobra Effect: How Good Intentions Lead to Bad Outcomes\|frame}}
	<br>		<br>
	{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3zQfyFQ4_Q\|\|center\|Honest Bob and the Factory to Dealer Incentives - Soy Bomb\|frame}}		{{#ev:youtube\|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3zQfyFQ4_Q\|\|center\|Honest Bob and the Factory to Dealer Incentives - Soy Bomb\|frame}}

Fractalguy at 10:59, 20 January 2025

2025-01-20T10:59:30Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:59, 20 January 2025
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	[[File:Incentive-structure-motivation-reinforcement.jpg\|thumb\|How do you visualize incentives?]]		[[File:Incentive-structure-motivation-reinforcement.jpg\|thumb\|How do you visualize incentives?]]
	[[wikipedia:Incentive_system\|Incentive structures]] are they systemic ways in which we provide positive and negative [[feedback]] to the participants in that system to get them to do the things that make the system work.<blockquote>''"When you're failing, there's a very powerful incentive to put ideology aside and just do what seems to work." -''[[wikipedia:Fareed_Zakaria\|Fareed Zakaria]]</blockquote>Since humans lack [[free will]], they tend to respond better to incentives than [[rational]] [[arguments]]. When we change the fundamental incentives that drive [[institutional]] behavior, it can have a dramatic impact on how effectively it can perform its function. This provides a model for dramatically reforming [[Corruption\|corrupt]] [[institutions]] by changing the [[generating equation]] that creates ~~it pattern~~ of behavior.		[[wikipedia:Incentive_system\|Incentive structures]] are they systemic ways in which we provide positive and negative [[feedback]] to the participants in that system to get them to do the things that make the system work.<blockquote>''"When you're failing, there's a very powerful incentive to put ideology aside and just do what seems to work." -''[[wikipedia:Fareed_Zakaria\|Fareed Zakaria]]</blockquote>Since humans lack [[free will]], they tend to respond better to incentives than [[rational]] [[arguments]]. When we change the fundamental incentives that drive [[institutional]] behavior, it can have a dramatic impact on how effectively it can perform its function. This provides a model for dramatically reforming [[Corruption\|corrupt]] [[institutions]] by changing the [[generating equation]] that creates those patterns of behavior.

	== Personal Incentive Structures ==		== Personal Incentive Structures ==

Fractalguy at 10:58, 20 January 2025

2025-01-20T10:58:07Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:58, 20 January 2025
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	[[File:Incentive-structure-motivation-reinforcement.jpg\|thumb\|How do you visualize incentives?]]		[[File:Incentive-structure-motivation-reinforcement.jpg\|thumb\|How do you visualize incentives?]]
	[[wikipedia:Incentive_system\|Incentive structures]] are they systemic ways in which we provide positive and negative [[feedback]] to the participants in that system to get them to do the things that make the system work.<blockquote>''"When you're failing, there's a very powerful incentive to put ideology aside and just do what seems to work." -''[[wikipedia:Fareed_Zakaria\|Fareed Zakaria]]</blockquote>Since humans lack [[free will]], they tend to respond better to incentives than [[rational]] [[arguments]].		[[wikipedia:Incentive_system\|Incentive structures]] are they systemic ways in which we provide positive and negative [[feedback]] to the participants in that system to get them to do the things that make the system work.<blockquote>''"When you're failing, there's a very powerful incentive to put ideology aside and just do what seems to work." -''[[wikipedia:Fareed_Zakaria\|Fareed Zakaria]]</blockquote>Since humans lack [[free will]], they tend to respond better to incentives than [[rational]] [[arguments]]. When we change the fundamental incentives that drive [[institutional]] behavior, it can have a dramatic impact on how effectively it can perform its function. This provides a model for dramatically reforming [[Corruption\|corrupt]] [[institutions]] by changing the [[generating equation]] that creates it pattern of behavior.

	== Personal Incentive Structures ==		== Personal Incentive Structures ==

Fractalguy: /* Corruption is Just Bad Incentives */

2025-01-20T10:51:44Z

Corruption is Just Bad Incentives

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:51, 20 January 2025
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	Creating a better [[society]] can only be done by changing the incentive structures of our [[economy]] and [[government]].		Creating a better [[society]] can only be done by changing the incentive structures of our [[economy]] and [[government]].

	[[Justice]] is only achieved through elaborate [[checks and balances]] to balance the [[Salience\|strong incentives]] to [[cheat]] that all parties have.<blockquote>''Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely. --Lord Acton''</blockquote>[[Politics\|Politicians]] almost never begin their careers with the intention of becoming [[Corruption\|corrupt]]. They all believe they are doing what is best for their country. But as soon as they become a part of a system that incentivizes fundraising and [[media]] presence over lawmaking, it is [[inevitable]] that they will serve the interests of donors over voters.		[[Justice]] is only achieved through elaborate [[checks and balances]] to balance the [[Salience\|strong incentives]] to [[cheat]] that all parties have.<blockquote>''"Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely." -[[wikipedia:John_Dalberg-Acton,_1st_Baron_Acton\|Lord Acton]]''</blockquote>[[Politics\|Politicians]] almost never begin their careers with the intention of becoming [[Corruption\|corrupt]]. They all believe they are doing what is best for their country. But as soon as they become a part of a system that incentivizes fundraising and [[media]] presence over lawmaking, it is [[inevitable]] that they will serve the interests of donors over voters.

	[[Podcast]] hosts and other content creators don't usually start out spreading [[misinformation]] and [[grift]]. But the [[economics]] mean that those who do can get lucrative deals with the [[wikipedia:The_Daily_Wire\|Daily Wire]] and [[wikipedia:PragerU\|PragerU]], or sponsorships from various [[Grift\|grifters]] selling bogus supplements, MLMs, poor investments, and [[doomsday]] prepper gear.		[[Podcast]] hosts and other content creators don't usually start out spreading [[misinformation]] and [[grift]]. But the [[economics]] mean that those who do can get lucrative deals with the [[wikipedia:The_Daily_Wire\|Daily Wire]] and [[wikipedia:PragerU\|PragerU]], or sponsorships from various [[Grift\|grifters]] selling bogus supplements, MLMs, poor investments, and [[doomsday]] prepper gear.

Fractalguy: /* Perceived Incentives */

2025-01-20T10:50:18Z

Perceived Incentives

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:50, 20 January 2025
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	Correctly identifying perverse incentives in cases such as cancer research funded by the tobacco industry can cause people to look for these things everywhere, and misattribute them to support the position of their [[in-group]] instead of identifying legitimate sources of [[corruption]].		Correctly identifying perverse incentives in cases such as cancer research funded by the tobacco industry can cause people to look for these things everywhere, and misattribute them to support the position of their [[in-group]] instead of identifying legitimate sources of [[corruption]].

	A classic example is the common accusation that climate change research is fueled by a [[government]] grant industrial complex that has compromised 99% of academia. The alternative theory, favored by [[wikipedia:Occam's_razor\|Occam's razor]], is that human-caused [[climate change]] is the [[scientific]] consensus and the 1% who disagree tend to be funded by ''the most profitable industry in [[history]]''. Many of those who commit this [[Logical fallacies\|fallacy]] will point to legitimate examples like [[wikipedia:Regulatory_capture\|regulatory capture]] of the FDA by the [[Pharmaceuticals\|pharmaceutical]] industry, then use that to justify speculating about profit motives to support their [[conspiracy theories]], rather than looking for [[evidence]] of [[corruption]] and questioning [[institutional]] [[authority]] once you find it.		A classic example is the common accusation that climate change research is fueled by a [[government]] grant industrial complex that has compromised 97% of academia.[https://science.nasa.gov/climate-change/faq/do-scientists-agree-on-climate-change/] The alternative theory, favored by [[wikipedia:Occam's_razor\|Occam's razor]], is that human-caused [[climate change]] is the [[scientific]] consensus and the 3% who disagree tend to be funded by ''the most profitable industry in [[history]]''. Many of those who commit this [[Logical fallacies\|fallacy]] will point to legitimate examples like [[wikipedia:Regulatory_capture\|regulatory capture]] of the FDA by the [[Pharmaceuticals\|pharmaceutical]] industry, then use that to justify speculating about profit motives to support their [[conspiracy theories]], rather than looking for [[evidence]] of [[corruption]] and questioning [[institutional]] [[authority]] once you find it.

	== Corruption is Just Bad Incentives ==		== Corruption is Just Bad Incentives ==

Fractalguy at 10:41, 20 January 2025

2025-01-20T10:41:59Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:41, 20 January 2025
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	[[File:Incentive-structure-motivation-reinforcement.jpg\|thumb\|How do you visualize incentives?]]		[[File:Incentive-structure-motivation-reinforcement.jpg\|thumb\|How do you visualize incentives?]]
	[[wikipedia:Incentive_system\|Incentive structures]] are they systemic ways in which we provide positive and negative [[feedback]] to the participants in that system to get them to do the things that make the system work.		[[wikipedia:Incentive_system\|Incentive structures]] are they systemic ways in which we provide positive and negative [[feedback]] to the participants in that system to get them to do the things that make the system work.<blockquote>''"When you're failing, there's a very powerful incentive to put ideology aside and just do what seems to work." -''[[wikipedia:Fareed_Zakaria\|Fareed Zakaria]]</blockquote>Since humans lack [[free will]], they tend to respond better to incentives than [[rational]] [[arguments]].

	== Personal Incentive Structures ==		== Personal Incentive Structures ==
	Our [[brains]] are controlled by ~~these~~ incentives, and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_prison_experiment study] after [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment study] has shown that even the most [[Free will\|willful]] of us are powerless against them.		Our [[brains]] are controlled by incentives, and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_prison_experiment study] after [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment study] has shown that even the most [[Free will\|willful]] of us are powerless against them.

	Our [[day to day lives]] and [[habits]] are controlled by the incentive structures we put around us. [[Temptations]] aren't avoided with [[willpower]], but with willful avoidance. In order to make any change you want to make, you must first change your [[environment]] so the desired change is rewarded and alternatives are discouraged or ignored.		Our [[day to day lives]] and [[habits]] are controlled by the incentive structures we put around us. [[Temptations]] aren't avoided with [[willpower]], but with willful avoidance. In order to make any change you want to make, you must first change your [[environment]] so the desired change is rewarded and alternatives are discouraged, avoided, or ignored in favor of more [[Salience\|salient]] options.

	== Perverse Incentives ==		== Perverse Incentives ==

Fractalguy at 18:10, 28 December 2024

2024-12-28T18:10:16Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:10, 28 December 2024
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	[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perverse_incentive Perverse incentives] occur when these systems unintentionally encourage the opposite of their desired outcome. The most egregious examples of waste, [[fraud]] and abuse in [[history]] come when the rewards for doing wrong outweigh the rewards for doing good. This is further complicated by our brain's tendency to favor [[immediate rewards]] over [[long-term consequences]], increasing the [[saliency]] of the [[temptation]] to cheat.		[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perverse_incentive Perverse incentives] occur when these systems unintentionally encourage the opposite of their desired outcome. The most egregious examples of waste, [[fraud]] and abuse in [[history]] come when the rewards for doing wrong outweigh the rewards for doing good. This is further complicated by our brain's tendency to favor [[immediate rewards]] over [[long-term consequences]], increasing the [[saliency]] of the [[temptation]] to cheat.

			== Perceived Incentives ==
			The [[perception]] of perverse incentives and corruption can be just as damaging. When individual instances of [[corruption]] are generalized to everything an [[institution]] does, [[trust]] is lost and it is no longer able to serve the public effectively.

			Correctly identifying perverse incentives in cases such as cancer research funded by the tobacco industry can cause people to look for these things everywhere, and misattribute them to support the position of their [[in-group]] instead of identifying legitimate sources of [[corruption]].

			A classic example is the common accusation that climate change research is fueled by a [[government]] grant industrial complex that has compromised 99% of academia. The alternative theory, favored by [[wikipedia:Occam's_razor\|Occam's razor]], is that human-caused [[climate change]] is the [[scientific]] consensus and the 1% who disagree tend to be funded by ''the most profitable industry in [[history]]''. Many of those who commit this [[Logical fallacies\|fallacy]] will point to legitimate examples like [[wikipedia:Regulatory_capture\|regulatory capture]] of the FDA by the [[Pharmaceuticals\|pharmaceutical]] industry, then use that to justify speculating about profit motives to support their [[conspiracy theories]], rather than looking for [[evidence]] of [[corruption]] and questioning [[institutional]] [[authority]] once you find it.

	== Corruption is Just Bad Incentives ==		== Corruption is Just Bad Incentives ==

Fractalguy at 09:58, 27 April 2024

2024-04-27T09:58:31Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 09:58, 27 April 2024
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	[[wikipedia:Incentive_system\|Incentive structures]] are they systemic ways in which we provide positive and negative [[feedback]] to the participants in that system to get them to do the things that make the system work.		[[wikipedia:Incentive_system\|Incentive structures]] are they systemic ways in which we provide positive and negative [[feedback]] to the participants in that system to get them to do the things that make the system work.

	== ~~Creating~~ Personal Incentive Structures ==		== Personal Incentive Structures ==
			Our [[brains]] are controlled by these incentives, and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_prison_experiment study] after [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment study] has shown that even the most [[Free will\|willful]] of us are powerless against them.
	Our [[brains]] are controlled by these incentives, and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_prison_experiment study] after [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment study] has shown that even the most willful of us are powerless against them.

	Our [[day to day lives]] and [[habits]] are controlled by the incentive structures we put around us. [[Temptations]] aren't avoided with [[willpower]], but with willful avoidance. In order to make any change you want to make, you must first change your [[environment]] so the desired change is rewarded and alternatives are discouraged or ignored.		Our [[day to day lives]] and [[habits]] are controlled by the incentive structures we put around us. [[Temptations]] aren't avoided with [[willpower]], but with willful avoidance. In order to make any change you want to make, you must first change your [[environment]] so the desired change is rewarded and alternatives are discouraged or ignored.
Line 12:		Line 11:
	[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perverse_incentive Perverse incentives] occur when these systems unintentionally encourage the opposite of their desired outcome. The most egregious examples of waste, [[fraud]] and abuse in [[history]] come when the rewards for doing wrong outweigh the rewards for doing good. This is further complicated by our brain's tendency to favor [[immediate rewards]] over [[long-term consequences]], increasing the [[saliency]] of the [[temptation]] to cheat.		[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perverse_incentive Perverse incentives] occur when these systems unintentionally encourage the opposite of their desired outcome. The most egregious examples of waste, [[fraud]] and abuse in [[history]] come when the rewards for doing wrong outweigh the rewards for doing good. This is further complicated by our brain's tendency to favor [[immediate rewards]] over [[long-term consequences]], increasing the [[saliency]] of the [[temptation]] to cheat.

	== Incentives ~~to Change Society~~ ==		== Corruption is Just Bad Incentives ==

			Creating a better [[society]] can only be done by changing the incentive structures of our [[economy]] and [[government]].

			[[Justice]] is only achieved through elaborate [[checks and balances]] to balance the [[Salience\|strong incentives]] to [[cheat]] that all parties have.<blockquote>''Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely. --Lord Acton''</blockquote>[[Politics\|Politicians]] almost never begin their careers with the intention of becoming [[Corruption\|corrupt]]. They all believe they are doing what is best for their country. But as soon as they become a part of a system that incentivizes fundraising and [[media]] presence over lawmaking, it is [[inevitable]] that they will serve the interests of donors over voters.

			[[Podcast]] hosts and other content creators don't usually start out spreading [[misinformation]] and [[grift]]. But the [[economics]] mean that those who do can get lucrative deals with the [[wikipedia:The_Daily_Wire\|Daily Wire]] and [[wikipedia:PragerU\|PragerU]], or sponsorships from various [[Grift\|grifters]] selling bogus supplements, MLMs, poor investments, and [[doomsday]] prepper gear.

			Making [[moral]] arguments against corruption, and hoping that everyone will resist these [[temptations]], is a recipe for failure and frustration. The only solution is to address the incentive structures that lead to corruption.

	~~Creating a better~~ [[~~society~~]] ~~can~~ only ~~be done~~ by ~~changing the incentive~~ structures ~~of our~~ [[~~economy]] and [[government~~]]. ~~[[Justice]]~~ is only ~~achieved through elaborate~~ [[~~checks and balances~~]] ~~to balance the [[Salience\|strong incentives]] to [[cheat]] that all parties have~~.		The advantage of this approach is that it is non-partisan. Systemic changes that improve the [[balance of power]] and remove perverse incentives should have very broad support among voters, and opposed only by entrenched corrupt power structures. In a [[democracy]], as long as there are candidates willing to run on these broadly popular positions, they can always defeat the entrenched powers. There is no need for revolution, only [[persuasion]].

	== Incentives and Motivation in Video ==		== Incentives and Motivation in Video ==

Fractalguy at 00:36, 25 January 2024

2024-01-25T00:36:13Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 00:36, 25 January 2024
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	[~~https~~:~~//en~~.wikipedia~~.org/wiki/~~Incentive_system Incentive structures] are they systemic ways in which we provide positive and negative [[feedback]] to the participants in that system to get them to do the things that make the system work.		[[File:Incentive-structure-motivation-reinforcement.jpg\|thumb\|How do you visualize incentives?]]
			[[wikipedia:Incentive_system\|Incentive structures]] are they systemic ways in which we provide positive and negative [[feedback]] to the participants in that system to get them to do the things that make the system work.

	== Creating Personal Incentive Structures ==		== Creating Personal Incentive Structures ==
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	== Incentives to Change Society ==		== Incentives to Change Society ==

	Creating a better [[society]] can only be done by changing the incentive structures of our [[economy]] and [[government]]. [[Justice]] is only achieved through elaborate [[checks and balances]] to balance the [[~~salience~~\|strong incentives]] to [[cheat]] that all parties have.		Creating a better [[society]] can only be done by changing the incentive structures of our [[economy]] and [[government]]. [[Justice]] is only achieved through elaborate [[checks and balances]] to balance the [[Salience\|strong incentives]] to [[cheat]] that all parties have.

	== Incentives and Motivation in Video ==		== Incentives and Motivation in Video ==

Fractalguy: /* Creating Personal Incentive Systems */

2024-01-21T13:42:06Z

Creating Personal Incentive Systems

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:42, 21 January 2024
Line 1:		Line 1:
	[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incentive_system Incentive structures] are they systemic ways in which we provide positive and negative [[feedback]] to the participants in that system to get them to do the things that make the system work.		[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incentive_system Incentive structures] are they systemic ways in which we provide positive and negative [[feedback]] to the participants in that system to get them to do the things that make the system work.

	== Creating Personal Incentive ~~Systems~~ ==		== Creating Personal Incentive Structures ==

	Our [[brains]] are controlled by these incentives, and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_prison_experiment study] after [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment study] has shown that even the most willful of us are powerless against them.		Our [[brains]] are controlled by these incentives, and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford_prison_experiment study] after [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment study] has shown that even the most willful of us are powerless against them.