"Predictable Irrationality" presentation

[Chessic]

A researcher on "Predictable Irrationality," using why people cheat as an example, gives a short presentation of some of his findings. Some interesting points:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUdsTizSxSI&feature=player_embedded#

Interesting that even avowed atheists are less likely to cheat when they swear on the 10 Commandments. And some of the other variables that make people more or less likely to cheat are interesting.

Predictable Irrationality has some interesting implications for religion and politics, imho.

 

[billwald]

Very interesting. I suggest that the same principle applies to politics and taxes. We can tolerate being oppressed by our own kind of people but not some other kind of people. We see other's faults but not the faults of our own kind of people.

Our Founding Fathers claimed to be protesting "Taxation without representation." Now we have taxation with representation and people still complain. Why? Because we are of two kinds of people,
liberals and conservatives. Liberals don't mind being screwed over by liberals and conservatives don't mind being screwed over by conservatives.

Ignoring the military/fighting factor, when Ireland separated politically from England did the economic condition in the Ireland improve? Taxes and standard of living? Or was it all psychological? Asking, I don't know.