The Fun Theory

The concept of choice architecture is an alluring one. How are the everyday things around us presented in a   manner designed to inhibit certain responses? This idea is expanded upon greatly in Nudge by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein. When dealing with such minute issues, or rather amusing or healthy trends (such as the below attached video), this may not seem like such a big deal. However, given the complexity and applicability with matters on a much more grandiose scale, how far is too far in "nudging" people in one direction?

Simply by making the stairs into an interactive music medium (piano), 66% more people took the stairs vs. the escalator. Though obvious in its allure and appeal, this is a great, simple example of how adding little things can make people change even the smallest decisions or choices.

Misconceptions

In many facets of my life, I have believed "facts" that I have held true simply because they were considered common knowledge or because somebody I trusted unvailed them to me. It is amazing to me how simply and effortlessly I will believe something (or rather fall for something in ignorance) that has very little, or no, support. Why do I do this? Why do others do this? I would like to think that it is because I trust the people that have told me these things, but could it stem from something deeper? Perhaps a simple desire to think that what is presented to us should be correct? When watching this video, I began thinking, "Great, now I get to see all of these facts that are untrue." There was not a doubt in my mind that these myth-"busters" would be true. However, by the end of the video, I could not definitively conclude that anything said was true either. Once again, I became a victim of my desire to believe what is presented to me without substantial support. Not only did that take a hold of my intution, but then it played on the common sentiment of cynicism. I partly wanted to believe the video because of the idea that, "Well, these things are from society, and anything from that society should be questioned, and is probably incorrect." While a degree of accepting things at face value, and a level of skepticism or cynicism, is healthy, where do we draw the balance? Where do everyday interactions that are presented to us draw upon either, or both?

Individuals Becoming the Company/Brand Personality

This video has an interesting idea as to where the brand personality is coming from. In class and from the book, the idea that the brand conjures a personality from its products or services (or even tradition), is prevalent, but the idea that perhaps the individual people in the organization are creating the personality is not addressed. Considering the multiple means of communicating and reaching different people, this is an interesting idea. Will people determine the personality of a companity or brand from its products or commercials, or rather from the interactions with the people that comprise it?