Research Catalog

Free market madness : why human nature is at odds with economics--and why it matters

Title
Free market madness : why human nature is at odds with economics--and why it matters / Peter A. Ubel.
Author
Ubel, Peter A.
Publication
Boston, Mass. : Harvard Business Press, [2009], ©2009.

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TextRequest in advance HB95 .U24 2009Off-site

Details

Description
xiv, 257 pages : illustrations; 24 cm
Summary
"We humans aren't entirely rational creatures. We decide to roll over and hit the snooze button instead of going to the gym, then fret over our health insurance payments. We take out home loans we can't possibly afford. We live hours away from our jobs when free time is our most valued asset. All too often, our subconscious causes us to act against our own self-interest." "Yet our free market economy is based largely on the assumption that we do act in our own self-interest. In this book, physician and behavioral scientist Peter Ubel argues that the combination of human nature and free markets can be downright dangerous for our health and well-being. That government must step in and further regulate the markets that reward those who exploit our weaknesses. And in the end, that good policy must take human nature into account - our rational and irrational sides, our strengths and our weaknesses." "With examples gathered from many disciplines, Ubel shows that by understanding and controlling the factors that go into our decisions, we can all begin to stop the damage we do to our bodies, our finances, and our economy as a whole."--BOOK JACKET.
Subjects
Bibliography (note)
  • Includes bibliographical references (p. 227-240) and index.
Contents
Pt. I. Maximizing Our Best Interests by Expanding Our Waistlines? -- 1. The Invisible Hand Meets the Unconscious Brain -- 2. Is the Obesity Epidemic a Consequence of Rational Choices? -- Pt. II. The Rise of Behavioral Economics and Soft Paternalism -- 3. Bank Tellers, Fighter Pilots, and the Limits of Rationality -- 4. Cashews, Coffee Mugs, and the Birth of Behavioral Economics -- 5. Kinder, Gentler Paternalism -- Pt. III. Unconscious Appetites and Expanding Waistlines -- 6. Irrational Tastes and Bottomless Soup Bowls -- 7. Impulsive Behavior and the Battle Between Our Current and Future Selves -- Pt. IV. Irrationality at Home, Office, and Hospital -- 8. Spacious Lawns and Long Commutes -- 9. Risky Feelings and Cigarette Breaks -- 10. The Price of Life and the Cost of Health Care -- 11. Marketing and the Science of Persuasion -- 12. Balancing Liberty and the Pursuit of Well-Being -- 13. Can Government Combat Obesity Without Becoming a "Nanny State"?
ISBN
  • 1422126099
  • 9781422126097
LCCN
  • 2008029735
  • 99933149692
OCLC
  • ocn213312332
  • 213312332
  • SCSB-9038913
Owning Institutions
Columbia University Libraries