Rory Sutherland (advertising exec, Oligivy) on his book exploring similar themes on why human stuff works. For instance, we brush our teeth to feel/look good, not to fight teeth holes. We buy more stuff some times when prices go up. That we are really not “rational” most of the time.
His rules...RORY’S RULES OF ALCHEMY:
The opposite of a good idea can also be a good idea. Don’t design for average.
It doesn’t pay to be logical if everyone else is being logical.
The nature of our attention affects the nature of our experience. A flower is simply a weed with an advertising budget.
The problem with logic is that it kills off magic.
A good guess which stands up to observation is still science. So is a lucky accident.
Test counterintuitive things only because no one else will.
Solving problems using rationality is like playing golf with only one club.
Dare to be trivial.
If there were a logical answer, we would have found it.
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Chimes with the study showing in the real world, people hand back wallets with money over those with no money… https://www.thendobetter.com/investing/2019/6/29/civic-honesty-wallets-with-money-more-likely-to-handed-back
I wonder what the Founder of Oligvy would have thoughts: https://www.thendobetter.com/investing/2017/7/29/oglivy-principles-of-management
The book along with Messy by Tim Hartford well worth a read.