Paternalism

The Paternalism Project:  Choose a trusted friend or family member who cares about your wellbeing. Tell them your goals for yourself and identify the ways that you are falling short. Ask them to plan a day for you that they think will help you make progress on some of your goals. Follow their plan for the day.  

Write a reflection about whether paternalism actually did bring you closer to your goals? If so, why was your friend helpful here? If not, what information did they lack? Discuss these questions with reference to this week’s readings, noting the distinction between respecting autonomy and promoting autonomy. 

As evidence, print and include documentation of your correspondence with your paternalist and/or the plan they prepared for you as well as pictures of your day of paternalism. 

Without deceiving anyone or removing any options, redesign one small shared environment to encourage people to make what you regard as a better choice. For example, you can place healthier food where it is easier to reach or hide the candy in the back of the cabinet. Or you can put a recycling bin in front of the trash can or move your roomate's phone charger away from their bed. Then observe what happens. If the people affected notice what you did, explain that you did it for their benefit. See if they object.

In your reflection, discuss whether nudging is less objectionable than coercion. Were you helping people pursue their own goals, or imposing your judgment about what they ought to want?  

Identify five ordinary activities that you believe deserve a warning label but currently do not have one. Then create your own warning labels and tape them (temporarily and without damaging property) near the relevant object or location in shared spaces. For example, you may make warning labels like "CAUTION: Reading comments can be harmful to your mental health" or  "WARNING: This sink will attract ants if people leave dirty dishes," or "NOTICE: Everyone can hear you using the bathroom" Observe how people react to your labels. How long did the labels last? Do you think any labels should stick around? 

In your reflection, discuss the kinds of dangers that require warning labels, when is it appropriate to require warning labels, the costs (if any) of excessive warnings, and whether merely giving someone information is ever paternalistic.