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by adamsea 2151 days ago
I'd go even further and say simply that it tells us that human behavior is complicated.

Someone is perfectly capable about caring about workers rights and ordering from Amazon at the same time. What if you forgot to get a birthday present and need next day delivery? Amazon's kind of the only game in town, and that's an understandable compromise lots of people might make.

I think it's more about the lack of alternatives to Amazon (they are both great at customer service and at snuffing out competition) and the collective action problem than anything else. And I agree that's part of why laws and governments exist : ).
1 comments
NoOneNew 2150 days ago
Dont forget to get a present? I mean, the world has existed great for a long time prior to Amazon's existence. Now everyone acts like Prime is an essential service to life itself. It's pretty pathetic. Like, really pathetic. Your own failure of planning isn't an excuse to break your own ideals, but then turn around to act pious to that ideal. In essence, you then dont actually stand or believe in it, you just do it, when convenient for virtue signaling and cheap warm/fuzzies.
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adamsea 2150 days ago
You're absolutely right. It's not an excuse, and the example/hypothetical I shared would be a violation of my ideals.

But that's my point. We're flawed. Which isn't an excuse. It's like, when the experts talk about how to change habits, they say the best way to do it is to change your environment. Because of the powerful influence our environment has upon us.

And most models of change for behaviors like smoking or weight loss (and it's becoming increasing clear that computers/screens/apps/the internet share the addictive qualities of those behaviors) incorporate relapse as one step of a change process.

It's an old book and a simple one, but as far as I know their research on how people successfully change behavior still holds up: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46680.Changing_for_Good

Most studies show, I think, that positive motivation is a better tool than shaming/blaming/judging, in most situations.

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