Obama creating 'Behavioral Insights Team' ?

I didn't find this in search, so hopefully this isn't a redundant thread.

Fox News

The federal government is hiring what it calls a "Behavioral Insights Team" that will look for ways to subtly influence people's behavior, according to a document describing the program obtained by FoxNews.com. Critics warn there could be unintended consequences to such policies, while supporters say the team could make government and society more efficient.

MSNOW

Big Brother isn't only watching you via creepy domestic drones — he's also trying to influence your behavior. The Behavioral Insights Team, or, affectionately, the "nudge squad" is a White House experiment in finding subtle ways to get citizens to change their behavior. It will tackle problems such as getting people to conserve energy or save for retirement. Proponents of the initiative, based partly on the 2008 book "Nudge" by Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler, praise it for using gentle encouragement rather than regulations and restrictions to control behavior. Critics, however, say the government shouldn’t assume it knows what's best for its people.

There are plenty of other articles about this, but does anyone else have an issue with this one?

I mean, how openly Orwellian can an administration get before the people have finally had enough?

I'm not surprised. 'Hope and change' .... 'transparency' ..... baaaah!
Obama and his administration are the embodiment of 1984.

reply to post by ProfessorChaos


I think they should use all federal government employees as guinea pigs.

When or if we ever see any kind of behavioral change or effectiveness there, then they can pass it down to the people, otherwise, they're just wasting more of our time and money.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
I'm not surprised. 'Hope and change' .... 'transparency' ..... baaaah!
Obama and his administration are the embodiment of 1984.

Agreed, wholeheartedly.

Originally posted by Deetermined
reply to post by ProfessorChaos

 

I think they should use all federal government employees as guinea pigs.

When or if we ever see any kind of behavioral change or effectiveness there, then they can pass it down to the people, otherwise, they're just wasting more of our time and money.

My feeling is that they shouldn't be doing this to anyone. It needs to stop.

It is amazing what this administration gets away with in the public eye, if this were done by Bush, there'd be blood in the streets by now.

reply to post by ProfessorChaos


I really think it should be past tense. They've created these teams and have been in use for years! Every administration probably has them, it's just a different approach tailored to each bitter pill they try to make us swallow.

In my humble. . .

Originally posted by beezzer
reply to post by ProfessorChaos

 

I really think it should be past tense. They've created these teams and have been in use for years! Every administration probably has them, it's just a different approach tailored to each bitter pill they try to make us swallow.

In my humble. . .

I agree with you that 'teams' like this have been in existence for quite some time, but what I find alarming is that it is now out in the open and no one really cares.

I guess that the 'Proles' really are of no consequence after all.

reply to post by ProfessorChaos

My feeling is that they shouldn't be doing this to anyone. It needs to stop.

The whole thing is pretty silly and harmless really.

If you read the article, it's nothing more than a marketing ploy to sell ideas/products as well as to send out reminders on how to save energy, money, etc. They aren't forcing anyone into doing anything.

It will become a different story if they ever force people to invest their money into specific accounts, products, insulate their attic, turn off their electricity for them for so many hours a day, but I don't really see that happening.

Originally posted by Deetermined
reply to post by ProfessorChaos

 

My feeling is that they shouldn't be doing this to anyone. It needs to stop.

The whole thing is pretty silly and harmless really.

If you read the article, it's nothing more than a marketing ploy to sell ideas/products as well as to send out reminders on how to save energy, money, etc. They aren't forcing anyone into doing anything.

It will become a different story if they ever force people to invest their money into specific accounts, products, insulate their attic, turn off their electricity for them for so many hours a day, but I don't really see that happening.

Harmless? I don't think so. It is behavioral engineering and nothing else.

reply to post by ProfessorChaos


What kind of behaviors do you anticipate them engineering with this that appears detrimental to you?

reply to post by ProfessorChaos


It's a little more than hypocritical to form a "nudge" team to help the commoners "save energy and for retirement" when the U.S. is a "nudge" away from collapsing and JPMorgan is messin with energy prices.

Just a thought.

Originally posted by Deetermined
reply to post by ProfessorChaos

 

What kind of behaviors do you anticipate them engineering with this that appears detrimental to you?

Well, let's see.

Complacency
Fear
Having the insatiable need to maintain the Status Quo, regardless of what may happen.
Utter obedience to perceived authorities.
Abandonment of one's freedom of speech (political correctness, anyone?)

I mean really, the list goes on and on. How could you NOT anticipate that those with the power would engineer a situation in which they maintain it at the cost of those that do not have it?

reply to post by sulaw


That was EXACTLY my first thought.

They're wasting time and money on creating a group of people to do exactly what commercials on television have already been doing for decades.

The only thing I think could be detrimental to people, is if this group plans on starting a new "census" that they require to be filled out listing what our individual behaviors already consist of. I don't see how they would be able to pull that one off.

Nudge? Subtle? You mean they won't be obvious like this anymore?



I was just getting used to the idea that I'd see them trying to toy with my mind like a cheap toy. Gee.. I wonder what it looks like when they try and be subtle. It should be interesting to watch. After all, he comes right out and uses the word brainwash in this one. Very open and honest moment for who would later become the chief law enforcement official in America. ...and people say they don't run on agendas. Err... Yeah. Of course not.

Heh, you guys think Obama administration is bad? They're merely laying the foundation.

You'll really be feeling the sting in a few more years, I absolutely guarantee it.

Originally posted by ThinkingCap
Heh, you guys think Obama administration is bad? They're merely laying the foundation.

You'll really be feeling the sting in a few more years, I absolutely guarantee it.

The foundation's been laid since the Wilson Administration, they've all been building upon it for decades.

reply to post by ProfessorChaos

Complacency
Fear
Having the insatiable need to maintain the Status Quo, regardless of what may happen.
Utter obedience to perceived authorities.
Abandonment of one's freedom of speech (political correctness, anyone?)

The only thing is, they are already doing this with every televised speech they give and every article that is written.

How will this be different?

Originally posted by Deetermined
reply to post by ProfessorChaos

 

Complacency
Fear
Having the insatiable need to maintain the Status Quo, regardless of what may happen.
Utter obedience to perceived authorities.
Abandonment of one's freedom of speech (political correctness, anyone?)

The only thing is, they are already doing this with every televised speech they give and every article that is written.

How will this be different?

You missed the point of the thread, it is being openly displayed now. They aren't just diddling the populace from behind closed doors, they're telling us that they're doing it, and no one cares.

reply to post by Deetermined
What do you see as beneficial with this type of program?