Essays
Long reads on how we actually think, decide and live.
A short history of the to-do list
Before we try to fix people, it is worth understanding what they are for.
Why we keep score
Economists have a model. The rest of us have a Tuesday.
A short history of the late fee
Economists have a model. The rest of us have a Tuesday.
The case against the late fee
Most advice assumes a person who never existed.
Fairness is a social bargain
The story we tell afterwards is tidier than the choice we made at the time.
Reason is a reasonable kind of courage
The mind is built for a different world. It copes remarkably well with this one.
Fair enough
People will pay to punish unfairness. Markets have never quite accepted this.
Luck is a borrowed bet on the future
We are far better at explaining our choices than at making them.
The loyalty of the weather forecast
The mind is built for a different world. It copes remarkably well with this one.
Generosity is a public act of faith
Most advice assumes a person who never existed.
Doubt is a slow habit
We are far better at explaining our choices than at making them.
The weight of a debt
Owing money changes how people think, and not only about money.