Essays
Long reads on how we actually think, decide and live.
What the tip jar teaches us about envy
The story we tell afterwards is tidier than the choice we made at the time.
What the loyalty card teaches us about pride
The mind is built for a different world. It copes remarkably well with this one.
A short history of the second helping
What feels like a preference is often just a default nobody questioned.
The choice of the late fee
What feels like a preference is often just a default nobody questioned.
Kindness is a stubborn habit
Most advice assumes a person who never existed.
A short history of the last biscuit
We are far better at explaining our choices than at making them.
Regret is a social kind of hope
We are far better at explaining our choices than at making them.
In praise of the weather forecast
The mind is built for a different world. It copes remarkably well with this one.
Why we queue without complaint
A small decision, repeated daily, is a life. Nobody designs it that way.
In praise of the shortcut
Economists have a model. The rest of us have a Tuesday.
The case against the honest mistake
A small decision, repeated daily, is a life. Nobody designs it that way.
Why we hoard what we cannot use
Most advice assumes a person who never existed.