This ignores marketing and other pricing and sales techniques specifically designed to trick someone into thinking a choice is in their best interest when it is not. One could simple look at politics for plenty of easy to understand examples.
Also, many products are shaped and designed over time to be as addictive as possible. Video games, television, soda, fast food, facebook, tobacco etc etc. All of these things are generally outside of a persons best interest beyond light moderate use. The are specifically designed and adjusted over time to cause people to go well beyond that threshold of moderate use.
By simplifying the situation to "rational actors" you are doing exactly as I described. Refusing to take responsibility for those who are less able to deal with the forces and influences I described above.
> By simplifying the situation to "rational actors" you are doing exactly as I described. Refusing to take responsibility for those who are less able to deal with the forces and influences I described above.
I think that it is condescending to assume that people are unable to make their own choices. Why should you impose upon people that Facebook or soda is not "in their best interests." If I want to drink 6 cans of Coke Zero a day (and I actually do), it isn't your place to tell me that I should switch to water.
Thinking it is condescending is once again refusing to take responsibility. Its one thing to allow someone to drink 6 cans of Coke Zero a day, its another to actively manipulate someone into doing so. By saying, "Everyone is just as smart as me" what you are actually doing is removing the responsibility of being more capable.
There are 10 people trapped on an island. You are the only one who knows how to make a boat. Are you responsible to help the other 9 people get off the island? Or are they just "rational actors" that should have know to learn to make a boat and therefore none of your responsibility?
You are letting a mental trick you use in your head to deal with the inequality in the world to control your entire view of the world.
Also, many products are shaped and designed over time to be as addictive as possible. Video games, television, soda, fast food, facebook, tobacco etc etc. All of these things are generally outside of a persons best interest beyond light moderate use. The are specifically designed and adjusted over time to cause people to go well beyond that threshold of moderate use.
By simplifying the situation to "rational actors" you are doing exactly as I described. Refusing to take responsibility for those who are less able to deal with the forces and influences I described above.