Subscribe to Science Friday
Ever heard an alcohol ad that tells you to “please drink responsibly”? Or a gambling ad that warns, “when the fun stops, stop”? Or been urged to reduce your carbon footprint?
The message is basically the same: These products and activities have risks. But mitigating them, well, that’s on you. How did we get this idea that it’s our personal responsibility to make a dent in big problems like climate change—and not the job of the government to impose regulations? That’s the focus of the new book It’s on You.
Host Flora Lichtman talks with behavioral scientist and It’s on You coauthor Nick Chater, about how he and his colleagues played a role in shaping a narrative of individual responsibility, and how to change it.
Further Reading
- How oil companies put the responsibility for climate change on consumers via The Conversation
- It’s on You: How Corporations and Behavioral Scientists Have Convinced Us That We’re to Blame for Society’s Deepest Problems on Bookshop.org
Donate To Science Friday
Invest in quality science journalism by making a donation to Science Friday.
Segment Guests
Nick Chater
Dr. Nick Chater is a professor of behavioural science at Warwick University and coauthor of It’s on You: How Corporations and Behavioral Scientists Have Convinced Us That We’re to Blame for Society’s Deepest Problems.
Segment Transcript
The transcript is being processed. It will be available 2-3 days after this story’s publication date.
Meet the Producers and Host
About Flora Lichtman
Flora Lichtman is a host of Science Friday. In a previous life, she lived on a research ship where apertivi were served on the top deck, hoisted there via pulley by the ship’s chef.
About Shoshannah Buxbaum
Shoshannah Buxbaum is a producer for Science Friday. She’s particularly drawn to stories about health, psychology, and the environment. She’s a proud New Jersey native and will happily share her opinions on why the state is deserving of a little more love.