In the midst of the news media deluge accompanying the global pandemic, Nudge author and Obama administration insider Cass Sunstein explores the science of information overload.
How much information is too much? Do we need to know how many calories are in the giant vat of popcorn that we bought on our way into the cinema? Do we want to know if we are genetically predisposed to a certain disease? Can we do anything useful with next week’s weather forecast for Paris if we are not in Paris?
In this free livestreamed interview exploring the themes of his new book, Too Much Information, Harvard Professor and co-creator – with Nobel laureate Richard Thaler – of the ‘nudge’, Cass Sunstein, examines the effects of information on our lives. Policymakers emphasize “the right to know,” but Professor Sunstein takes a different perspective, arguing that the focus should be on human well-being and what information contributes to it.
Of course, says Sunstein, we are better off with stop signs, warnings on prescriptions drugs, and reminders about payment due dates. But sometimes less is more. What we need is more clarity about what information is actually doing or achieving.
An essential talk for fans of Daniel Kahneman, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell and Nassim Nicholas Taleb. Don’t miss a rare chance to hear from one of the most widely cited and influential scholars in the US – if not the world.
This event is a free livestream. Please consider buying a copy of Prof Sunstein’s new book Too Much Information from independent bookseller Primrose Hill Books using the Book Now button to support both the author and the bookseller in this challenging time.
About Our Digital Programme:
In response to the global pandemic, How To Academy is curating a not-for-profit programme of live-streamed talks and conversations bringing you advice, insight and entertainment. Tickets are offered on a Pay What You Can basis, including a Free option for those who cannot afford more at this difficult time. Thank you for your help sustaining How To Academy through the crisis — and for enabling us to share new thinking from across the globe at a time when it has never been more important.
Books will be shipped in September after publication. Please note that due to the challenges of distribution during the global pandemic, some books may be delayed. If we experience any delay in getting your copy to you, we will contact you by email to let you know. Thank you for supporting a local London business, Primrose Hill Books.
