Hold Your Applause, Voters

Brian Doherty | June 22, 2007

Bryan Caplan, author of the fantabulous new book The Myth of the Rational Voter: Why Democracies Choose Bad Policies, says boo to applause --for politicians:

You can say "it's only human" to clap for our spokesmen, but consider the consequences. Audiences are giving speakers powerful psychological incentives to conceal any information that challenges their beliefs. Why not just hold up big signs that say: "TELL US WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR"?