Private Truths, Public Lies: The Social Consequences of Preference FalsificationPreference falsification, according to the economist Timur Kuran, is the act of misrepresenting one's wants under perceived social pressures. It happens frequently in everyday life, such as when we tell the host of a dinner party that we are enjoying the food when we actually find it bland. In Private Truths, Public Lies Kuran argues convincingly that the phenomenon not only is ubiquitous but has huge social and political consequences. Drawing on diverse intellectual traditions, including those rooted in economics, psychology, sociology, and political science, Kuran provides a unified theory of how preference falsification shapes collective decisions, orients structural change, sustains social stability, distorts human knowledge, and conceals political possibilities. |
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... factor in the persistence of public opinion . Another relevant factor is the magnetism of the prevailing equilib- rium ... factors , it will help to conduct a quick thought experiment in which individuals make expressive choices without ...
... factor in the ex- pressive choices of individuals dependent on social proof . They will all support A out of ... factors . First , no system of beliefs explains every fact that it may be called on to clarify or interpret . Every ...
The Social Consequences of Preference Falsification Timur Kuran. The second countervailing factor is the fundamental ... factors . In interpreting their own actions , they routinely overlook the importance of subtle pres- sures contrived ...
Contents
Collective Conservatism | 105 |
The Obstinacy of Communism | 118 |
The Ominous Perseverance of the Caste System | 128 |
Copyright | |
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