Title: Good Intentions, Bad Consequences: Voters’ Information Problems
Author: Phillip Nelson
Publisher: PageTurner Press and Media
ISBN: 978-15246737096
Pages: 172
Genre: Social Science
Reviewed by: Lily Amanda
Pacific Book Review
Good Intentions, Bad Consequences: Voters’ Information Problems is an excellent and lipid treatise by economist Phillip Nelson that analyzes the choices voters make and the consequences this has on the general public. As a result of an education deficit, most vote with good intentions but with little knowledge of the outcome of their voting decisions. This, Author Nelson, terms it as “naive altruism.” Voters for the most part have a little self-interested incentive to acquire much information about the consequences of government policy. This is because people tend to look for information that confirms their current views and not that which contradicts them.
Enlightening for the most part, the book endeavors to make readers aware of the importance of better information before making voting choices. He cites an example of naive altruism as the debate about the Alaska National Wildlife Reserve (ANWAR) giving a clear illustration on how the public responds to environmental problems.
Author Nelson is exhaustive in his research and writing and has explored a wide scope of topics; such as the democratic ideal, animal rights, policy recommendations and their outcomes, variation in status quo, religion and its advocacy on social justice, and its role in social idealism – among others.
Americans are realizing the need to vote more and more each day. Good Intentions, Bad Consequences: Voters’ Information Problems is a good start for political awareness. It is bleak and honest, but for the most part offers greater hope for the future. The author’s writing is strong and poised and his immediate explanations of new terms such as “confirmation bias” and “naive altruism” save on time as one does not have to look them up.
With views drawn from various branches of science such as sociology, philosophy, and economics, Nelson’s extensive knowledge and impressive analyses will inevitably stir the minds and hearts of American citizens, expatriates, and political scientists alike, keen on making better voting choices in the future.
All things considered, Good Intentions, Bad Consequences: Voters’ Information Problems by Phillip Nelson is an informative resource which will help Americans, in general, make informed choices that will forge the destiny of America for ages to come. I highly recommend it.
