The mystery of the honesty box (radiohead) - GoFuckYourself.com

TTiger · 10-12-2007, 05:52 PM

Radiohead's move to allow fans to choose the price they pay for a download of an album has reawoken an age-old question. So can we be trusted to pay a fair price for something even if we're not forced?

So it's basically a question of Hobbes vs the anarchist.

Either you think that left to our own devices we'd spend all our time fighting each other and downloading rock albums for nothing - to precis philosopher Thomas Hobbes.

Or you have a bit more faith, believing that even without the intervention of the authorities we will be rational and can be trusted to do the right thing - anarchism distilled.

We all know about honesty boxes. In staff rooms and clubhouses across the country there are boxes for hot drinks or food that rely on members of a community making their fair contribution towards the cost of something.

If people think they can get away with it they will usually behave selfishly and not pay
Dr Melissa Bateson
Behavioural biologist

The principle has been applied in the real world. In the US there are newspaper vending machines that rely on the consumer putting his coin in and not taking more than one paper.

And in Britain, at WH Smith branches in train stations, the customer is asked to make their payment for a newspaper into a container.

According to the company, the "vast majority" pay the correct amount, and one of its shop assistants even reported the boxes make money as people who don't have the correct change over pay. However, they could quite easily pay less or even walk off with the paper for nothing having feigned the act of paying up.

It's the kind of unexpected honesty that might have persuaded Radiohead that they could go ahead and let people pay what they thought was appropriate for their latest album.

A survey of 3,000 people who downloaded the album suggested an average sum of £4 paid, with a third choosing to download it gratis, and several people paying a generous £12.

US newspaper vending machine
The principle is long-established for US newspapers

If those figures proved to be accurate either side could claim victory. Radiohead have not been the victims of a wholesale, self-inflicted robbery and yet, at the same time, there are many fans who have taken their work for nothing.

The power of the honesty box principle may be in our evolution, says behavioural biologist Dr Melissa Bateson.

Last year she led a study based on an honesty box. During alternate time periods, a picture of a pair of eyes or a picture of flowers were placed above the box. Wildly differing sums of money were deposited in the box.

"When we had the picture of eyes on the wall it was nearly three times as much money. Eyes give people the feeling that they are being watched by other people.

"If people think they can get away with it they will usually behave selfishly and not pay, but if you think you are being watched you know the consequences can be quite bad."

So when we dutifully put our coins in the honesty box, it may not just be out of our respect for a fair society, it may also be out of a purely selfish desire not to be punished or looked down on by our peers.

This may even explain WH Smiths' success, Dr Bateson suggests.

"There are loads of people around - you wouldn't just take a paper and walk away."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7041447.stm

DBS.US · 10-12-2007, 06:03 PM

I say, If it's free, it's not worth anything.

FredIsMe · 10-12-2007, 06:06 PM

Money isn't made from the records sales. It's made from merchandise.

10-12-2007, 05:52 PM	#1
TTiger Confirmed User Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: quebec, canada Posts: 3,030	The mystery of the honesty box (radiohead) Radiohead's move to allow fans to choose the price they pay for a download of an album has reawoken an age-old question. So can we be trusted to pay a fair price for something even if we're not forced? So it's basically a question of Hobbes vs the anarchist. Either you think that left to our own devices we'd spend all our time fighting each other and downloading rock albums for nothing - to precis philosopher Thomas Hobbes. Or you have a bit more faith, believing that even without the intervention of the authorities we will be rational and can be trusted to do the right thing - anarchism distilled. We all know about honesty boxes. In staff rooms and clubhouses across the country there are boxes for hot drinks or food that rely on members of a community making their fair contribution towards the cost of something. If people think they can get away with it they will usually behave selfishly and not pay Dr Melissa Bateson Behavioural biologist The principle has been applied in the real world. In the US there are newspaper vending machines that rely on the consumer putting his coin in and not taking more than one paper. And in Britain, at WH Smith branches in train stations, the customer is asked to make their payment for a newspaper into a container. According to the company, the "vast majority" pay the correct amount, and one of its shop assistants even reported the boxes make money as people who don't have the correct change over pay. However, they could quite easily pay less or even walk off with the paper for nothing having feigned the act of paying up. It's the kind of unexpected honesty that might have persuaded Radiohead that they could go ahead and let people pay what they thought was appropriate for their latest album. A survey of 3,000 people who downloaded the album suggested an average sum of £4 paid, with a third choosing to download it gratis, and several people paying a generous £12. US newspaper vending machine The principle is long-established for US newspapers If those figures proved to be accurate either side could claim victory. Radiohead have not been the victims of a wholesale, self-inflicted robbery and yet, at the same time, there are many fans who have taken their work for nothing. The power of the honesty box principle may be in our evolution, says behavioural biologist Dr Melissa Bateson. Last year she led a study based on an honesty box. During alternate time periods, a picture of a pair of eyes or a picture of flowers were placed above the box. Wildly differing sums of money were deposited in the box. "When we had the picture of eyes on the wall it was nearly three times as much money. Eyes give people the feeling that they are being watched by other people. "If people think they can get away with it they will usually behave selfishly and not pay, but if you think you are being watched you know the consequences can be quite bad." So when we dutifully put our coins in the honesty box, it may not just be out of our respect for a fair society, it may also be out of a purely selfish desire not to be punished or looked down on by our peers. This may even explain WH Smiths' success, Dr Bateson suggests. "There are loads of people around - you wouldn't just take a paper and walk away." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7041447.stm __________________

10-12-2007, 06:03 PM	#2
DBS.US Geo Cities Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: North Captiva Island, Florida USA Posts: 11,833	I say, If it's free, it's not worth anything. __________________ Make a Free Chaturbate White Label site in 34 minutes and be making money tonight

10-12-2007, 06:06 PM	#3
FredIsMe So Fucking Banned Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Livin' in America Posts: 2,406	Money isn't made from the records sales. It's made from merchandise.