Crowdfunding Facebook Posts?
Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 12:51 pmThere you are on Facebook scrolling through your feed. In one post, your friend Sarah writes that she donated her kidney to your mutual friend Samantha. There's a heartwarming picture attached to the post. Are you going to click the "Like" button? Of course. Will Samantha click the "Like" button? Of course! But doesn't simply clicking the "Like" button seem woefully inadequate?
What if you had the option to spend your money on Sarah's post? Let's say that you spent $3 dollars on Sarah's post. Facebook would take a reasonable cut (5%?) and give the rest to Sarah. How much money would Samantha be willing to spend on Sarah's post? How much money would the crowd be willing to spend on Sarah's post? How much money would Sarah make for donating her kidney to Samantha? Right now it's illegal to sell your kidney. But shouldn't donating your kidney be profitable?
If posts were crowdfunded then you would be able to see and know exactly how much money had been spent on a post. In other words, you would know the value of each and every post on your feed. This would give you the ability to filter out posts that were less valuable than $1 dollar... or $10 dollars... or $100 dollars.
To be sure, trying to figure out how much money to spend on a post would definitely be far more mentally taxing than deciding whether you like a post. But this is exactly why the amount of money spent on a post would be a far more trustworthy indication of its importance. People actually had to use their brains! They had to seriously consider the trade-offs.
Clicking the "Like" button on a post is superficial feedback. There's absolutely no cost/sacrifice. Spending money on a post is substantial feedback. There certainly is a cost/sacrifice.
When the feedback is superficial... then faking it is costless. When the feedback is substantial... then faking it is costly.
The question is... do you want to know what people really think about your posts? I'm guessing that, for most of you, the answer is "NO!!!!" Most people really like to delude themselves into believing that their posts are far more valuable than they truly are. The problem with this delusional mentality is that it results in society suffering from a severe shortage of genuinely beneficial behavior.
If you believe that your photos are exceptionally good... you can share them on Facebook and lots of people might be happy to "Like" them. After all, it doesn't cost them anything to do so. If they don't truly enjoy your photos, then clicking the "Like" button is just a little white lie that can help strengthen the bonds of friendship.
But if you take your photos to the flea market...
Let me add a bit of balance to my post by sharing this video... Michael Sandel: The Moral Limits of Markets. Let me add a bit more balance by sharing this paper by Uri Gneezy... When and Why Incentives (Don't) Work to Modify Behavior.
Ok, so I'm generally not a big fan of public displays of affection (PDA). Could crowdfunding posts be considered PDA? Or is it more like public displays of gratitude (PDG)? Or maybe public displays of nurturing (PDN)? What percentage of the posts on your Facebook feed would you be truly willing to nurture with your money? Would you be willing to monetarily nurture a post about your bff's engagement? Her wedding? Her first baby? Her promotion? Her divorce?
My guess is that once people were more honest with each other then there would be some serious social reshuffling. Superficial friendships would be replaced with substantial friendships. What's your guess?
What if you had the option to spend your money on Sarah's post? Let's say that you spent $3 dollars on Sarah's post. Facebook would take a reasonable cut (5%?) and give the rest to Sarah. How much money would Samantha be willing to spend on Sarah's post? How much money would the crowd be willing to spend on Sarah's post? How much money would Sarah make for donating her kidney to Samantha? Right now it's illegal to sell your kidney. But shouldn't donating your kidney be profitable?
If posts were crowdfunded then you would be able to see and know exactly how much money had been spent on a post. In other words, you would know the value of each and every post on your feed. This would give you the ability to filter out posts that were less valuable than $1 dollar... or $10 dollars... or $100 dollars.
To be sure, trying to figure out how much money to spend on a post would definitely be far more mentally taxing than deciding whether you like a post. But this is exactly why the amount of money spent on a post would be a far more trustworthy indication of its importance. People actually had to use their brains! They had to seriously consider the trade-offs.
Clicking the "Like" button on a post is superficial feedback. There's absolutely no cost/sacrifice. Spending money on a post is substantial feedback. There certainly is a cost/sacrifice.
When the feedback is superficial... then faking it is costless. When the feedback is substantial... then faking it is costly.
The question is... do you want to know what people really think about your posts? I'm guessing that, for most of you, the answer is "NO!!!!" Most people really like to delude themselves into believing that their posts are far more valuable than they truly are. The problem with this delusional mentality is that it results in society suffering from a severe shortage of genuinely beneficial behavior.
If you believe that your photos are exceptionally good... you can share them on Facebook and lots of people might be happy to "Like" them. After all, it doesn't cost them anything to do so. If they don't truly enjoy your photos, then clicking the "Like" button is just a little white lie that can help strengthen the bonds of friendship.
But if you take your photos to the flea market...
Let me add a bit of balance to my post by sharing this video... Michael Sandel: The Moral Limits of Markets. Let me add a bit more balance by sharing this paper by Uri Gneezy... When and Why Incentives (Don't) Work to Modify Behavior.
Ok, so I'm generally not a big fan of public displays of affection (PDA). Could crowdfunding posts be considered PDA? Or is it more like public displays of gratitude (PDG)? Or maybe public displays of nurturing (PDN)? What percentage of the posts on your Facebook feed would you be truly willing to nurture with your money? Would you be willing to monetarily nurture a post about your bff's engagement? Her wedding? Her first baby? Her promotion? Her divorce?
My guess is that once people were more honest with each other then there would be some serious social reshuffling. Superficial friendships would be replaced with substantial friendships. What's your guess?
