So I came across this group on Youtube where they rig stuff for an experiment. The theory is basically that people will do things more often if its “fun”. Two experiments that were interesting were the staircase and trash can (links below). A staircase next to a escalator was transformed into a piano. So each step is a piano key. People started walking on the stairs more (despite all the noise it might make haha). Seems good. But the trash can rig bothers me a bit. So the trash can is rigged to play a sound as if the trash is falling into a really really deep pit. People started to throw (there is a guy looking for garbage to throw in the video) more garbage in the rigged can than a nearby unrigged one. Now its great that people are throwing out more garbage but is it really a good thing that people are just doing it cause of “fun” instead of moral values? Is it okay as long as it gets the job done?
http://thefuntheory.com/
PS. ITS FREAKING COLD…
I think it’s alright as long as the job is getting done. It’s like killing two birds with one stone: having fun and doing the right thing haha. And in a way, it’s just another way of promoting positive actions (like those coned ads I like to read on the subway lol). But I also agree that it won’t be long until everyone goes back to ignoring the fun musical staircase and just end up using the escalators again. After a while, it’ll just be part of their daily routines again, and you either choose to do the right thing, or you don’t.
I think this experiment will work for a limited amount of time. People are easily amused and they get bored rather easily as well. I feel after they get bored with this machine, they will go back to their normal habits. I dont think people will spend time going to that machine over and over again if it is inconvenient for them. It kind of work like like a tourist attraction. People who havent had the experience to go to the Empire State building want to go and see it. For most New Yorkers, its just a tall building.
Wow imagine if they actually rigged every trash can in the world with music when garbage is thrown out. There would be sort of an epidemic with garbage piling up well at least until people start getting annoyed with the music. But it is human nature because everyone works with incentives. The reward in this case for throwing garbage into the trash can is to hear a musical note. But returning to my previous point people would probably start throwing out stuff for fun.
omg I watched the staircase video, it’s so cool. I wish we had that in our subway. I thin it’s wrong how people do things for fun instead of moral values. Related to the staircase video I think that it’s ok for people to do things for fun because it just affects their live. if they walk up the stairs they’ll be healthier than if they take the escalator. But it’s their decision to make because it doesn’t affect the environment or other people. But relating to the trash can video, I think people should make right decisions and throw their trash in proper places, because their decisions will affect the environment and other people. it does not have be fun in order to trow your trash in the trash can, because it’s some that you have to do in order to preserve the nature. I don’t think garbage is a big problem in the USA because I know that in some countries they just throw trash on the streets and almost everywhere. Every summer I go back to my country and try to tell people who I know not to throw trash on the streets but they don’t listen because they don’t think it’s morally wrong. they’ve been doing this since they were little so for them throwing trash on the streets is a normal thing to do. so I hope people will do right things not because its fun but because it’s the right thing to do. Because there are a lot of things in this world that are “fun” but not right.