The good theory - Reddit
reddit.com
Reddit's "good theory" asks why people fail at doing good — and the answer maps perfectly onto a classic trilemma of incompetence, manipulation, and moral hypocrisy.
Moral HypocrisyPrincipal-Agent ProblemVirtue EthicsTrilemma Framework
Theory Briefing
- The Reddit theory argues that most people fall into one of three traps: incompetence, manipulation, or empty moralizing.
- This trilemma echoes the Principal-Agent Problem — good intentions collapse when incentives, capability, or autonomy are misaligned.
- Moral hypocrisy research shows people who talk most about ethics are often least likely to act on them, supporting the theory's third category.