Why You're Still Using Social Media (Even If You Want to Stop) with Dr. Cass Sunstein
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Why is social media so hard to quit? We waste hours scrolling, feel worse when we log off, and still find ourselves going back for more.
Dr. Laurie sits down with Dr. Cass Sunstein, co-author of (00:00:57) Nudge, to explore a new concept from the 2026 World Happiness Report: the “product trap.” Together, they unpack why we keep returning to platforms that make us unhappy — and what it might take to finally break free.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology
Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness
“The Welfare Effects of Social Media”
“When Product Markets Become Collective Traps: The Case of Social Media”
“Libertarian Paternalism Is Not an Oxymoron”
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Nudge
books.apple.com2026 World Happiness Report
worldhappiness.reportTechnopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology
books.apple.comWorld Happiness Report 2026
worldhappiness.reportValuing Facebook
cambridge.orgThe Welfare Effects of Social Media
aeaweb.orgLibertarian Paternalism Is Not an Oxymoron
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