Arena: Applied Critical Thinking
Punished by Rewards
Introduction
Alfie Kohn, Punished by Rewards, discusses the normalized use of carrots and sticks, rewards, to manipulate people. Extrinsic motivation uses sticks and carrots to say: “Do this and you will get that.” Rewards rob us of our freedom and dignity as human beings. Rewards rob us of our potential for someone else’s gain. Intrinsic motivation is the internal locus of evaluation residing within each individual. Through individual freedom to make decisions, you learn to know yourself and your ideals. You learn to trust yourself, which secures your own freedom.