- Rules and regulations often fail to change behavior because they don't address underlying motivations; people must genuinely care about doing the right thing.
- The replication crisis in science persists because tightening rules (e.g., preregistration, transparency) is ineffective when researchers lack a genuine desire for truth.
- In relationships, forced compliance with rules (like asking questions by rote) is worse than no rules; true harmony requires mutual care and understanding.
- Police body cameras have little impact on misconduct because the justice system is ambivalent about holding bad cops accountable, not because evidence is lacking.
- The paradox of 'who watches the watchmen' highlights the need for intrinsic motivation; change must come from within, not external enforcement.
- People's desires change in only two ways: slowly through environmental immersion ('crock pot') or suddenly through transformative experiences ('lightning bolt').
- An example of a 'lightning bolt' is the author's teacher shaming him for using the flag as a cape, which changed his behavior but not his desire to respect the flag.
- Scientists often absorb bad practices by osmosis in poor research environments; rules cannot undo this ingrained lack of rigor.
- We need a theory of change that focuses on shaping desires, not just imposing rules, because rules are futile without people wanting to follow them.
- The essay concludes that lasting change requires convincing others to want the right things, not merely mandating them through laws or policies.