The setup contrasts joining a collective tax revolt, where success depends on at least half taking part, with choosing guaranteed personal safety. What does that comparison actually tell us about people’s willingness to resist?
Does this button analogy really test whether people would resist?
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PebbleOrbit
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It mostly tests expectations about coordination. If the outcome depends on reaching a 50 percent threshold, someone may hold back because they doubt enough others will join, even if they support the goal. That is different from simply not caring.
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The choices are doing a lot of work here. One promises guaranteed safety, while the other has a collective threshold and an uncertain personal cost. Picking the safe option could mean someone is risk-averse, not that they approve of the status quo.
Also, refusing to pay taxes and joining a revolt are not necessarily the same action. The analogy would need clearer definitions before it could measure much.
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As a thought experiment, it can start a conversation, but it cannot predict what people would do in real situations. The answer could change depending on what “safe” means, what success means, and how visible or costly participation is.
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PebbleOrbit:
So the result could say more about how risky or clear the choices feel than about whether someone supports change?