I thought you dangled the carrot from a stick
You don’t hit the donkey with the stick silly! 😂🤣
You sit on the donkey and use the stick like a fishing pole. Dangle the carrot in front of the donkey’s face with a string, and the donkey will walk in whichever direction you guide it.
While this is definitely a thing from cartoons, the carrot/stick thing is absolutely referring to hitting the donkey. The whole point is punishment vs reward…
Well, seeing as how I grew up on a horse ranch, I can totally confirm the ‘cartoon logic’ you speak of is absolutely real, and is used to help train at least some donkeys and horses.
It’s more like teasing them to go after something they can never have.
Yeah, again, I’m not saying that’s not a thing, man. Just that’s not what carrot vs stick metaphor is about
Can you provide me a couple older references to this? Preferably before the year 2000, or at least before the AI and enshittification era?
Here’s a wiki link for you
I asked for before the enshittification era.
I’m not about to trust a controversial article that could have been manipulated by almost anyone these days.
Dude the Wikipedia article proves that both metaphors are correct
You can just go look at the sources of the article man.
Pro tip: you can also ride a pig that way.
In Minecraft
Don’t talk about your mom like that.
A donkey absolutely would…
Humans are different, and a positive reward is more effective. Although not a sustained positive reward intermittent random positive rewards are most effective with people.
Like how someone won’t enjoy work even tho they get a steady paycheck, but a slot machine is considered entertainment. Or a $10 raise per paycheck vs a $100 bonus, the bonus is less money but it feels special.
We’re wired to keep trying for the big endorphin hit of winning, not the delayed payoff of a paycheck a week or two later.
This is a little naiive imho. I get what you’re saying, but the reality that has been proven time and time again is that if you’re willing to stoop low enough and cause enough suffering, it is possible to break most animals’ spirits.
In addition to all of the other answers, I’ve heard the phrase “carrot or the stick” significantly more than “and”
I think it’s more like a threat
On the contrary, that’s why it’s perfect. There is so much evidence in so many different context that positive reinforcement yields better results than negative.
This is congruent with your donkey example.
