Early in my career, I was asked to redesign an e-commerce checkout to "accidentally" add items to carts. The change improved conversion rates for two months - then tanked as customer service complaints mounted and repeat purchases plummeted. That experience taught me that dark patterns are ultimately self-defeating.

Dark patterns are interface designs that manipulate users into actions they wouldn't otherwise take - hidden costs, forced continuity, disguised ads, and confirm-shaming are common examples. They weaponize cognitive biases and tricks against users for short-term business gain.

While they may temporarily boost metrics, dark patterns destroy something invaluable: trust. And in today's world of app store reviews, social media, and easy alternatives, lost trust is increasingly expensive.

The most successful products now compete on trust as much as features. Companies like Apple have built trillion-dollar businesses partly by establishing reputations for respecting users and avoiding manipulative practices.

Ethical design isn't just morally right - it's becoming a competitive advantage. It creates loyal customers, reduces customer service costs, and protects brand reputation. It also protects companies from regulatory risk as lawmakers increasingly target manipulative interfaces.

As designers, we have unique power to advocate for users within our organizations. When pressured to implement dark patterns, arm yourself with data on their long-term costs. Propose ethical alternatives that align business success with user success instead of opposing them.

The question isn't whether dark patterns "work" - many do in the narrowest sense - but whether they serve long-term business health and user relationships. The evidence increasingly shows they don't.

Good design doesn't need manipulation. It succeeds by genuinely solving user problems better than alternatives.