On Fri, 2005-11-18 at 12:48 -0800, Alex Malinovich wrote: > On Fri, 2005-11-18 at 13:48 -0600, Ron Johnson wrote: > --snip-- > > Did Steve ever mention "rational"? I don't think so. > > > > Steve's point is that it's still *people* doing the deeds. When > > you walk into an office building, you aren't *forcefully* assimil- > > ted into the Borg collective. > > > > It's *individuals* *choosing* to go along with Groupthing, conform- > > ism, etc. > > While it is true that, in the end, we all have a choice, the problem > with a phenomenon such as groupthink is not in the choice, but in the > data used as a basis for that choice. > > While you and I may look at a situation and say, "That person obviously > made a bad decision by throwing that bucket of gasoline onto that fire", > the person facing the fire is looking at a bucket labeled "Water" that, > as far as she can determine, CONTAINS water. > > Groupthink and other socially influenced behaviors cause us to perceive > our environments differently, thereby turning perfectly rational choices > into apparently irrational ones. So in that sense, when you walk into an > office building you ARE forcefully assimilated into the Borg collective.
Then we'll have to agree to disagree on this assertion. > And unless you are an old bald man with a penchant for Earl Grey tea and > saying things like "engage", you are not likely to get out of it > easily. :) > -- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Ron Johnson, Jr. Jefferson, LA USA "The government are behaving like a bevy of maiden aunts who have fallen among buccaneers." David Lloyd George, British prime minister; on Britain's response to the Spanish Civil War -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]