Re: [CTRL] snafu principle [was A Physicist Explains]

1999-09-10 Thread Sean McDougal 

 -Caveat Lector-

http://www.nmt.edu/~shipman/org/hier.html
below is a sample from the site:

In American culture today, the hierarchical theory of organizations is so
deeply ingrained that many people are completely unaware of it. This theory
represents social structures as pyramids, with the serfs on the bottom and
various layers of leaders leading up to the supreme commander on the top.
Examples are the Catholic Church and the armed forces.

Two of the assumptions in this model bother me:

That the people above are smarter than the ones below and they know better
what is going on;
That watching over other people is a more important activity than producing
actual goods and services.

In Illuminatus!, a satirical study of social pathologies, Robert Anton
Wilson and Robert Shea brought out an important principal that causes
trouble in hierarchies: the Snafu Principle. People tend to say what they
think the boss wants to hear, especially if they have noticed that the
practice of ``shooting the messenger'' is common. This means that the
information passed up the pyramid is distorted at each level. Thus, each
higher layer of managers tends to have less and less contact with reality,
and near the top they are often completely out of touch.

http://www.nmt.edu/~shipman/org/hier.html

Original Message Follows
From: "Prudence L. Kuhn" [EMAIL PROTECTED]

I'm afraid I'm fresh out of outrage at the parents.  Nobody has yet
convinced
me that people should not live in religious communities of their own
choosing.  No one has yet convinced  me that police cannot make arrests the
old fashioned way, by going up to a door and knocking and telling the
individual they are charging with a crime to come down town with them.
Personal responsibility is something that our justice department agencies
need to consider as well.  There was a time when our law enforcement people
at all levels were respected.  Now all they engender is fear.  Prudy


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Re: [CTRL] Snafu Principle

1999-09-10 Thread Robert Tatman 

 -Caveat Lector-

-Caveat Lector-

http://www.nmt.edu/~shipman/org/hier.html
below is a sample from the site:

In American culture today, the hierarchical theory of organizations is so
deeply ingrained that many people are completely unaware of it. This theory
represents social structures as pyramids, with the serfs on the bottom and
various layers of leaders leading up to the supreme commander on the top.
Examples are the Catholic Church and the armed forces.

Two of the assumptions in this model bother me:

That the people above are smarter than the ones below and they know better
what is going on;
That watching over other people is a more important activity than producing
actual goods and services.

In Illuminatus!, a satirical study of social pathologies, Robert Anton
Wilson and Robert Shea brought out an important principal that causes
trouble in hierarchies: the Snafu Principle. People tend to say what they
think the boss wants to hear, especially if they have noticed that the
practice of ``shooting the messenger'' is common. This means that the
information passed up the pyramid is distorted at each level. Thus, each
higher layer of managers tends to have less and less contact with reality,
and near the top they are often completely out of touch.

http://www.nmt.edu/~shipman/org/hier.html

The Snafu Principle is the most important "law of human behavior" I've ever
found fnord. It states succinctly, "Communication is possible only between
equals." NOTE: THIS APPLIES TO RELATIONS BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS TO
RELATIONS WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION. The Snafu Principle explains why the real
decisions are *always* made around the water cooler or the coffee-maker, not
in the CEO's office...

Hail Eris!



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==
CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic
screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing!  These are sordid matters
and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright
frauds is used politically  by different groups with major and minor effects
spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL
gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers;
be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and
nazi's need not apply.

Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector.

Archives Available at:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html

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To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email:
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Om