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That's a great quote that mirrors my thoughts. Even though conspiracies are very real, people that see conspiracies everywhere are really searching for order in

That's a great quote that mirrors my thoughts. Even though conspiracies are very real, people that see conspiracies everywhere are really searching for order in a chaotic world.

nradov 10y ago
The human mind is a superb pattern matching machine, to the extent that we perceive patterns even in random noise.
- JorgeGT 10y ago
  Interesting example: http://community.wolfram.com/groups/-/m/t/995095 http://community.wolfram.com/groups/-/m/t/995095
cookiecaper 10y ago
While it's true that it's easy to imagine conspiratorial conduct is occurring when events are in fact coincidental, conspirators are quick to exploit that "healthy skepticism" and lead people into scoffing at the suggestion of the actual conspiracies that are underway. Consider that "conspiracy theorist" is basically a pejorative these days. There are indeed some tinfoil hat wearers, but there are also a lot of people whose paranoia has been earned through experience and is more justified than it may appear at first glance. I think the pendulum has definitely swung to the complacent side of things, and that people are more likely to assume coincidence when conspiracy is the correct explanation. I know the impulsive response here is "Hanlon's Razor!" and all that, but I feel that's better applied to keeping interpersonal relations friendly rather than explaining significant closely-timed organizational or social changes. My experience with such changes at the organizational level has been that there are some key people who are very interested in ensuring that the people in the org believe an organic, coincidental, or otherwise autonomous change occurred, but they've actually spent months coordinating efforts to ensure that the desired changes occur. Politics is an inevitability any time you get more than 5 people in the same room. We'd do well to hesitate and think before we laugh at the people who put forth "unofficial" narratives.

That's a great quote that mirrors my thoughts. Even though conspiracies are very real, people that see conspiracies everywhere are really searching for order in a chaotic world.

nradov 10y ago

The human mind is a superb pattern matching machine, to the extent that we perceive patterns even in random noise.

JorgeGT 10y ago
Interesting example: http://community.wolfram.com/groups/-/m/t/995095 http://community.wolfram.com/groups/-/m/t/995095

cookiecaper 10y ago

While it's true that it's easy to imagine conspiratorial conduct is occurring when events are in fact coincidental, conspirators are quick to exploit that "healthy skepticism" and lead people into scoffing at the suggestion of the actual conspiracies that are underway. Consider that "conspiracy theorist" is basically a pejorative these days. There are indeed some tinfoil hat wearers, but there are also a lot of people whose paranoia has been earned through experience and is more justified than it may appear at first glance. I think the pendulum has definitely swung to the complacent side of things, and that people are more likely to assume coincidence when conspiracy is the correct explanation. I know the impulsive response here is "Hanlon's Razor!" and all that, but I feel that's better applied to keeping interpersonal relations friendly rather than explaining significant closely-timed organizational or social changes. My experience with such changes at the organizational level has been that there are some key people who are very interested in ensuring that the people in the org believe an organic, coincidental, or otherwise autonomous change occurred, but they've actually spent months coordinating efforts to ensure that the desired changes occur. Politics is an inevitability any time you get more than 5 people in the same room. We'd do well to hesitate and think before we laugh at the people who put forth "unofficial" narratives.