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The outcome was not entirely unexpected. The article mentions that this is what Zimbardo originally intended. But I think even more important in this story is t
by bakhy 8y ago
The outcome was not entirely unexpected. The article mentions that this is what Zimbardo originally intended. But I think even more important in this story is the great story-like quality of the result. It's a great story, and it "makes you think", as they say. One professor in this text is quoted actually saying that the story is bigger, meaning presumably more important, than the science. I remember similar reactions when some of Gladwell's shenanigans was uncovered. It just doesn't matter if it's true, if it makes a nice story. In fact, it's probably even better if it's not true.
- xamuel 8y agoReminds me of religious parables. No-one objects to Jesus's parables on the basis of their being factually untrue--they're obviously fiction and that's not a mark against them. On the other hand, the SPE is marketed as empirical science, not spiritual revelation!
- bakhy 8y agoYes. And the fact that, being taken as serious science, it actually affected penal policy, makes it particularly ugly.
- pas 8y agoIs there a definitive writeup of what the fuck is wrong with Gladwell('s writing)?
- bakhy 8y agoI stumpled upon a good text here once, but I don't remember where it was published, so I guess you should best google it, sorry.