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> “People are limited in their capacity to process information, so they take shortcuts whenever they can.” > We are lazy creatures who try to expend as little

> “People are limited in their capacity to process information, so they take shortcuts whenever they can.” > We are lazy creatures who try to expend as little mental energy as possible. > And people are typically less motivated to scrutinize a message if the source is considered to be an expert. We interpret the message through the peripheral route. What are the alternatives though? Dig ever deeper into every piece of information until you get stuck on what fundamental particle/laws is the universe made of? Trust your taxi driver on what is wrong with your health rather than your doctor? Trust neither and spend 20 years in school to understand why your stomach hurts today? All articles about biases, mental shortcuts, preconceived ideas and so on miss on offering a real alternative. And guess why, because there is none. It's the best we have, as imperfect as these mechanisms are.

photochemsyn 5y ago
My concern is that this can too easily result in disaster like a herd of cattle stampeding over a cliff. Everyone's rushing along together, everyone's safe in the herd, and then, oops, goodbye herd. We need more people willing to say "hey you idiots, you're all heading for a cliff". The problem is that anyone saying that will become persona non grata... maybe the really smart cattle just extract themselves from the stampede, thinking, "too bad for you fools, it's a Darwin moment, guess that means more grass for me." Unfortunately that strategy doesn't really work when humans are stampeding for nuclear war and climatic destruction, there won't be any grass left for anyone.
- bsedlm 5y ago
  this is why some of us have a natural resistance to going with the flow. I know I do but it's individually very costly but I like me this way (after many years of feeling bad for having 'poor social skills'). I like to think this strengthens the group even if it's costly to the individual
- trabant00 5y ago
  How do you know you're not the one heading for a cliff? And anyway, that is why we have multiple herds and some individual rebels. Our entire history was this way, when one herd goes of a cliff another herd profits.

photochemsyn 5y ago

My concern is that this can too easily result in disaster like a herd of cattle stampeding over a cliff. Everyone's rushing along together, everyone's safe in the herd, and then, oops, goodbye herd. We need more people willing to say "hey you idiots, you're all heading for a cliff". The problem is that anyone saying that will become persona non grata... maybe the really smart cattle just extract themselves from the stampede, thinking, "too bad for you fools, it's a Darwin moment, guess that means more grass for me." Unfortunately that strategy doesn't really work when humans are stampeding for nuclear war and climatic destruction, there won't be any grass left for anyone.

bsedlm 5y ago
this is why some of us have a natural resistance to going with the flow. I know I do but it's individually very costly but I like me this way (after many years of feeling bad for having 'poor social skills'). I like to think this strengthens the group even if it's costly to the individual
trabant00 5y ago
How do you know you're not the one heading for a cliff? And anyway, that is why we have multiple herds and some individual rebels. Our entire history was this way, when one herd goes of a cliff another herd profits.