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With the polygraph used as a universal filtering device for hundreds of thousands of employees in powerful agencies, we end up with a mix of either super honest
by rdtsc 2y ago
With the polygraph used as a universal filtering device for hundreds of thousands of employees in powerful agencies, we end up with a mix of either super honest ones who reveal everything to the polygrapher (i.e. interrogator), or psychopaths who lie through their teeth without showing any physiological signs and passing with flying color.
Next time when you deal with these agencies, as a fun mental exercise, try to figure out which one of the two types you've got in front of you. When it comes to climbing to the top through the ranks, which ones will get there more effectively?
- analog31 2y agoI wonder if it's simpler than that: The examiner is just choosing whether they like you or not.
- rdtsc 2y agoOfficially they have to follow their training, so to speak, and I am sure that's all about how polygraphs are 100% reliable and it's scientific and all that. I wonder if any instructors at some point close the door and tell them "listen, students, yeah, it's all bunk, but we just have to pretend, ok?".
- analog31 2y agoThey're apparently allowed to manipulate the subject ad lib.
- xboxnolifes 2y ago> I wonder if any instructors at some point close the door and tell them "listen, students, yeah, it's all bunk, but we just have to pretend, ok?". If online stories are to trusted, this has occurred in a lot of government clearance related situations.
- odo1242 2y agoAlmost certainly.
- ttyprintk 2y agoWorth noting that the most detestable traitors in those orgs all passed. The one thing they all have in common is that they were granted higher clearance than tons and tons of fine applicants.
- rdtsc 2y agoGood point. Both Ames and Hansen were passing their polygraphs while giving away secrets and disclosing information to the enemy. That should have given the agencies some pause and made them re-evaluate the usefulness of it all. But, I am sure the paused, re-evaluate, and decided their voodoo magic just needed more effort, so probably increased the effort to polygraph even harder.
- ttyprintk 2y agoActually now I’m not sure Hansson took a polygraph. The FBI wasn’t keen on using it on their own people in the 80s and 90s. On one instance, he avoided it. Ames was CIA and speaks from prison with some authority [0], hinting at internal conclusions polygraph is ineffective. [0] https://sgp.fas.org/othergov/polygraph/ames.html https://sgp.fas.org/othergov/polygraph/ames.html