Archive for the ‘Groupthink’ Tag

Talking Heads   1 comment

Talking Heads Succumb To Group Thought

Over the past decade, we have made several trips to southern California to visit family. One of the things that routinely stood out was the volume of home construction and the skyrocketing prices. Anyone with a little bit of judgment could see that this “bubble,” like the technology bubble, had to burst – it was only a matter of time. But, where were the experts? The information was there. The data was there. Why weren’t the conditions for an economic crisis observable by the “talking heads”? Why was something so obvious to “Mr. Sensible”?

Armed with less information, antidotal at best, Mr. Sensible has learned to trust his intuitive instincts, making observations (and decisions) based on accumulated experiences that his mind is processing – just at a different level. Roy Rowan writes, “This feeling, this little whisper from deep inside your brain, may contain far more information — both facts and impressions — than you’re likely to obtain from hours of analysis.” Most experts (talking heads) have gained their titles by accepting certain prevailing thoughts, which by its very nature takes on a form of group thought. Irving Janis pointed out in the early seventies how a group of experts could make mistakes because of being preoccupied with their relevance and effectiveness. Such thought neglects intuition, which involves too much risk, the very reason experts succumb to group thought. Experts who dare may lose their titles — God forbid!

It’s essential to listen to the logic of experts, but only while listening to your heart. Successful decisions come to those who dare. “Qui audet adipiscitur!”

kenne

P.S. “Opinion is like a pendulum and obeys the same law. If it goes past the centre of gravity on one side, it must go a like distance on the other; and it is only after a certain time that it finds the true point at which it can remain at rest.” — Arthur Schopenhauer

Posted November 2, 2008 by kenneturner in Commentary, Information

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