Irrationally Predictably Irrational – Part 4
The power of self-selection The reason people enjoy moneyless events like Burning Man is likely because those who attend are those most likely to find meaning in its message. Obviously, people are attracted to things they like and pursue positive re-enforcement of ideas they already hold. It’s called the confirmation bias, and its the same reason actors uproot their lives for a chance at glory in Los Angeles, or high-tech entrepreneurs network in San Jose, or retirees gather in Florida. People with means are willing to re-locate (temporarily or permanently) to areas more suitable to the lifestyles they wish to live and values they hold dear. It’s usually counter-productive trying to convert an actor into an engineer, or convince a committed socialist to accept libertarian principles, or force a square peg through a round hole, let people discover and explore, let them be. Irrationally Predictably Irrational – Part 3
Continuing the discussion, how long do these social norms last? Even Dan, I’m sure, is aware there are limits to this phenomenon. People may help move a couch for free, but they won’t move 100 couches for free, no matter how loyal. He describes a pleasant experience at Burning Man, where money is prohibited and people exchange goods and services in a barter-like economy — all he demonstrated is that without money people still expect some form of compensation. While acknowledging he probably couldn’t live at Burning Man forever, he did leave with a new respect for moneyless societies; however, that in itself is an irrational conclusion. The admission that he couldn’t survive in that environment permanently is a damning indictment of its failure as an ideology in theory and practice. Irrationally Predictably Irrational – Part 2
Continuing the previous discussion, in another chapter Dan Ariely describes the distinction between “social norms” and “market norms”. When people are asked to perform a task without monetary compensation a certain part of the brain is stimulated in forming the response; however, if even a single penny is introduced the brain switches modes to stimulate an entirely different part of the brain. Not surprisingly, the end result is quite counter-intuitive. Irrationally Predictably Irrational – Part 1
I’m reading an interesting book called “Predictably Irrational” by Dan Ariely that fascinates me on several levels. He describes many noble attempts to understand human irrationality, but unfortunately, continuously injects his own flawed commentary. I often take issue with his conclusions. When in doubt, regulate?
Today, a friend sent me an article that attempts to ridicule those opposed to excessive regulation. The blogger discusses the need to regulate food production in order to prevent companies from lying about the contents of their processed food and putting moldy tomatoes in ketchup. However, in the end he presents an interesting example of big business abusing government regulation as a weapon to establish an unnatural monopoly. Ideas for America
America has one advantage, the perception of freedom and opportunity. Any economic recovery plan that doesn’t play to this core strength in my opinion will be in vain. Here are a few ideas off the top of my head: We’ve declared war on work
A speech by Mike Rowe of the TV show “Dirty jobs”. If you can get passed the first few minutes of disturbing imagery he makes an interesting point. The true history of the Arab-Israeli conflict
The origins of this problem are found in the aftermath of WW1. This remarkable video from Mark Bruzonsky is over 15 years old, but you wouldn’t have known it if I didn’t tell you. It’s incredible how little has changed. There are actually experts in the world, sometimes. Amer-Israeli empire strikes back
I have stood silent for too long. Ask any Israeli supporter, “who started the 1967 war?” and they will answer, Egypt. The Nasser government imposed a blockade of Israel’s southern Red Sea port which they considered an act of war; Israel responded with a massive air and ground assault, capturing Gaza and the Sinai from Egypt, the Golan heights from Syria and the West Bank from Jordan. More than 40 years ago, the occupation of Palestine began. For many decades there was practically no violent resistance: no Hamas, no rockets, no suicide bombers. So much for Gandhi, the global community did nothing to restrain Israel as it tightened the noose and continued to expand settlements. Before this latest conflict, Israel imposed a near total blockade of the entire Gaza strip, yet none of those same people who declared Nasser’s actions an act of war in 1967 are honest enough to also call Israel’s actions more recently an act of war. They still maintain Hamas began this conflict, as if the occupation began last week, bull shit. Discovering Psychology: The power of the situation
Central authorities are dangerous, anarchy doesn’t work. |
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