Look up the work of a US sociologist, Harold Garfinkle. He was involved, back in the day, in assessing candidates for some of the first sex change operations, and the reasoning these people had for wanting them. He is not complimentary about most of these candidates.
As you can see, he was interested in how people reason and make sense of the world, proposing what he called, "The Documentary Method". He did an experiment in a US college that would be unethical now. Students going to counselling were told that they were trying out a new method.
They would not see the councillor, and would only be able to ask questions that could be answered with yes or no. The yes/ no answers were given in an order that was set long before the interview, but the students did not know this. Despite getting these random answers, the vast majority of students said they found their session helpful, and that it had helped them to make decisions about their problems.
Now extend that to social media. The sheer weight of crap out there can plant seeds of ideas that the algorithms then reinforce until all that nonsense becomes fact in the minds of the media users. Looking for alternatives would demand time and effort, and would often be filled with obscure jargon from the field concerned, (have you ever tried to read a university Geology book!). In addition, social media has already planted huge suspicion of academia.
You are right, we are rapidly heading for an ideocracy.
Thanks Ian. Weirdly, one of my college science requirement classes was, in fact, a geology class. It took me a bit, because my chemistry is weak at best, but I loved the class and got a lot out of it. But, I suspect, I'm only partially human because I love books and don't mind having what's left of my brain stretched a bit.
A few years ago, a friend recommended a popular neurology book, "Behave," that took me at least 10 times as long to read as my normal selections. What I learned from that book visit we humans are not anywhere near as smart, aware, or rational as we think we are.
My "hb days" we're full of amazing experiences, mostly wonderful people, absolutely overwhelming complexity, and opportunities I would have never had if I hadn't of managed the struggle to live there for 10 years.
Morning Thomas.
Look up the work of a US sociologist, Harold Garfinkle. He was involved, back in the day, in assessing candidates for some of the first sex change operations, and the reasoning these people had for wanting them. He is not complimentary about most of these candidates.
As you can see, he was interested in how people reason and make sense of the world, proposing what he called, "The Documentary Method". He did an experiment in a US college that would be unethical now. Students going to counselling were told that they were trying out a new method.
They would not see the councillor, and would only be able to ask questions that could be answered with yes or no. The yes/ no answers were given in an order that was set long before the interview, but the students did not know this. Despite getting these random answers, the vast majority of students said they found their session helpful, and that it had helped them to make decisions about their problems.
Now extend that to social media. The sheer weight of crap out there can plant seeds of ideas that the algorithms then reinforce until all that nonsense becomes fact in the minds of the media users. Looking for alternatives would demand time and effort, and would often be filled with obscure jargon from the field concerned, (have you ever tried to read a university Geology book!). In addition, social media has already planted huge suspicion of academia.
You are right, we are rapidly heading for an ideocracy.
And on that cheery note, HAPPY EASTER.
Thanks Ian. Weirdly, one of my college science requirement classes was, in fact, a geology class. It took me a bit, because my chemistry is weak at best, but I loved the class and got a lot out of it. But, I suspect, I'm only partially human because I love books and don't mind having what's left of my brain stretched a bit.
A few years ago, a friend recommended a popular neurology book, "Behave," that took me at least 10 times as long to read as my normal selections. What I learned from that book visit we humans are not anywhere near as smart, aware, or rational as we think we are.
Hello Tom. I enjoy reading your posts on Substack. Thanks a lot. I know you from hb days, by the way. A longish time ago.
Tray
My "hb days" we're full of amazing experiences, mostly wonderful people, absolutely overwhelming complexity, and opportunities I would have never had if I hadn't of managed the struggle to live there for 10 years.