[ExI] Human extinction

[Emlyn]

2008/8/19 Damien Broderick <thespike at satx.rr.com>:
> At 12:35 AM 8/18/2008 -0700, Anna Taylor wrote:
>
>> >I read somewhere that cults go through this kind of process, and you get
>> > >this refining process happen, where, when the objective world intrudes,
>> > >those on the fence can lose faith and leave, but the truly devoted become
>> > >even more devoted, more closed to the outside world, plus overall the
>> > >consensus moves away from reality by the simple fact of losing the least
>> > >committed people.
>>
>> Are you talking about cults or societies?
>
> He's talking about what Leon Festinger named "cognitive dissonance" and the
> ways people find to minimize its discomfort:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance
>
> http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/dissonance.htm
>
> It's most easily observed in cults where spectacular prophecies go wrong,
> but also operates in large societies.
>
> Damien Broderick

Yes, exactly. So both, nice catch Anna. Generally, I do think you have
to beware of people gathered in groups.

Onwards!

-- 
Emlyn

http://emlynoregan.com