December, 2018 archive
How Stuff Works, Truth Overwhelmed Dept. 0
David A. Asch and Raina Merchant detail the erosion of truth as a result of the explosion of “social” media; they identify three factors. An excerpt (emphasis added):
Second is selective deafness. When Walter Cronkite was the “Most Trusted Man in America,” many received their news from that single source. Now, Americans can select news feeds from thinly parsed media channels. It’s only human to want to hear what you want to hear. But what is a good strategy for music is not a good strategy for news. The problem is less that those into homeopathy can subscribe to homeopathy-favorable channels — it’s that they can do so to the exclusion of everything else. Selective deafness creates the “echo chamber” people decry.
Third is that lies are chameleons. Truth comes in only one form, but lies can be shaped to match any taste. The suffering want hope, and those unencumbered by the truth have an easier time giving it to them.
The Courage of Their Conniptions 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Clifford N. Lazarus explore how persons continue to cling to beliefs even when they had been proven wrong. Here’s a nugget:
Follow the link for his suggestions as to how these folks keep their faith, baby.
Stray Question, Tripping Hazard Dept. 0
When did shoe manufacturers decide that shoes need shoelaces long enough to moor a boat?
And, for Pete’s sake, why?
QOTD 0
Rex Stout, in the voice of Archie Goodwin:
. . . impetuosity is a virtue only when delay is dangerous . . . .
Stout, Rex, Too Many Clients (New York, Bantam, 1971), p. 32.
Punk’d in the Pocketbook 0
You may have heard about the Payless Shoe chain’s “Palessi” prank, in which Payless invented a tony ersatz brand, “Paylessi,” and gulled folks with more money than sense into paying hundreds of dollars for $20 shoes.
At Psychology Today Blogs, Utpal Dholakia draws three lessons from this. Here they are; follow the link for a detailed discussion of the Paylessi prank and of each of these items.
- We should be skeptical of recommendations given by influencers and so-called experts.
- We should treat brands like wrapping paper on a Christmas present, not the present itself.
- When making a purchase decision, we should pay attention to the product features that really matter.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Be polite as you complete your last-minute Christmas shopping.
“It was completely accidental,” Myers said. “The gentleman was actually very embarrassed about the whole situation.”
A quibble: “Accidental” is a less than optimal synonym for “stupid.”
