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Ed's avatar

none of us alone is as dumb as all of us together.

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el gato malo's avatar

this is perhaps the most frightening aspect of humanity.

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Ryan Gardner's avatar

This will always be true.

Not to take away from you or Ed, but it could be argued that it is more frightening if those who are "smart" enough to recognize this, think they are so alone that they do not believe they can make a difference together.

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libertate's avatar

Just so.

The ability to find one's tribe is arguably the most important aspect of the Internet in general, and platforms like substack in particular.

Here in the People's Republic of Silicon Valley, I am surrounded by vast herds who fervently believe in pseudo-adult equivalents of the Tooth Fairy, and whom I have no doubt would quickly devolve into a barbarian mob given a seemingly ever-expanding set of circumstances that appear increasingly likely.

Even though I've never met you in person, my trust in you, gato and many others here far exceeds that in my neighbors, immediate or otherwise.

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Julinthecrown's avatar

Well said! ЁЯСПЁЯП╗ЁЯСПЁЯП╗ЁЯСПЁЯП╗

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Ryan Gardner's avatar

Exactly, mate!

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Ed's avatar

I first came to see reverse synergy in the pentagon decision meeting I attended late 1990тАЩs. One of my associates mentioned it. Bad decisions at the pentagon are usually тАЬsunk costтАЭ fallacy that the majority signs up for.

In my long career I avoided assignments at the pentagon, only brief meetings l

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Jimmy Gleeson's avatar

This was my pervading argument about Covid, a sunk cost logical fallacy that they were going to ride off into a ravine. And then they did...

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rjt's avatar

Your final picture illustrates why it is important for (especially EU) bureaucrats to make enough rules to keep us really really safe.

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Boatswain Mate's avatar

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

George Carlin

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Sonia Nordenson's avatar

For God so loved the world He didn't send a committee.

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Juju's avatar

ЁЯдг good one

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Dena's avatar

I think theyтАЩre called mobs.

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Pi Guy's avatar

"Some scientists claim that hydrogen, because it is so plentiful, is the basic building block of the universe. I dispute that. I say there is more stupidity than hydrogen, and that is the basic building block of the universe.|

- Frank Zappa

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Ed's avatar

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and IтАЩm not sure about the universe" Albert Einstein

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CeeMcG's avatar

тАЬIntelligence is a constant, and the population is growing.тАЭ No idea who said that but itтАЩs one of my favorites.

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David Rinker's avatar

Group-think equals No-think.

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Klaus Hubbertz's avatar

FUNNY !!! but

If that credo were the initial basis on which the species evolved, we would have all gone extinct a loooong time ago ...

Human societies, whatever their location or size, thrive as long as the smart, experienced, farsighted AND empathic ones among them make MOST of the decisions.

That, unfortunately for the West, is history ...

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