tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11923437.post2132413134265545570..comments2007-12-11T19:33:31.260-05:00dakhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02768386460112735397noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11923437.post-46917218565079487402007-12-11T19:33:00.000-05:002007-12-11T19:33:00.000-05:00I fell asleep fifty separate times while reading that comment. But I think I get what you mean.Ken Tremendoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15290167169845520176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11923437.post-77972357131987086462007-12-09T09:10:00.000-05:002007-12-09T09:10:00.000-05:00Irving Janis, the now-deceased Yale research psychologist who was an expert on the topic of 'groupthink,' wrote that groups with high levels of cohesiveness tend to reject dissidents that question their norms. While that may seem obvious, the more interesting phenomenon is something called <I>polarization</I>, wherein the collective view of the group is far more extreme than the views of individual members. Moderates find themselves adopting either excessively conservative or excessively risky positions in order to preserve group norms, even to the detriment of the 'work at hand.' As a result, and I'm quoting here from Janis' seminal 1972 work <I>Victims of Groupthink: A psychological study of foreign-policy decisions and fiascoes</I>, groups tend to "develop stereotyped images that dehumanize out-groups against whom they are engaged in competitive struggles." Think about that the next time one of these douchebags calls Bill James a computer.<BR/><BR/>Conclusions:<BR/>a) The BBWA isn't any more stupid than all of the other stupid groups that implement ill-informed, biased, and detrimental decision-making strategies, and<BR/>b) Neyer and Law, bless their hearts, don't stand a snowball's chance next year, the year after, etc.Chester Jestertonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01017017728311773846noreply@blogger.com