On Rumours

Interesting column by Amit Verma quoting from Cass Sunstein's book On Rumours:

"Sunstein cites an experiment he carried out with a couple of colleagues in Colorado in the USA in 2005. These guys gathered 60 subjects and split them into ten groups of six people each. The experiment was designed so that each group was homogeneous and fit a particular profile. Half the groups were liberal; the others were conservative.

At the start of the experiment, each participant was asked a series of hot button questions, including one on that most polarising of topics, global warming. Their anonymous answers were noted down. Then they went into a room with a group of like-minded people and discussed those issues. Fifteen minutes after the group discussion ended, they were again asked the same set of questions, anonymously and one by one.

Here's how Sunstein summarised the results in his book: "In almost every group, members ended up holding more extreme positions after they spoke with one another. [...] Aside from increasing extremism, the experiment had an independent effect: it made both liberal and conservative groups significantly more homogeneous -- and thus squelched diversity. [...] Moreover, the rift between liberals and conservatives widened as a result of discussing."

This phenomenon is called Group Polarization. Sunstein defines it thus: "When like-minded people deliberate, they typically end up adopting a more extreme position in line with their pre-deliberation inclinations."

The works of geniuses through out the history has gone down the drain because of their polarized characters and work. It simply leads us nowhere but only feeding that vicious dopamine loop.

"'Never wrestle with a pig. You get dirty and the pig enjoys it."