[Grovenet] A Discovery of Note

[Meredith Bliss]

Interesting. Sounds rather like the Stockholm Syndrome. But I think you are 
too kind to the administration. I don't believe that they are acting either 
reluctantly just to get along, as in the "Abeline Paradox," or out of a 
primary concern for the national interest. They are acting out of concern for 
their own self-interest. It may be that they have convinced themselves that 
their own best interests (read the interests of big oil) are the same as the 
national interests, but it probably didn't take much effort to convince them. 
The amazing and disappointing thing is that so many other people are willing 
to go along to Abilene with them. 

On Friday 01 September 2006 15:52, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
> Thanks Bud! Interesting stuff.
>
> While we're on the general subject of being qualified decision makers and
> developing processes for formulating plans that work, I'd like to mention
> "The Abeline Paradox" which also has a nice brief write up on wikipedia:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abilene_Paradox
>
> It speaks to the tendency of people to engage in "group think" and come to
> a unanimous and enthusiastic decision, then wonder why they ever did so
> later. It's actually a very common phenomena among humans. The article
> notes:
>
> "Researchers in this field have proposed various means by which groups can
> avoid such dysfunctional behaviors. None have proven more effective than
> the inclusion of people with diverse backgrounds in the decision-making
> process. Groups so comprised tend to be more effective in avoiding "Abilene
> Paradox" situations, and tend to be able to make much better decisions
> overall."
>
> It's exactly why I don't think ANY administration in Washington D.C. can be
> trusted to make good decisions about international affairs such as Iraq,
> Iran, Afghanistan... Shoot perhaps two dozen other countries by now. We're
> too homogenous and of course the folks in D.C. all have one sacred charter:
> look out for Americans. We might not agree whether they are doing it well.
> We might think their concept of who is an American only involves a small
> set of favorite friends. But I have no doubt most politicians in D.C. are
> looking out for the old "red, white and blue" after their own fashion. And,
> as long as that is their personal interest and commitment, we're not likely
> to make good decisions that work for the world at large.
>
> If we want people to actually throw flowers instead of arming roadside
> bombs, we'd better incorporate some pretty disparate points of view in the
> decisions about what we will do next.
>
> It's exactly why I'm such a strong supporter of the U.N.
>
> Ron D'Eau Claire
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
> Behalf Of Meredith Bliss
> Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2006 8:12 PM
> To: Forest Grove local interests list
> Subject: Re: [Grovenet] A Discovery of Note
>
>
> Not invented here (or there) ... consider the origins of the words
> "bureaucrat" and "apparatchik." (cf.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bureaucracy)
>
> It's also worth noting that while Europe was wallowing in the Dark Ages,
> China
> had a long established system of education and exams -- those who hoped to
> land a government job had to pass the exams, otherwise it was life on the
> farm. You had to study hard and prove your achievement. But as Europe
> climbed
> out of its morass, it seems to have created a civil replacement for the
> church bureaucracy.
>
>
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-- 
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Just happy to be here, but speaking 
only for myself!
Meredith Bliss --- www.rdrop.com/~mbliss
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