Doing the wrong thing just because....

[mykcob4]

In the wake of recent events people have acted irrationally well, just because....!
After the mass murderers of little school children, many of my neighbors went out and bought as many guns and ammo as they could possibly load in their gas guzzling SUVs. Their reason...."just because..."
I know that such actions and attitudes are solely the reaction to propaganda from the extreme right wing and their propaganda media machine, but one would think that any normal responsible person would have just the opposite reaction. It made me think that people DON'T think, they react. Their reactions are controlled by propaganda and ideologues that push an agenda that is counter to the best interest of the people that they control.
Take any issue:
Unions and workers rights. The right has ADVERTISED that ALL unions are corrupt, when infact quite opposite is true. The right has a mass of people actively fighting against collective bargaining thinking that making workers powerless to negotiate will actually benefit the worker.
This is a real problem and is the core with what is wrong with this nation. If we could medically address the psychological phenomenon we could actually cure some deep seat social ills.
What causes people to act completely against their best interest? What allows seemingly well educated people to succumb to propaganda and efforts by the morally socially corrupt? Is there anything that can cure this problem? What is the cause and root of this problem?

[billhilly]

Medically address the psychological phenomenon?  So you want to medically "treat" people who disagree with you eh?  I'm not surprised after reading some of your other posts.  I actually agree with you on some issues and not on others. Do I get a half dose?  Seriously, you're not helping you side of any argument with calls for doping people.  I'm still not sure you're not a POE.  If you're not, you're a good reason for your neighbors to own weapons.

[stromboli]

To quote George Carlin:
"Think of how stupid the average person is and then realize that half of them are stupider than that."

[Plu]

What causes people to act completely against their best interest?

A complete and utter failure to grasp what their best interests are. See the quote above for most of the reason.

[Sal1981]

What causes people to act completely against their best interest?

Because of ignorance. They take uninformed decisions that negatively impact their lives without even realizing it.

[Johan]

I'm pretty sure most of the people buying up guns and ammo have thought quite a bit about what they're doing and feel it is in their best interest to do so. Just because you don't understand it or agree with it does not mean they have some sort of medical problem.

[SGOS]

What causes people to act completely against their best interest?

Because of ignorance. They take uninformed decisions that negatively impact their lives without even realizing it.

Humans appear to be genetically predisposed to flock like sheep.  I'm fully aware that humans are not as dumb as sheep, but I'm talking about flocking, as opposed to thinking.  It's a trait that could have been selected in our evolution, or perhaps it's an artifact of evolution.

The flocking trait keeps groups of humans tracking together.  That's all it does.  It is not an instinct to act in our own best interests.  It is not the same as an instinct to flee from danger.  It's simply an instinct to do what everyone around us is doing.  Therefore, the behavior of groups can vary from one to another.  It also allows the groups to act unpredictably, because there is no reason behind any of the behaviors.  We simply flock because we are genetically predisposed.

OK, I'm not sure if I'm right about this, but I had fun coming up with that theory.  I haven't done any testing of the theory yet, but it does offer a reason for human behavior, so until it's proven wrong, I'm keeping it on the table for consideration. :-D

[AllPurposeAtheist]

SGOG, test the theory.. Herd 1000 xtians and let lions chase them to see their response.. I bet the problem will soon become medical if not severe trauma. ;-)

[mykcob4]

Medically address the psychological phenomenon?  So you want to medically "treat" people who disagree with you eh?  I'm not surprised after reading some of your other posts.  I actually agree with you on some issues and not on others. Do I get a half dose?  Seriously, you're not helping you side of any argument with calls for doping people.  I'm still not sure you're not a POE.  If you're not, you're a good reason for your neighbors to own weapons.

I didn't call for doping anyone, that is obviously YOUR idea.
I am not interested in forcing people to agree with me, that again is YOUR assumption.
There is a deeper problem here that YOU are missing.
The problem is and the question is, why are people suseptible to propaganda to the point that they will act against their own interest? Is it truely a medical condition? Can it be identified and or treated?
This has nothing to do with ME or my point of view on issues. It has everything to do with mass hysteria and illogical irrational behavior by those hymotized by outlandish propaganda.

[Plu]

What's the difference between propaganda and regular information? If you look really closely, you'll realise that a lot of the stuff you take for true is also propaganda... you just say it's not the same because you believe it to be true.

[mykcob4]

I'm pretty sure most of the people buying up guns and ammo have thought quite a bit about what they're doing and feel it is in their best interest to do so. Just because you don't understand it or agree with it does not mean they have some sort of medical problem.

I doubt that you are correct. None of my neighbors that went out and bought guns gave it much thought at all, but that is just ONE issue. The question here is why do people REACT to propaganda to the point that act irrationally and act against their own best interest!

[mykcob4]

What causes people to act completely against their best interest?

Because of ignorance. They take uninformed decisions that negatively impact their lives without even realizing it.

Humans appear to be genetically predisposed to flock like sheep.  I'm fully aware that humans are not as dumb as sheep, but I'm talking about flocking, as opposed to thinking.  It's a trait that could have been selected in our evolution, or perhaps it's an artifact of evolution.

The flocking trait keeps groups of humans tracking together.  That's all it does.  It is not an instinct to act in our own best interests.  It is not the same as an instinct to flee from danger.  It's simply an instinct to do what everyone around us is doing.  Therefore, the behavior of groups can vary from one to another.  It also allows the groups to act unpredictably, because there is no reason behind any of the behaviors.  We simply flock because we are genetically predisposed.

OK, I'm not sure if I'm right about this, but I had fun coming up with that theory.  I haven't done any testing of the theory yet, but it does offer a reason for human behavior, so until it's proven wrong, I'm keeping it on the table for consideration. :-D

Your theory seems quite plausable and may explain some of what is going on.

[mykcob4]

What's the difference between propaganda and regular information? If you look really closely, you'll realise that a lot of the stuff you take for true is also propaganda... you just say it's not the same because you believe it to be true.

You'd be wrong on that. Yes I hear propaganda that I agree with, but I don't call it fact or take ANY action on that information. I filter all information, consider the source, varify the data by independent means disregard what is propaganda and hype and use what is fact before I act on anything.

[Plu]

You'd be wrong on that. Yes I hear propaganda that I agree with, but I don't call it fact or take ANY action on that information. I filter all information, consider the source, varify the data by independent means disregard what is propaganda and hype and use what is fact before I act on anything.

I bet that's what the irrational people say as well.

[Mister Agenda]

In the wake of recent events people have acted irrationally well, just because....!
After the mass murderers of little school children, many of my neighbors went out and bought as many guns and ammo as they could possibly load in their gas guzzling SUVs. Their reason...."just because..."

And you bought that as their real reason, despite realizing that it was in the 'wake of recent events'? Clearly they either thought they needed guns because they've realized the world is a more violent place than they thought and it would be a good idea to be able to defend themselves; or they reasoned that gun control laws inspired by the incident would make it more difficult to obtain guns at a later date, so people who had been thinking about getting a gun anyway decided to get it sooner rather than later.

And picture of multiple SUVs in your neighborhood loaded down with guns and ammo or it didn't happen. I find it very difficult to believe that's not a gross exaggeration.

I know that such actions and attitudes are solely the reaction to propaganda from the extreme right wing and their propaganda media machine, but one would think that any normal responsible person would have just the opposite reaction.

Peoples actions and attitudes are never solely the product of one thing, but I'm sure the right wing propaganda machine has an influence.

It made me think that people DON'T think, they react. Their reactions are controlled by propaganda and ideologues that push an agenda that is counter to the best interest of the people that they control.

I think you're giving the propagandists too much credit. Many Americans have been raised for generations to think gun ownership is at least a right, and perhaps, virtuous. Propaganda is good for giving like-minded people a jolt to act, not so good at brainwashing people in directions they're not already inclined to. At least not in a society where the left-wing propaganda machine is free to do the same thing in the opposite direction.

Take any issue:
Unions and workers rights. The right has ADVERTISED that ALL unions are corrupt, when infact quite opposite is true.

You mean NO union is corrupt?

The right has a mass of people actively fighting against collective bargaining thinking that making workers powerless to negotiate will actually benefit the worker. This is a real problem and is the core with what is wrong with this nation.

It's actually at the core of what's right with this nation: people can peddle their viewpoints even if the rest of us think they are wrong, everyone gets to test their notions in the marketplace of ideas.

If we could medically address the psychological phenomenon we could actually cure some deep seat social ills.

That people disagree and value different things is not a medical problem.

What causes people to act completely against their best interest?

What causes seemingly well educated people to assume that they know better than someone else where their best interest lies?  What is it about some people on the left that keeps them from understanding that other people aren't solely motivated by economic benefits when they are proud to proclaim that THEY aren't solely motivated by economic benefits. There are other things to value.

What allows seemingly well educated people to succumb to propaganda and efforts by the morally socially corrupt? Is there anything that can cure this problem? What is the cause and root of this problem?

All the above said, the right DOES have a pretty scary panic-generation machine. Both sides do, especially when they're trying to raise money. Telling people on your side that the other side is going to take away your whatever brings in the donations. Although the internet is a major medium for propagating this propaganda, it's also a major medium for fact-checking. It's too bad we seem to lack the motivation to generate equally scary emails and letters warning people that interest groups are lying and exaggerating to influence them and get their money. I would love it if I got a mailing that explained why the previous ten mailings I got from political groups were full of lies.