True-believer syndrome and "Unwise" Crowds

Iamnotastatistic's picture
Submitted by Iamnotastatistic on Sun, 03/03/2013 - 06:26

An interesting piece on True-believer syndrome from The Skeptic's Dictionary:
http://skepdic.com/truebeliever.html (lots of other interesting topics also)
Neatly explains why overwhelming evidence of a hoax won't shake a true-believer's faith in the unbelievable.
This is why I quit the Newcomer Rescue League. AA oldtimers can often react loudly, abusively, threateningly and sometimes violently when they are presented with overwhelming evidence of the hoax of AA. They will "go to any lengths" to avoid, condemn, delegitimize or eliminate any threat to their belief system. The AA system filters out non-believers and concentrates the true believers in the ranks of the oldtimers. It's an effective way to build an army of true-believers who are willing to do anything to preserve the fantasy of the hoax BUT horribly damaging to those who refuse to become true-believers.

Also worth a read is the Wikipedia page on the Wisdom of Crowds: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_of_crowds.
Using the definitions there AA is an excellent example of an "Unwise crowd". This unwise crowd is a self regulating filter: keeping those people that are psychologically vulnerable to the hoax and removing those with independent, intellectual and logical capability. Thus the AA system ensures continuance of the homogeneity of the unwise crowd - it will never get wiser or more diverse - it will never make better decisions. To maintain this unwise crowd requires no external control - it is completely self regulating. It's an evil dictator's wet dream.

Comments

DeConstructor's picture

DeConstructor

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 07:34

Black Triangles were used by the Nazis to identify alcoholics in the concentration camps.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_triangle_(badge)

Today the identification process is actually more sinister as it is buried in medical records that only the privileged decision makers have access. We continue to see different manifestations of the abuse of this process, not to mention the abuses that occur under the anonymity 'suggestion'

I have often wondered if the triangle/circle logo came out of those nazi triangles.

Labels are important. People have a tendency to live up to their label. Young people have a tendency to drink irresponsibly, and this label, mark, and stigma remains in those medical records for life- regardless of the non-credibility to the faulty 'disease' model.

This is the worst medical disaster in modern history.

live_free_or_die's picture

live_free_or_die

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 11:19

aa/na/12 steps = absolute belief without any proof

god is waiting for you in any dirty dingy church basement that allows aa meetings.

Alcoholics Anonymous: MyNotGodHasItCovered®
http://www.expaa.org/
http://bereanresearch.com/
http://badrecovery.blogspot.com/
NOT AA:
Rational Recovery, SOS, HAMS
http://alcoholabusesolutions.com/

live_free_or_die's picture

live_free_or_die

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 11:20

Jezus, that is so true!

Alcoholics Anonymous: MyNotGodHasItCovered®
http://www.expaa.org/
http://bereanresearch.com/
http://badrecovery.blogspot.com/
NOT AA:
Rational Recovery, SOS, HAMS
http://alcoholabusesolutions.com/

seagal007

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 15:22

it helps me to understand the AA groupies. Its true those that dont fit the AA religion eventually run leaving only the groupies. I dont know why I didnt realize that.

Understanding and Empowerment=Freedom

criticoolthinking

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 16:20

i notice some post are especially illuminating, [and that makes me feel good about me.ha! ~ jack nicholson ] anyhow this one reminds me of how cognitive dissonance applies to aa; ....a post on stinkingthinking.com

http://stinkin-thinkin.com/2011/10/16/how-you-were-duped-why-you-believe...

If I could moderate, I'd do it alot!

seagal007

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 17:25

Thankyou.

Understanding and Empowerment=Freedom

criticoolthinking

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 18:16

yeah seagal, that one is the tops, wish i could write like that.

If I could moderate, I'd do it alot!

SimonTemplar

Sun, 03/03/2013 - 21:31

Projecting anger=AA .1st meeting at McCormick Hospital AA.Attacked by GOB [good ole boy] 27 yrs dry
I ,almost always, came away from meetings angry.Pissed off with some GOB telling me what an f--ing a I am to not accept him as my god.Such insane hatred and anger inside of AA.Stayed away for 2 years once, but when my Lesbian girl drove me up the walls,I wanted a drink.so back to AA .for short time,it helped to see how totally f--ed up these ex-alkies were.So I got inspiration not to go back to drinking.But always the cult 12 steps/12 steps.And what I've learned from Prem.People want complicated solutions.
Simplicity is abhorred .Baltasar Gratian."Reality is abhorred by the masses."But reality is simple.One breath in and one breath out.They love AA so thye can't see anything that is wrong.When in love we see only the good in that person.Same with AA.they can see only the good and die seeing that.
If Prem told everyone-well do this ,and then you have to go to the Himalayas ,then do this,and this and this,he'd have millions following him because people want complicated answers, the answers must be COMPLICATED. Japanese and Korens understand simplicity is difficult to acheive.
Simple answers can't be real.My hypnotherapist,wanted to really help me.So internet and 20 of the most ridiculous Hatha yoga exercises imagineable.Simply to sugggest "You will be in love with your breath"
took 3 months to get things done the way that i wanted.But he's had so many who wanted complicated solutions.How can simple idea like.learn to be in love with your own self.Be life-changing.?
Love your self,love life = stop killing yourself with booze and etc.Diseases of self hatred/destruction.
Light conquers Darkness.

I SPY

Adam

Mon, 03/04/2013 - 17:48

I'd say it's a publishing company's dream as well as a dictator's.

Orange's picture

Orange

Tue, 03/05/2013 - 18:08

Yes, thanks for the post, Iamnotastatistic. That Skepdic's page is quite good.

I am reminded of Carl Sagan, who said:

You can't convince a believer of anything; for their belief is not based on evidence, it's based on a deep-seated need to believe.

And Eric Hoffer's classic book comes to mind too:
The True Believer, Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements     Eric Hoffer
Harper & Rowe, Publishers, New York and Evanston, 1951.
Dewey: 301.1582 H69

This little book is a blockbuster. Hoffer wrote it more than half a century ago, paying particular attention to the Nazis as a cult religion, but it reads like a description of this afternoon's latest cult.
In my humble opinion, Erich Hoffer was one of the great minds of the 20th century.
This is one of those beautiful all-time classics that we see too seldom.
Quotes:

criticoolthinking

Wed, 03/06/2013 - 19:04

thanks for the micro book review, orange. we won't find that one in oprah's recovery book club. LOL

If I could moderate, I'd do it alot!