Groupthink and the Redundancy of Knowledge
It’s 2am. A freshly poured pint of beer ordered at last call sits next to the half full glass that I am about to down. The dim pub lights cast shadows under the features of the few faces sitting around me. To my left, a grizzled veteran comic chokes out a haggard laugh. As he tilts his head back, the light fills the many pock marks scattered across his face. To my right a balding comic in his late thirties smirks down into his beer. His eyes are glazed from the joint he smoked outside a few minutes prior. Neither of these men are successful by any traditional measure, yet I lean forward on edge of my seat hanging onto their every word. They relay old war stories of a combined four decades in the comedy business. Tales about drunken hecklers, bombing sets in small towns, standing ovations in a packed room, waking up in unknown beds with questionable girls from the show the night before – all tiny insights into the human condition. The stories are laced with advice about their profession. Their knowledge is all fresh to me; the new perspective on life is altering my mindset in real time.
Few things frustrate me in life like a boring conversation. Worse yet, having a boring, redundant conversation for the third, fourth or twentieth time. In any quest for knowledge, there is a requirement to understand a set of fundamental facts that serve as the status quo from which to launch further exploration. So, for example, becoming a writer involves dedicating oneself to the technicalities behind the art. Once you have a grasp on the basics, then you can start experimenting with pushing the limits. Same thing goes for the physicist. Years of training are needed to understand the science before one can start to theorize and test unknown principles. During the process, you will hear the same ideas repeated over and over again. All the more reason why it’s important to follow your passions in life if you’re going to dedicate yourself to a specific discipline. If you care about it, you’ll be far more tolerant of the inevitable, often irritating, information overlap.
The legitimacy of Master degrees and PhDs has been under increased scrutiny in the past years. How valuable are these degrees, and more importantly, what is the return on investment of time and money to the individual as it correlates to job opportunities? Especially with the internet explosion that has led to free information for anyone willing to look for it. Outside of experience, there is almost nothing you can learn in college that you can’t also find online. Having done a couple of bachelor degrees myself, I’m of the opinion that they are nothing more than formal bridge to true higher learning, whether that learning is done on your own, through employment or with continued schooling. Undergrad provides young adults with structure while they hone their abilities to learn and drink their faces off. A bachelor’s is more about the social experience. Whether it’s an experience worthy of going into tens of thousands dollars of debt, I’m not so sure. The game changes when we consider graduate school. What should be an opportunity for the brightest of the bright to expand their horizons and flex their intellectual muscles, instead becomes a bottleneck towards a railed path. Students are encouraged to pick a focus. A focus that gets narrowed the longer their academic careers progress until they’re left with a PhD thesis so specific and intra-disciplinary that it is virtually useless in real world application.
A natural product of a constricted education, particularly in the humanities and social sciences, is the hammer and nail fallacy. Bombarded with redundant information year upon year, forced to bring relevance to a contrived focus rather than using their specialties to understand how it fits into the world’s greater issues of science, economics, politics, psychology, etc., students instead try to fit the world into their little theory. As they wield their myopic hammer, all the world’s problems start to look like nails. Soon they’re sitting in a coffee shop explaining to you how coffee cup sizes are actually a reflection of Marxist-Feminist 1900’s pop culture. Meanwhile you zone out from their demented rhetoric and wonder what the hell you’re doing in a coffee shop.
Academia used to have a monopoly on knowledge. The bureaucratic institutions that formed around learning are now under siege. The competition among faculties for funding and prestige that led to segregation is the old mentality. A new era of interconnectedness free from bullshit is directing us toward an universal understanding, led by a generation of intellectuals who dip into many disciplines to make their point.
I’m forever fascinated by the human desire to assign oneself to a particular group. We seek out clusters to serve as labels through which we can sum ourselves with a neat stereotype. In that light, the labels are convenient for giving people a general understanding of where we stand on certain issues. The problem with aligning to a group is that by doing so you inherit all the biases and beliefs contained within it. The most ridiculous manifestation of this phenomenon that comes to mind is the US political system. A vast majority of people, outside of a small percentage of independents, libertarians, etc., identify themselves as either republican or democrat. The idea that the politics behind the most powerful nation can be simplified into binary issues – right or wrong, black or white – is ludicrous. The best we can hope for is that one party is going to be correct half of the time but more likely each party is wrong three quarters of the time. What confounds me further is how steadfastly people stand by their label. There is an emotional connection to the distinction that ties right into a person’s identity. Obama passes a healthcare bill and republicans lose their shit while democrats cheer from the rooftops. The predictability is depressing as we listen to people react according to a script outlining someone else’s mandate. Rather than admit ignorance and attempt to inform ourselves on the subject, we instead turn to like-minded brethren to tell us what we need to think and why. Talking heads say it’s heresy to go against the party line, as biased garbage news agency flood our brains with spin and lies. In a world where some people still actually believe the earth is only a few thousand years old because they’ve been told to do so contrary to all scientific knowledge, it creates a bleak portrait of the lowest common denominator. Brainless vessels babbling some brand of nonsense just because they were born into a specific family or found identity within some agenda driven group.
Pigeonholing our reaction to a set of pre-defined principles discourages free thought. Think of a ideological group you identify with, for simplicity’s sake let’s say you’re a republican, how would you react if someone was to say “all republicans are ignorant dipshits?” Would you get upset? I can tell you that I wouldn’t give two shits because while I may use the label as a generality in certain contexts, there’s no way in hell I hold any personal connection to it. Fuck democrats, fuck republicans, fuck liberals, fuck conservatives, fuck christians, fuck atheists, fuck anarchists, fuck drunks – doesn’t bother me. My beliefs and ideologies are the amalgamation of everything I’ve ever heard, read and experienced. There’s no way they could ever fit into one neat little package. As I try my best to be objective, I’m certainly wrong more often than not. I don’t pretend to know more than others.
Even communities like Overcoming Bias and Less Wrong that were founded on principles of truth-seeking free from bias have changed over the years. What was initially a collection of interdisciplinary intellectuals joined together with the purpose to further rationality have now evolved into exactly what they set out to avoid. Don’t’ get me wrong, they’re still excellent resources filled with brilliant thinkers but the transition was inevitable. The cost of entry to these communities is now steep. They have evolved their own language with their own inside jokes. Certain members are valued more than others. Ideas contrary to the accepted assumptions are met with emotional dismissal rather than rational, objective consideration. The community has become more important than the individuals. Groupthink seeps in to replace individual identity with collective identity.
There is only one truth out there. The next time an issue sparks you interest, step back and analyze how you react. What preconceived notions are you bringing into the issue? How do your biases color your initial response? There’s a good chance that you’re already 80% settled on your stance with only 20% of the information. Collectives have the power and momentum to change the world. But ideas rest within the individual. We live in the narcissist’s generation. Behind the ego-maniac mindset rests insecurity. The narcissist will apply as much cognitive dissonance as necessary to convince himself and others that, despite regurgitating some group’s ideas, he’s special because it’s coming out of his mouth. Narcissism is not individualism. It’s a gross perversion of individuality that makes the person the center of everything, as opposed to acknowledging in the grand scheme we are all insignificant. Individuality is about a respect for truth. Not to be the loudest prick bellowing his half-baked opinion, but to be contemplative and assured in our ability to digest information outside of standard filters programmed into us from birth. Life should be an endless journey to discover our own unique beliefs. It should not be spent coasting on autopilot looking for groups to tell us what we know.
A cluster of drunk comedians sitting at a corner table of an otherwise empty bar is not the traditional meeting of the minds. None of them are going to win a Nobel prize. They aren’t going to contribute to scientific discovery. Regardless, for the time being, I’m learning something. My biases internalized through other experiences are being challenged. It is only a matter of time before I start to hear the same advice repeated again with minor variations. That’s when I’ll really start to think and act like a comic. Although knowing the basics will allow me to excel in the comedy community, providing me with a sense of belonging and mutual respect, I have to take great care not define myself as a comedian. I’ll look elsewhere to challenge the biases I’ve inherited. Besides, everybody knows all comedians are fucked.
Awesome
Hmmm… this writing is not what I would call “good”.
@Maurice
I had a feeling this piece might not go over well. I had trouble tying everything together. Any thing in particular that bothered you?
I am not sure what you were going for here. It sounds like Ryan and his pontificating nonsense.
Sorry, man, this one had me confused as to what your point was.
@Ain’t
No worries, ain’t. This is definitely not my usual stuff. I was not trying to pontificate at all. Rather my point was anti-pontification — people should think for themselves and stop letting others do the thinking for them. Although, there is an inherent paradox contained in my last two sentences.
I agree the point is muddled. I will attempt to rework it one of these days.
Fuck both of you. This is 10 times better than hearing about how Griffin got verbally bent over by Tucker. But I still do miss the tour stories.
@Molestor
Whew, thank god somebody like this one. I’ve spent almost every waking hour working and doing comedy the last two months. Things are slowing down a bit now (on the work side), so I’ll get back into the writing groove. Get some more of them tour stories on the site.
For the love of all that is holy please do not compare this to Holiday’s crap. At the very least, Griffin’s not trying to pawn off a Bookclub and Amazon links that are blatant fundraisers as intellectual enrichment.
Besides this is actually interesting, non-masturbatory, and insightful.
But yeah, the average IQ is 100 for a reason – the average person is pretty flipping stupid. Very readable and interesting post, you could’ve expanded more about the downfall of higher learning too, given our current economic predicament.
@Tremble
Thanks, man. I had a lot more to say about the higher learning angle. I probably could have done a whole post just on that, but I feel there are smarter people out there providing better critiques. In my opinion, grad school is more about jumping through hoops and being broken down into an institutional monkey. There are obviously exceptions, but for the most part PhD’s seem to encourage closed thought rather than inter-disciplinary open-mindedness. I know I’ve learned way, way more on my own after college than I did during my degrees, when I was just playing the game to get marks.
I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty impressed by this post. You seem to have a talent for giving advice and making valid points without insulting the reader. Kudos, written like a professional.
@Ruggz
Many thanks. It’s hard to make a point without sounding all self-righteous about it. This post was born out of frustration — mainly how much more enlightening it is to have a conversation with a person who’s willing to drop their biases than it is to talk to people that have to ramble on about shit the TV told them to say. For example, having a conversation about religion with someone who is willing to accept the premise god may or may not exist (regardless of their beliefs) is so, so much better than listening to someone approach every discussion from what they’ve been told they believe.
Tremble,
I guess you think because I did not like this piece, I am dumb. Was that the best you could come up with? Really?
I like Griffin’s writing. I comment when it is good, and when it is bad. It’s called an opinion for a reason.
Not everyone that refuses the Kool-Aid is an idiot. In fact, that is the very point of the post. You prove this with the very thesis on your blog. Nevertheless, just to use your level of cunt-logic for purposes of this debate; die in a horrible mattress fire, you fucking clown.
Griffin – I think you know where I was coming from with my comments. I hope I did not offend you. I am pretty sure you’re immune to that anyway.
@Ain’t
I think Tremble’s anger was more directed at someone else, as opposed to yourself. This type of post is more up Tremble’s alley. But you’re absolutely right, there’s no need to like everything I do. I appreciate knowing one way or the other, so I can improve in the future. And don’t worry about offending me. That’s almost impossible, especially on the internet.
I’ve pretty much written off the MSM because of the points you stated regarding the entrenched positions people assume based on their personal politics. The MSM caters to this bullshit and could care less about discussing issues and ideas from an analytical, non-biased approach. Now Fox News, there’s a real source for informa… just kidding.
On a completely unrelated note, I know you’re an Eagles fan and I’m not sure if you heard but McNabb’s gone to Washington.
@carrymehome
God, Fox News makes me wants to punch myself in the throat until I die. I cannot believe the MSM has devolved to a point where that shit is allowed on TV. But, yeah, I can’t even watch any television news now. I swear, 90% of the effort in learning anything these days is spent trying to wade through the bullshit spin and lies. The worst part is watching people get stupider as they get older. They stop bothering to learn, and just rely on these awful outlets to spoon feed them lies. Makes it hard to have a conversation.
And yeah, I saw McNabb was traded. I saw an article on withleather (I think) that said McNabb’s contract was going to be sold to the Saskatchewan Roughriders — now THAT would have been fucked. Must have been an April Fool’s joke. Anyway, the trade is not overly shocking, but it also leaves a ton of questions. McNabb could never pull it off in the clutch, but he was a solid qb. I have a feeling Vick will be playing full time by week 3. Lots of changes for the Eagles this year. No Westbrook, I loved that guy.
But, hey, I’m sure the Redskins will find a way to drive McNabb’s already faltering career into the ground. Maybe Ricky “the running” Waters will come out of retirement. That couldn’t be any worse than Roy Jones Jr. vs. Hopkins 2.
@Ain’t
My IQ reference wasn’t about you at all – it was referring to the masses referred to in Griffin’s post, who confuse a accredited piece of paper with wisdom or take any heed in what the talking heads on television are spouting.
So, uh – yeah. Angry.
This post certainly meanders a bit, but it really doesn’t deserve to be clumped in with Holiday. He tries to sell vagueness, old dead white people, and italicized foreign words as profundity.
Griffin is making an, admittedly jumpy, commentary about herd mentality and its different institutionalized manifestations, seeping even into internet forums set up to explicitly counteract the phenomenon.
My IQ comment was meant to argue that this happens in each for the same reason, most people are simply dumb – 100 is normalized every year as the precise average IQ score, the middle of the bell curve. So it takes a certain level of intelligence to escape the herd effect, and not very many people out there are that bright – in general people are dumb.
And I’m gonna laugh my ass off if the Skins turn around and trade McNabb away to Oakland or St. Louis some other struggling team for draft picks.
I disagree with the assertion that folks with PhDs are so narrow minded in focus that they see the world in only terms of whatever theoretical framework is dominant in their research.
I would have agreed with you a year before, prior to my entry into a Clinical Psychology PhD program, but I’m finishing off my first year, and I think you’re misinformed. There are several research programs currently going on at my university that are tapping multidisciplinary views and talents in order to explain the nature of things.
For instance, one research team is looking at minority health disparities and why African Americans are a disproportionately the recipients of kidney transplants. We have Psychologists, Geneticists, Medical Doctors, and others all looking at different aspects of the psychobiological feedback loop of stress.
The research I was involved with when I was in undergrad looked to investigate the effects of Internalized Racism and Type II Sugar Diabetes and involved Psychologists, Sociologists, a few PhDs in Public Health, Physicists, Geneticists, and MDs.
Even in my own Clinical training, I have a natural tendency towards a psychoanalytical school of thought, but I am being taught to incorporate other schools of thought such as Cognitive Psychology or Sociocultural Psychology into a framework that works for me, in the field. That framework is always pragmatic, and always expanding.
And I don’t think all information is free and available online. I think a rudimentary understanding is available, but the flesh of the material, and thus, a bulk of the wisdom, comes from the research you conduct and the experience that comes with it in Graduate School.
@Dyson
This is the perfect rebuttal to my article, and an excellent comment. Thanks for taking the time to write it. When I was bouncing ideas off some of my friends when writing this post, a couple of them raised the point of multidisciplinary education. It’s reassuring to know that many institutions are embracing this approach to education. In my original draft, I had a paragraph about how PhD programs are necessary and useful to advance science when it comes to studying very specific issues. I removed it because I was trying to keep the length down, but you’ve said what I wanted to say far more eloquently in your comment. I have no qualms with admitting that the graduate education you’ve described above is what higher learning should be all about. It’s a huge benefit to society and to yourself. It also sounds like you enjoy it quite a bit.
For many undergrad degrees, I do think there is a wealth of information available online — especially if you’re looking to educate yourself for real world practical knowledge outside of the academia bubble. From MIT lecture videos to google books, there is a ton to read and study. Nevertheless, one on one experience with a good prof or time spent in a lab go a long way, and are difficult to replicate. Grad school is a different story. That type of specialization is only available at university and colleges.
Great comment. Best of luck with the PhD.
I think your main point is that not enough people think for themselves but rather subscribe to some other groups ideology. Nice piece, but it does kind of wander from topic to topic
@Kevin
Yup, you got it. And you’re right, this post is all over the place. At first it was going to be a three part series all tying together to the theme you mentioned, but I figured it would be asking readers a lot to read three entire posts without any penis jokes, so I hacked away and cut it down to a single entry.
Tremble,
My fault. I’m sorry if I came off as an asshole.
Dr. Ain’t
Ain’t,
No worries man, s’all good!
great article. mostly true from my understanding
@Brandon
Thanks dude. Appreciate the compliment.
I have little to contribute since we’ve already kind of talked about this, so I’ll just say I <3 you, even when you ramble.
Slightly on topic, though. This is exactly why I'm ready to be done with undergrad. Individual degrees are so narrowly defined. I'm looking forward to grad school… I think.
@BilledHourly
Thanks dudette. If you think my rambling is impressive, you’ll like me even better when I rumble (ie, drunkspaz and destroy a hotel room).
If you folks are looking for something to do, check out http://www.billedhourly.com as she chronicles the ups and downs of being an escort. Some good stuff over there.
Griffin,
I’ve never heard of you or anything about you before today when I read this article. Simply put, it was fantastic. It made me think about who I am and what it is I think. Thank you.
@Blah
It’s awesome when new readers come across the site. Even better when they like what they see. Hope you keep coming back. It’s reassuring to know that the article got you thinking — really, that is all I can ask.
No worries. I’m just happy to contribute, and it’s rare these days I have the time or energy to put pen to paper and write something that actually adds to the conversation.