Availability Cascades...it explains so much...

Cass Sunstein giving a lecture in Waterville here in South Kerry tomorrow. For those who don't know him...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cass_Sunstein

Anyway, on reading up about him, apparently he was instrumental in developing the idea of availability cascades, to explain why seemingly novel ideas gain traction...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Availability_cascade

Not sure if this is overwhelmingly boring or is it just me who thinks...oh yeah...it's so obvious yet so interesting to hear it explained and articulated.

Anyone else come across it? Any thoughts about it? It seems to explain so much, have often wondered why nonsense like the anti-vaccination movement suddenly appears on the radar and why otherwise intelligent people start accepting the bs.

uch

I Have a BS Radar built in, I need 4 Rum and cokes to activate it and I reckon this has

uch

uch wrote: »

I Have a BS Radar built in, I need 4 Rum and cokes to activate it and I reckon this has

I have natural cynicism, I think one should question everything. But I still am surprised by how many fall for the latest scare, how many succumb to the latest fad. I put up a thread recently about female friends and their fondness for psychics and alternative medicine. Was interested in reading about a theory that ties so much together and articulates my "but it's all nonsense" stance on so much, from gluten free to mindfulness. It's possibly a spin off of the old adage, a little knowledge...

LETHAL LADY

I'll admit I read a scary story on facebook on the HPV vaccine and even though I don't have a daughter in that age group I did succumb to worry.
Not sure if I'm understanding this cascade stuff correctly, but is this what you mean?

uch

Deleted User wrote: »

I have natural cynicism, I think one should question everything. But I still am surprised by how many fall for the latest scare, how many succumb to the latest fad. I put up a thread recently about female friends and their fondness for psychics and alternative medicine. Was interested in reading about a theory that ties so much together and articulates my "but it's all nonsense" stance on so much, from gluten free to mindfulness. It's possibly a spin off of the old adage, a little knowledge...

Now be honest, how many have you had?

and I agree with you about wimmin and psychics

lazybones32

It explains little, actually. It sounds like a new phrase to an age-old phenomena but offers no current examples of A.C's... you cite anti-vaccination but do you trust everything the Govt. or medical corporations claim without critiquing it? (maybe setting water on fire is a ruse of the anti-frackers?)

I'm reminded of a Simpsons bit, where a guy claims his trapezoid scheme is nothing like the pyramid schemes everyone's been hearing about. New name, same product.

Widdershins

Mindfulness is bs? Really? The basic principle seems very sound to me.

Grayson

Deleted User wrote: »

I have natural cynicism, I think one should question everything. But I still am surprised by how many fall for the latest scare, how many succumb to the latest fad. I put up a thread recently about female friends and their fondness for psychics and alternative medicine. Was interested in reading about a theory that ties so much together and articulates my "but it's all nonsense" stance on so much, from gluten free to mindfulness. It's possibly a spin off of the old adage, a little knowledge...

The mindfullness thing isn't bad. The basics are pretty good. Mindfullness meditation has been demonstrated in clinical trials to lower stress and increases concentration.
However it has become a buzz word and there's a billion and one products which are sold touting it. And it has come out of nowhere. A few years ago no-one (in the west) had heard of it.