Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Why William Kristol and Jim Cramer have jobs

A new study conducted at Carnegie Mellon University suggests that humans are psychologically hard-wired to favor advice from someone who is cocksure, rather than from someone who has a record of being right.

4 comments:

Peter of Lone Tree said...

Joe, that is the funniest spelling of coc...oh, wait a minute while I check Merriam-Webster.

Joseph Cannon said...

Okay, I changed the spelling. Is "cocksure" one of those everyday terms that is actually offensive?

Peter of Lone Tree said...

Gosh, Joe! Maybe you were correct to begin with. I read your post before I cleaned my glasses and changed the text zoom level on my computer. Prior to that I assumed you were referring to those who are willing to indulge in what some people refer to as "unnatural acts." "Doppelgangers" is what I call them. Or is it "gobbledongers?" Back to Merriam-Webster.

b said...

Thank you, academics, for this research stating the obvious. One doesn't get politicians, experts, or celebrities, actors, or salesmen of any other description coming across as unsure, worried, etc. like the rest of us. Not sure I'd agree with your interpretation that the article says we're "psychologically hard-wired" to be like this. It's not genetic; it's a feature of these dark and alienated times in which we live. More generally it's also known as that social disease called "leadership".