Monday, January 2, 2012

Trusting When You Have To



So:  I am noting a trend over at Russell's (N=2) where there are pictures of academics writing articles that he reviews.  The trend is not been heavily researched by your humble correspondent, but I do remember a hot blonde and now a hot brunette from Ivy League colleges with come hither looks....do keep it up old man.

But, hotness aside (if such a thing can be done), the studies show that when you are threatened, or when you need them, people are more likely to trust government.

Duh....You had to do a study on this one?

Look, the idea that humans innately trust each other is one of the oddest ideas ever to surface.  We are our own predators.  There is no other species left to do the job.  While predators might trust other members of their own pack, they definitely don't trust other packs.  If the pack or an individual is threatened, the threatened individual sure as hell better trust the pack, it is the only thing left.

The reversion to this trusting behavior in a society is a anachronism to the days when oaths of fealty were the hot item.   Folks are re-acquainting themselves to the fact that they are easy prey.  The only way that they are going to get through is to bind themselves to a social group.  You can damn well be sure that when you have to do such a thing, your big, not all that useful brain will come up with an excellent rationalization for doing so.


1 comment:

russell1200 said...

You noticed the trend! LOL

Pictures of women, if they are not lurid, attract both men and women. Pictures of some of the more obscure academians that I have posted in the past usually get a a fair number of google hits.

Many people would view Ms. Napier as having an agenda. However, although the answer seems rather intuitive, look at all the survivalist books where everything falls apart at the drop of a hat the first time the lights go out, or the food trucks don't show up.

That might happen, but likely it would be more nuanced. As you say, people won't necessarily go anarchist, they will bind themselves to more effective local groups. The only effective groups in most survival fiction are the gangs. I have my doubts.