Signaling Irrationality
From Zanecorpwiki
Our conscious understanding of the rational and irrational is quite poor, though I do think we get it at some level. We understand that the "professor in the ivory tower" is wrong as often as not and the business man who carefully plans and meticulously models everything is more than likely to succeed or fail based on some off the hip decision. In other words, "rational" is overblown.
To me this is clearest when politicians make clearly irrational and paradoxical statements. My favorite was from the recently concluded "Health Care Debate" in which the Republicans used the consistent talking point "Government takeover of health care will destroy Medicare." The fact that Medicare is an example of government takeover of health care clearly makes this an irrational statement.
Part of the motivation behind this statement was to signal create fear among the recipients of Medicare and for those happy with the status quo.[notes 1] The statement contains another signal, however, which is part of a broader socio-cultural meme. The statement was saying, "I'm irrational, just like you."
I don't mean "irrational" in a pejorative sense and "non-rational" or "a-rational" might be better terms here because there is something valid here. Government takeover of health care--meaning the changes proposed in the bill--will hurt Medicare as far as those being addressed are concerned. It's an irrational statement based on fear and ignorance that ignores the coming crisis which will destroy Medicare if it's not addressed, but there's still a valid point.
Rejecting the rational, the experts, the professional is not entirely without merit. To my mind, the problem is more the polarization than anything else for in reality we use both intuition (a non-rational process, the gut) and rational decision making and being explicit and open about that would lead to better decisions. It shouldn't be a question of either or.
But in times of great polarization, as we currently live in, then we seem to adopt a "if your not with us" mentality that forces everyone to pick size and invert the Bell curve.
Notes
- ↑ Primarily the elderly, well covered by the current unsustainable Medicare system who will also not be around to bear the cost--a classic cynical political move of kick the can.
