Comments on: Loudest Voice = Majority Opinion

By: Aron Ingi

Aron Ingi — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 03:36:11 +0000

that's how or ex prime minister always got of so easily by lying he simply always just repeated his opinions. In fact very obviously by directly repeating the important sentences at least ones. Even tough i always disliked him and therefor most of the time didn't believe him now i know he surely was lying most of the time. well his name is Davíð Oddson

By: RN4081

RN4081 — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 22:47:37 +0000

I read this article and decided to just repeat everything three times. Then everything I say will be absolute genius. Ha...tried this with my kids and it doesn't work!

By: Twinkle

Twinkle — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:40:00 +0000

It's great to know that my exuberant, animated voice is actually working. I have been complimented in my career as being very persuasive and thought it had to do with having a great debating spirit and actually, I thought the content of my agreement was the winner! I know now know that repeating myself over and over in different words until I felt I had said my piece is what was working in my favor. And, get this...I am not perceived as obnoxious (well, not that often). I speak loudly, confidently, but always make eye contact with everyone in a group, touch people's sleeve whiles speaking and smile a lot, even when saying something that is perceived as negative. Its good to know that this repetitive wrangling definitely works. This was a great article! This was a great article! This was a great article!

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:37:00 +0000

@Anonymous: That was hilarious. That was hilar...nevermind. You get the gist.

This is a scary part of human nature. Living through the last 8 years I saw a this priniciple in action and despite having a graduate psychology degree, I was floored by how effective it was.

This is very important to make people aware of...an important post because of that. Thanks.

By: bi -- International Journal of Inactivism

bi -- International Journal of Inactivism — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 19:00:00 +0000

I was originally not intending to reply to Matt Munro's garbage, but after seeing the blog post I thought that maybe I should. So here goes:

"Why is everyone picking on the `right wing' press ? My impression is that I am being deluged by half baked, selectively presented or just downright misleading information from the media on `global warming', the supposed benefits of a healthy diet [...]"

Well, your "impression" sucks rocks then. Via Nisbet, a recent study has found that 90% of literature disputing global warming (`it doesn't exist', or it exists but we should Do Nothing) comes from conservative think-tanks, and conversely 90% of conservative think-tanks who tackle the global warming issue are disputing it.

And what do you have against a healthy diet?

"Most of which is sponsored by some minority group claiming to represent popular opinion when they do no such thing."

Which, in the case of global warming, will explain why climate inactivists keep comparing themselves to Galileo. Um wait a minute...

Anyway, I keep hearing about this supposed "Vast Worldwide Leftist Global Warmist Conspiracy" so many times, that I decided to investigate into this supposed "conspiracy". And guess what, I found that there's not just one conspiracy theory, but an entire family tree of conspiracy theories, all quite incompatible -- and incomprehensible.

If anyone still has doubts that global warming "skepticism" is full of dumb, just check out the diagram of conspiracy theories and see for yourself.

(And don't even try to claim `we skeptics never promote conspiracy theories'. With the prominent inactivists blaring out so many conspiracy theories with their virtual megaphones, it's a lost cause to even try to deny it.)

-- bi, International Journal of Inactivism

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 21:43:00 +0000

Give me your money.

Give me your money.

Give me your money.

By: Katie

Katie — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 00:54:00 +0000

Very interesting.

Let's not forget that this is about NOT voicing an opinion that is in opposition to what is stated, and that OTHERS then assume that everyone in the group (who collectively did not voice an opposition) is/are therefore in agreement with what was stated.

It's not about influencing someone who has a strong counter-opinion (such as the author), but about the perception of the person who does NOT have a strong opposing opinion.

My guess is that it could be useful for influencing those who are on the fence about something (that is emotionally charged????) or for reinforcing any like-minded bias, even one that may not yet be strong.

I like it, though, and can see that if used ethically and thoughtfully, could be much more effective in influencing others than the attempts at "preaching" that some people seem prone towards.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 15:24:00 +0000

In Russian it is called "overwhelming minority" - a good expression, isn't it?
And...a Russian kids' rhyme in my clumsy translation:
"Doggy barks very loud,
Doggy knows very well -
Whoever is barking the loudest,
Will always be right".
It is even strange, how often psychological research just confirms facts known to ordinary people for millenia.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 20:39:00 +0000

I don't think it is as simple as it is made out to be in this article. The weight a given opinion carries depends on who promulgates it, their relative status in a group and the issue discussed. I have been privy to many discussions where I have been the loudest, most repetitive voice; but not being one of the dominant members, my opinion did not carry the day. Also the level of conviction conveyed is also an important element. Someone who expresses a flawed or disturbing opinion but impassioned nonetheless, will be given more consideration than a dispassionate and cooly coherent disquisition.

By: Marianne's Keyboard

Marianne's Keyboard — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 17:24:00 +0000

One of the best broadcast voices I've ever heard belongs to Jeremy Jacobs in the UK.