Comments on: Follow the Leader http://www.shardsofconsciousness.com/2008/02/follow-the-leader/ Just You and Me - Exploring Pathways To Freedom Fri, 05 Sep 2008 22:04:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Vote the Right Way http://www.shardsofconsciousness.com/2008/02/follow-the-leader/#comment-20710 Vote the Right Way Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:31:53 +0000 http://www.shardsofconsciousness.com/2008/02/follow-the-leader/#comment-20710 [...] who you think will win. Base your choice on who you want to win. That’s the only way that the wisdom of crowds will have a chance to operate in an election. If you’re not going to vote your real choice, [...] […] who you think will win. Base your choice on who you want to win. That’s the only way that the wisdom of crowds will have a chance to operate in an election. If you’re not going to vote your real choice, […]

]]> By: Richard Cockrum http://www.shardsofconsciousness.com/2008/02/follow-the-leader/#comment-19341 Richard Cockrum Thu, 28 Feb 2008 04:25:55 +0000 http://www.shardsofconsciousness.com/2008/02/follow-the-leader/#comment-19341 Hi Steve, I worked hard not to bring up the word 'mob' in this post because of the negative connotations it has, but most of popular, and even not so popular, culture is based on it. I think the wisdom of crowds is almost impossible to achieve on a large scale, and rarely achieved on a small scale. Much as we like to think of ourselves as independent, we're social creatures and we actively seek out the opinions and thoughts, and approval of at least some portion of our fellows when forming our own decisions. At best we keep an eye on this trait and minimize it as much as possible. Hi Steve,

I worked hard not to bring up the word ‘mob’ in this post because of the negative connotations it has, but most of popular, and even not so popular, culture is based on it.

I think the wisdom of crowds is almost impossible to achieve on a large scale, and rarely achieved on a small scale. Much as we like to think of ourselves as independent, we’re social creatures and we actively seek out the opinions and thoughts, and approval of at least some portion of our fellows when forming our own decisions. At best we keep an eye on this trait and minimize it as much as possible.

]]> By: Richard Cockrum http://www.shardsofconsciousness.com/2008/02/follow-the-leader/#comment-19326 Richard Cockrum Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:19:05 +0000 http://www.shardsofconsciousness.com/2008/02/follow-the-leader/#comment-19326 Hi lvs, You did notice I linked to the wikipedia article on the wisdom of crowds? Perhaps I should have worded it as "The wisdom of crowds is actually the wisdom of isolated individuals." It doesn't mean that prior knowledge is totally ignored. It does mean that when Jane acts or makes a decision, she does so without consideration of how Joe is acting or what decision he is making. To some extent, wikipedia itself is an example of the concept. Individuals use their personal, localized knowledge to independently make changes to articles. Sometimes they are wrong, sometimes right. Wikipedia is the aggregator to process the individual activities. Wikipedia isn't perfect in this regard. The biases of the human editors do come in to play. It would serve better as an aggregator if all edits were retained, and overall articles based on the sum total of those edits created. The article you wrote is excellent. Thank you for sharing it. Hi lvs,

You did notice I linked to the wikipedia article on the wisdom of crowds?

Perhaps I should have worded it as “The wisdom of crowds is actually the wisdom of isolated individuals.” It doesn’t mean that prior knowledge is totally ignored. It does mean that when Jane acts or makes a decision, she does so without consideration of how Joe is acting or what decision he is making.

To some extent, wikipedia itself is an example of the concept. Individuals use their personal, localized knowledge to independently make changes to articles. Sometimes they are wrong, sometimes right. Wikipedia is the aggregator to process the individual activities.

Wikipedia isn’t perfect in this regard. The biases of the human editors do come in to play. It would serve better as an aggregator if all edits were retained, and overall articles based on the sum total of those edits created.

The article you wrote is excellent. Thank you for sharing it.

]]> By: Steve Olson http://www.shardsofconsciousness.com/2008/02/follow-the-leader/#comment-19322 Steve Olson Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:46:11 +0000 http://www.shardsofconsciousness.com/2008/02/follow-the-leader/#comment-19322 Rick, I love this post. The quest to be free, is a struggle, but it doesn't have to be. As I was typing this comment, my phone rand twice, my voice mail went off, a high importance email popped up on my screen. What was I supposed to do? Drop eveything right? No! I'm doing something important to me right now. I'm communicating with someone. I love technology and I hate technology. Don't follow, do what your heart needs you to do and you'll be fine. The problem is we are conditioned to ignore ourselves and listen to everyone else. There is a big difference between the Wisdom of Crowds and a Mob Mentality. Rick,
I love this post. The quest to be free, is a struggle, but it doesn’t have to be. As I was typing this comment, my phone rand twice, my voice mail went off, a high importance email popped up on my screen. What was I supposed to do? Drop eveything right? No! I’m doing something important to me right now. I’m communicating with someone. I love technology and I hate technology. Don’t follow, do what your heart needs you to do and you’ll be fine. The problem is we are conditioned to ignore ourselves and listen to everyone else. There is a big difference between the Wisdom of Crowds and a Mob Mentality.

]]> By: lvs http://www.shardsofconsciousness.com/2008/02/follow-the-leader/#comment-19264 lvs Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:37:54 +0000 http://www.shardsofconsciousness.com/2008/02/follow-the-leader/#comment-19264 Very interesting article. However, I dont agree with your thought that: "The wisdom of crowds is actually the wisdom of individuals operating in isolation." People on the web arent acting in isolation....take wikipedia, people add to what others have said. If you are interested please read my thoughts on this: http://indradhanush-laal.blogspot.com/2008/01/weblogs-and-wisdom-of-crowds.html Very interesting article. However, I dont agree with your thought that: “The wisdom of crowds is actually the wisdom of individuals operating in isolation.”

People on the web arent acting in isolation….take wikipedia, people add to what others have said.

If you are interested please read my thoughts on this:
http://indradhanush-laal.blogspot.com/2008/01/weblogs-and-wisdom-of-crowds.html

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