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My dad could still be alive, but he's not

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367 points DustinEchoes | 1 comments | 13 Nov 25 02:17 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source
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unnamed76ri ◴[13 Nov 25 02:47 UTC] No.45909895[source]▶
I’ve been reading Influence by Robert Cialdini and just finished a disturbing section about how we are wired to obey an authority figure even when it causes harm. In this instance, the 911 dispatcher was the authority figure. Sad story.
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nrhrjrjrjtntbt ◴[13 Nov 25 03:11 UTC] No.45910073[source]▶
Causes harm is the hard thing to know. In the London Grenfell fire the dispatchers said stay in the appartment. This is correct advice, except when some dodgy supply chain middleman puts effectively what amounts to gunpowder up all the external walls.
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analog8374 ◴[13 Nov 25 03:36 UTC] No.45910275[source]▶
It's like we're wired to trust what we're told over what we see.

The one doing the telling is the confident man on tv and the people around us.

What's funny is, 9 out of 10 people are totally credulous. They'll swallow any foolish thing as long as a authority says it. That last guy is a skeptic. BUT if everybody around him AND the authority are saying the thing, then he believes it. Because that's reasonable, right?

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1. nrhrjrjrjtntbt ◴[13 Nov 25 07:51 UTC] No.45911993[source]▶
I think it is worth breaking into 2 situations.

The clear enemy authority figure. I.e. cop wants you to talk. Dont talk.

But then there is the if you do A you might die if you do B you also might die you have no probabilities, just your instinct plus what you are being told to do. And you have 10 seconds to decide.