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: otium cum dignitate

Herd Mentality at its Worst

By otium cum dignitate

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Herd mentality, the theory that human beings can be influenced to adopt just about any behavior or view of the world based on the actions and beliefs of those around them, was dramatically exemplified during the Republican Convention when the attendees began an unbelievably ignorant and narrow-minded chant of "Drill, Baby, Drill" during Rudy Giuliani's speech. While personally shocked in utter disbelief at the moment I heard this deplorable chant, I have been waiting for Thomas Friedman, currently in an environmental sermonizing phase, to respond in-kind. Finally, today, Friedman addressed the chant:

"Of course, we?re going to need oil for many years, but instead of exalting that ? with ?drill, baby, drill? ? why not throw all our energy into innovating a whole new industry of clean power with the mantra ?invent, baby, invent?? That is what a party committed to ?change? would really be doing. As they say in Texas: ?If all you ever do is all you?ve ever done, then all you?ll ever get is all you ever got.?"

In reality, it looks like the forty-year old offshore drilling ban will come to an end sometime soon -- with limitations. But to rejoice in this development is to ignore the fact that offshore drilling will do little to mitigate soaring gas prices at the pump today, and if anything will only prolong an oil addiction that becomes more painful for Americans with every passing day

Full post as published by otium cum dignitate on September 14, 2008 (boomark / email).