Cascades

OK, just for fun I want to share my thoughts while reading. At some point I had a visual of Plato and Gorgias playing ping pong with Aristotle as the referee, and Burke as the endorser of the tournament. A bit far fetched, but Sunstein refers to language and symbols(121) referencing Burke in relation to our acceptance of ideas, and Aristotle (119,121) being correct about group deliberation that if most say it is right, then it must be. Plato (216) as Sustein argues “if you start a cascade with correct information it is beneficial, however; the full truth is inaccessible to the few, and hence deference to autocrats and confident planners is a big mistake.” Also, it appears to me there is a Sophistic overtone throughout the book. Just my perspective I suppose, but I did get a chuckle at it all.

It is a tough pill for us to swallow that yes, we actually at one time or another have participated in both informational and reputable cascades. Sustein argues that hidden profiles are closely related to informational cascades and involve a deliberative process (88). The deliberative decision will not reflect the overall or aggregate knowledge, of those in the group but that individuals in the group are following the lead of those who came before (90). The influential individual in the group may not be correct in his or her assumptions, but are adverse to change because of their terministic screen. In reputable cascades people think they know what is right or what is likely to be right, but they nonetheless go along with the crowd in order to maintain the good opinion of others. By doing so those individuals are conceding to the language of the majority, and not voicing their opinion in order to conform in order to be accepted.

With regard to digital publishing, take for example, the Internet, wiki's and blogs. These are more collective, and one’s professional or social hierarchy does not play such an important role as in a professional meeting. That pressure to be accepted in the reputable cascades is not as front-and-center in on-line digital environments as it is, say, in a meeting.

An argument could be made that a digital publications, such as the Daily Me can perpetuate informational cascades by allowing the individual user to censor information he or she does not wish to receive. If an individual is deflecting information that is not of interest, will it not be more difficult to make informative decisions when one finds themselves in an informative cascade?