The American Cargo Cult

Please note that these principles are not characteristics of political values -- they are characteristics of people, no matter what political values they hold.  I will add that while these characteristics seem particularly applicable to Americans, I believe they apply equally to all humans, world-wide.


P.S.  Peter, I wanted to contact you for permission, but was unable to find a way.  If this is a problem, please contact me.

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Principles of the Americian Cargo Cult
  by Peter Klauser

I wrote these principles after reflecting on the content of contemporary newspapers and broadcast media and why that content disquieted me.  I saw that I was not disturbed so much by what was written or said as I was by what is not.  The tacit assumptions underlying most popular content reflect a worldview that is orthogonal to reality in many ways.  By reflecting this skewed weltanschauung, the media reinforces and propagates it.

I call this worldview the American Cargo Cult, after the real New Guinea cargo cults that arose after the second world war.  There are four main points, each of which has several elaborating assumptions.  I really do think that most Americans believe these things at a deep level, and that these misbeliefs constantly underlie bad arguments in public debate.




I. Ignorance is innocence
 
    Complicated explanations are suspect...
         ...The world is simple, and there must be a simple 
             explanation for everything.
         ...Certainty is strength, doubt is weakness.
         ...Admitting alternatives is undermining one's 
             own belief.
         ...Changing one's mind means one has wasted the 
             time spent holding the prior opinion.
 
    Your opinion matters as much as anyone else's...
         ...When a person has studied a topic, he has no more 
             real knowledge than you do, just a hidden agenda.

     The herd should be followed...
         ...The contemplative lemming gets trampled.
         ...Popular beliefs must be true.
         ...No bad idea can survive.
         ...People are generally smart.
         ...Even if a popular belief doesn't pan out, at least 
            you'll be in the same boat as everyone else.
 

II. Causality is selectable

     All interconnection is apparent...
          ...Otherwise, complicated explanations 
             would be necessary.

     The end supports the explanation of the means...
          ...A successful person's explanation of the means 
             of his success is highly credible by the very 
             fact of his success.

      You can succeed by emulating the purported behavior 
      of successful people...
          ...This is the key to the cargo cult.  To enjoy the 
              success of another, just mimic the rituals he 
              claims to follow.
          ...Your idol gets the blame if things don't work out, 
              not you.
 
     You have a right to your share...
           ...You get to define your share.
           ...Your share is the least you will accept 
               without crying injustice.
           ...Celebrate getting more than your share.


III. It's not your fault
 
      If it's good for you, it's good...
            ...Society is everyone else.

      Good intentions suffice...
            ...You can always apologize.

      There is no long term...
            ...Don't miss an opportunity.

      Consequences are things that happen to others...
            ...Only you can hold yourself accountable.  
               Don't let others make you do that.

      If somebody starts the blame game, you can still win it...
            ...There are evil people and institutions, and surely 
                one of them is more responsible than you are.

      You are not the problem...
            ...An ugly image means a bad mirror.


IV. Death is unnatural
 
      You're special...
            ...Bad things shouldn't happen to you.
 
      Pain is wrong...
            ...Life should not hurt.
            ...It's a Whiffle World.

      Tragedy is a synonym for calamity...
            ...Bad things are never consequences of 
               one's own action or inaction.

      There will be justice...
            ...Bad people get punished.
            ...You, however, will be forgiven.
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