317. Tversky found that the "cockpit culture of a commercial airliner did not encourage people to point out the mental errors of the man in charge" (317). Even though people could sometimes see when other people's minds were misleading them, they were reluctant to speak up.
Can you think of any other places or cultures where people are discouraged from pointing out the mental errors of the person in charge? Can you imagine how changing that culture could make it more or less effective?
I believe that this culture is still alive in America today. In the school system, many students, teachers, and even principals are discouraged from questioning the motives of the administration. In matters such as dress code, activity funding, and student-led events, many members of the school do not agree with the decisions that are made but the environment is not conducive to questioning the reasons behind these decisions. Just like those on the airplanes, people attending school can see that they are headed in the wrong direction, but they are told not to speak up against those in charge.
ReplyDeleteRachel Wallis
I think that in any situation where there is a hierarchy of position and responsibility, it is hard to point out the errors of someone in a station above you. For instance, if you notice something that a manager is doing incorrectly at your job, you would be nervous to point it out. Maybe you don’t want the possibility of getting in trouble, or maybe you don’t want to look like you are trying to usurp their responsibility. This happens even in places where the “pilots” won’t even get mad if someone points something out to them. I think that the easiest fix would just be to have whoever is in charge to make it clear that if there is something they are doing that others don’t like, then they would like to know about it. That way, others will know that they can speak up when they need to.
ReplyDelete-Michael Draper
I think the mindset to not correct those in authority is still apparent in almost every aspect of life. In most aspects of parenting, the child is usually discouraged from correcting the parent even when they know they’re wrong. Same with almost every boss and worker, teacher and student, coach and player, etc. I think changing the culture would help to alleviate tensions and the chances of a superior being wrong. We need to hold people accountable whether they’re in a higher position or not. I think this culture of “I’m in a position of power or I’m older so I know better” is toxic.
ReplyDeleteDelanie SealS
While there are many examples that one can utilize, I believe that the military is an excellent place where such an illustration can be drawn. From day one, soldiers are taught to respect authority at all times, with little to no tolerance for any sort of retort or attempts at correction. I believe that such a model is quite harmful in suppressing creative thought and destroying accountability. On that same token, however, it would be quite foolish of me to state that the military ought to adopt a different approach to their operating policies. The strict chain of command is absolutely essential in keeping order among the organization. While creative thought might be suppressed, unity is far more important in situations where loyalty and respect can make the difference between life and death.
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