Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds
The tulip became the rage centuries ago and the Beanie Baby became popular as a collector's
item in the 20th century. The economic impact of such fads varies depending on the item and
popularity.
The book Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds is a classic which everyone should
read.
The questions asked in this section refer to the question as to whether you believe such
"popular delusions" still happen and if so, whether you can identify any of them.
Maestro Alan Greenspan he was often called years ago. He was sometimes referred to as the
smartest man in the world. Some historians, however, have started to believe that Alan
actually was a major cause of the real estate bubble which burst in 2007, continuing into
2008 and 2009. His comment at one point was that he had never seen US nationwide
housing prices go down from one year to the next. He took it as a rule, and had to admit later
that he had made a mistake.
Do you agree that Alan Greenspan made a mistake by keeping interest rates too low in the
early 2000/s?
Yes
No
Did you identify his mistake by the middle of 2006 or did you "go along with the flow" and not
notice that he was creating a housing bubble?
I didn't notice.
I am not an expert and you wouldn't expect me to notice.
If you didn't notice, will you admit that you may often believe in "popular delusions" simply
because you are "going along with the crowd".
If you admit to this, doesn't this make you "smarter" in the sense that you are now aware of
certain possible errors that your brain con lead to believe?
How certain are you that Armageddon is coming in the next 100 years?
Please provide a percentage.
How about the next 50 years?
Is a big government likely to benefit society or a smaller government?
If you don't believe in a God or gods, do you still believe that attending church, synagogue,
temple, etc. is beneficial?
Do you believe that dreams can predict the future?
An Irishman once told me that he wouldn't trust anyone that he didn't relate to on an
occasion when they were drunk. When someone is drunk, you learn valuable things about
their true attitude toward you.
Myth: Humans are intelligent.
A robot is a form of life. Water glass.
Do you believe this?
People need jobs or Jobs need to be accomplished? Do you believe that if robots were to do all
of the manual labor in the US that it would be harmful to the economy? If it were not harmful,
would it require the expansion of welfare? Taxing of robots?
In December 2012, do you believe that the world or at least its outer shell (inner part is
molten) will shift significantly on its axis?
A large meteor or comet is likely to hit the earth eventually and wipe out mankind?
True
False
An atomic war is likely to end human life as we now know it.
The CERN particle accelerator is scheduled to create small black holes which according to
current theory (which clearly is not certain at all) may possibly create a large black hole and
such mankind and the whole globe into oblivion.
Yes Give percentage probability.
No
This could explain why we don't have intelligent visitors from other planets. They all end up
creating black holes and destroying themselves.
Yes
No
Global Warming is mostly (80% or more) caused by the actions of humans.
True
Delusion
Christ, Mohammed, etc. are they really God? If so, which one?
Christ
Mohammed
Buddah
Yahwe
At least some autism is caused by vaccinations. The preservative in vaccines contains
mercury and it is a known problem.
Yes
No
I would avoid vaccinating my babies/children
yes
no
I get my information about vaccinations by watching Oprah or other talk shows.
Name specific diseases that you think are caused by vaccinations.
The use of human fetal tissue is unethical?
Yes
No
Mad cow disease is dormant tin the USA and will prove to be rampant in the future. It stays
dormant for 15 years and it will be coming on big. Currently the people dying if mad cow is
being suppressed.
The Illuminati is a group of humans society that controls much of what happens in the world.
Yes
No
The Bilderburgers is a group of humans society that controls much of what happens in the
world.
Yes
No
US auto manufacturers knew that Owners wanted Hummers, etc.
Cholesterols causes plaque build-up ingesting cholesterol cause cholesterol buildup in
arteries.
Yes
No
Homocysteine is what you want to lower to cut your risk of heart disease.
See Kilmer S. McCully, M.D.
The belief that you should watch your chelesterol is one of those popular dilusions.
Heliobacter Pylori was not recognized by the medical profession between 1892-1982. This is
a common phenemon and the medical profession is slow to change. They have a history of
being slow to drop old superstitions.
Nanobacteria is a primitive form of life that has been ignored because it is very slow to
multiply. It is responsible for gall stones, kidney stones and plaque buildup.
Drugs would be less of a problem if made legal.
Marajuana
Cocaine
Heroine addictions are variable, see web
Ghosts exist and haunted houses such as the Amitiville Horror are real.
Children can be possessed by the devil and priests can exorcize the devil and "cure" the child
or possessed person or however you would care to phrase it.
When humans die they go to heaven or hell.
Yes
No
Muslims can die defending Allah and get to sleep with 72 virgins.
Yes
No
One can travel through time once we invent a time machine.
WE are not alone in the Universe but
- we have not been visited
- we have been visited but the government keeps the truth from the citizens.
Ruby Ridge was a good thing.
Yes
No
Government wants to disarm us or at least the Democrats do.
What do you think?
Humans will have electronic devices connected to their brains by 2015. When cell phones,
WiFi, WiMAX will be connected and people will be able to think and connect to the Internet.
Yes
No
Will you sign up for such an implant when they become available?
Yes
No
Do you imagine that you will be able to ask questions of your computer and it will answer
them via Google or some other such site.
Most species of plants and animals are now known to scientists?
What percentage?
The largest mass of life by weitght is under the south polar cap.
Fertilizing the ocean is one way to absorb excess CO2.
CO2 is significant in AGW.
Yes
No
Heating the ocean causes CO2 to come out.
Crop yields have increased by 15% due to increased CO2 in the atmosphere.
The singularity will happen and artificial intelligence will gain control of the earth.
Yes
No
This will be bad
This will be good
I have five more cards to type in.
The tulip became the rage centuries ago and the Beanie Baby became popular as a collector's
item in the 20th century. The economic impact of such fads varies depending on the item and
popularity.
The book Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds is a classic which everyone should
read.
The questions asked in this section refer to the question as to whether you believe such
"popular delusions" still happen and if so, whether you can identify any of them.
Maestro Alan Greenspan he was often called years ago. He was sometimes referred to as the
smartest man in the world. Some historians, however, have started to believe that Alan
actually was a major cause of the real estate bubble which burst in 2007, continuing into
2008 and 2009. His comment at one point was that he had never seen US nationwide
housing prices go down from one year to the next. He took it as a rule, and had to admit later
that he had made a mistake.
Do you agree that Alan Greenspan made a mistake by keeping interest rates too low in the
early 2000/s?
Yes
No
Did you identify his mistake by the middle of 2006 or did you "go along with the flow" and not
notice that he was creating a housing bubble?
I didn't notice.
I am not an expert and you wouldn't expect me to notice.
If you didn't notice, will you admit that you may often believe in "popular delusions" simply
because you are "going along with the crowd".
If you admit to this, doesn't this make you "smarter" in the sense that you are now aware of
certain possible errors that your brain con lead to believe?
How certain are you that Armageddon is coming in the next 100 years?
Please provide a percentage.
How about the next 50 years?
Is a big government likely to benefit society or a smaller government?
If you don't believe in a God or gods, do you still believe that attending church, synagogue,
temple, etc. is beneficial?
Do you believe that dreams can predict the future?
An Irishman once told me that he wouldn't trust anyone that he didn't relate to on an
occasion when they were drunk. When someone is drunk, you learn valuable things about
their true attitude toward you.
Myth: Humans are intelligent.
A robot is a form of life. Water glass.
Do you believe this?
People need jobs or Jobs need to be accomplished? Do you believe that if robots were to do all
of the manual labor in the US that it would be harmful to the economy? If it were not harmful,
would it require the expansion of welfare? Taxing of robots?
In December 2012, do you believe that the world or at least its outer shell (inner part is
molten) will shift significantly on its axis?
A large meteor or comet is likely to hit the earth eventually and wipe out mankind?
True
False
An atomic war is likely to end human life as we now know it.
The CERN particle accelerator is scheduled to create small black holes which according to
current theory (which clearly is not certain at all) may possibly create a large black hole and
such mankind and the whole globe into oblivion.
Yes Give percentage probability.
No
This could explain why we don't have intelligent visitors from other planets. They all end up
creating black holes and destroying themselves.
Yes
No
Global Warming is mostly (80% or more) caused by the actions of humans.
True
Delusion
Christ, Mohammed, etc. are they really God? If so, which one?
Christ
Mohammed
Buddah
Yahwe
At least some autism is caused by vaccinations. The preservative in vaccines contains
mercury and it is a known problem.
Yes
No
I would avoid vaccinating my babies/children
yes
no
I get my information about vaccinations by watching Oprah or other talk shows.
Name specific diseases that you think are caused by vaccinations.
The use of human fetal tissue is unethical?
Yes
No
Mad cow disease is dormant tin the USA and will prove to be rampant in the future. It stays
dormant for 15 years and it will be coming on big. Currently the people dying if mad cow is
being suppressed.
The Illuminati is a group of humans society that controls much of what happens in the world.
Yes
No
The Bilderburgers is a group of humans society that controls much of what happens in the
world.
Yes
No
US auto manufacturers knew that Owners wanted Hummers, etc.
Cholesterols causes plaque build-up ingesting cholesterol cause cholesterol buildup in
arteries.
Yes
No
Homocysteine is what you want to lower to cut your risk of heart disease.
See Kilmer S. McCully, M.D.
The belief that you should watch your chelesterol is one of those popular dilusions.
Heliobacter Pylori was not recognized by the medical profession between 1892-1982. This is
a common phenemon and the medical profession is slow to change. They have a history of
being slow to drop old superstitions.
Nanobacteria is a primitive form of life that has been ignored because it is very slow to
multiply. It is responsible for gall stones, kidney stones and plaque buildup.
Drugs would be less of a problem if made legal.
Marajuana
Cocaine
Heroine addictions are variable, see web
Ghosts exist and haunted houses such as the Amitiville Horror are real.
Children can be possessed by the devil and priests can exorcize the devil and "cure" the child
or possessed person or however you would care to phrase it.
When humans die they go to heaven or hell.
Yes
No
Muslims can die defending Allah and get to sleep with 72 virgins.
Yes
No
One can travel through time once we invent a time machine.
WE are not alone in the Universe but
- we have not been visited
- we have been visited but the government keeps the truth from the citizens.
Ruby Ridge was a good thing.
Yes
No
Government wants to disarm us or at least the Democrats do.
What do you think?
Humans will have electronic devices connected to their brains by 2015. When cell phones,
WiFi, WiMAX will be connected and people will be able to think and connect to the Internet.
Yes
No
Will you sign up for such an implant when they become available?
Yes
No
Do you imagine that you will be able to ask questions of your computer and it will answer
them via Google or some other such site.
Most species of plants and animals are now known to scientists?
What percentage?
The largest mass of life by weitght is under the south polar cap.
Fertilizing the ocean is one way to absorb excess CO2.
CO2 is significant in AGW.
Yes
No
Heating the ocean causes CO2 to come out.
Crop yields have increased by 15% due to increased CO2 in the atmosphere.
The singularity will happen and artificial intelligence will gain control of the earth.
Yes
No
This will be bad
This will be good
I have five more cards to type in.
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