This blog's title is inspired by Daniel Kahneman's 2011 book, Thinking, Fast and Slow. In it, Kahneman presents the theory, well accepted in social psychology, that our thought processes can be described as if they are organized into two systems. System 1 is automatic, effortless and outside our awareness. It consists of innate responses to external stimuli and well-learned patterns of behavior. It is likely to make errors, such as overreacting to our fears. System 2 is deliberate and effortful. It is what we recognize as the content of our consciousness. While System 2 can also make errors, careful thought offers our best hope of responding rationally to an increasingly difficult environment.
We live in a country in which a major-party candidate for President has implied that allowing gay people to have sex will make people want to have sex with animals. It is hoped that this blog will encourage more rational thought. Specifically, I hope to apply the best available knowledge from the physical and social sciences to the solution of our many social and political problems. And have a good time doing it.
Since I'm a social psychologist, many of my examples will come from that field. However, I will touch on many other fields, including sociology, economics, political science, communications media and the environmental sciences. Since no one can be an expert in all these areas, I hope you'll bear with me and correct me when I'm wrong.
The posts are intended for general audiences, so if you find them either too technical or too simplistic, please let me know.
Your comments and suggestions are always welcome.
I found the clips on social class, "working" and "middle class" very interesting. I am reflecting on the information and concepts presented. In terms of the tax reassessment information, I am still thinking this over. A fair reassessment is key, but for some reason, in this area, properties of lesser value have always pulled down properties of higher value, and vice versa...pulling up the values of properties that are not in the same "game" (lower in value) to an unreasonable level. It is unfortunate that this issue has not been able to be resolved with intelligence, rational thought and data. But every reassessment leads to the same outcry, simply because of how unfairly properties end up being assessed. In terms of the "wind fall", it is my understanding that although there is legislation that no borough or school system can reap more than a 5% increase, there is nothing in the law that states what happens to a borough if there is a wind fall...no punitive action. If that is the case, the "wind fall" legislation is just one more piece of paper that contributes to the lack of effective outcomes. Kathy
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