How opinions are formed

[Young Master Smeet]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/business/wonkblog/majority-illusion/

The majority illusion is interesting, we don't all have the same number of friends, and popular people with a lot of friends have a disproprtional impact on apparent opinion.

Contrary to the article, I'd suggest this effect tells us why we need voting, rather than polling, since, as with the Scottish referendum, a lot of people thought it wiould pass, or be close, but the real result and will of the people was quite firmly against.

It also has implications for our model of revolution, we can show that once a considerable number begin to agree with us, it is more likely that people will come to accept and discuss socialism in our terms.

[alanjjohnstone]

"the people was quite firmly against."That's a matter of opinion.55% No – 2,001,926 45% Yes – 1,617,989…All the polls from 2011 onwards were for the No but the Yes clawed its way back until September 2014 showed a narrow support for Yes (in just two polls only out of many others) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_Scottish_independence_referendum,_2014#2011Since the referendum 25 polls have been taken and 17 – Putting 'No' ahead, 7 – Putting 'Yes' ahead, 1 – Equal split for 'Yes' and 'No'. On average, these polls have (after leaving aside Don't Knows) put support for Yes at 48%, and for No, 52%. So not much change over the year. The 2015 general election polls showing a SNP landslide were moreorless accurate, give or take the one seat LibDems got and the one seat Labour got.  

[rodshaw]

I think once the number of socialists reaches some kind of critical mass, there will be a snowball effect and it will become virtually unstoppable. The only thing is what that critical mass will be.

[Author]

Posts