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Re:How to Think for Yourself by whimsicalism on Friday November 27, 2020 @12:53PM (#25230922)
Why would I have any reason to picture it in that way?
Re:How to Think for Yourself by jbay808 on Friday November 27, 2020 @01:00PM (#25231012)
Well, as a toy model to compare to reality to see if it improves your insight into how societal changes happen, I guess. And if it doesn't, you can discard it.

But if you entertain it, it suggests that sudden shifts in culture (acceptance of gay marriage, for example) proceed along the boundaries of social groups, where people are influenced by both their closest friends and family and the prevailing external "field", until they "flip their poles" and align with the neighbouring domain, at which point it becomes more likely that their other friends and family will do the same, and so on.