Re:ISP flip-flops: why do they now support "six strikes" plan?
by tomjen3 on Monday July 11, 2011 @07:04AM
(#2750179)
The problem is that you have to organize a large enough force at the same time. Even if you show up a day later, it is too late.
Re:ISP flip-flops: why do they now support "six strikes" plan?
by dspillett on Monday July 11, 2011 @09:00AM
(#2750466)
Sometimes things happen at the required scale with more spontaneity than planning (as with the first uprisings that started the collection of public shows of discontent in various countries recently) though it is rare. Once there is enough momentum many people join, but the natural reaction is to preserve yourself by not joining in until there is that momentum, which may never happen unless the circumstances are just right at exactly the right time because everyone else is waiting for other people to get started and create said momentum.
The problem there being the in his case "enough people" would have been a great many people and contrary to what we tell ourselves us humans don't tend to work so well in large groups especially when you are relying on the rest of the group to stand firm.
That is the point of the quote: many people didn't take action because of the risk to themselves if not enough other people took action too. If everyone speaks out you have some safety in numbers assurance, even if a small proportion of people meet with reprisals. If only a few speak out with you, you are guaranteed to be picked off in short order.
That is not a risk we would naturally consider, and as the quote suggests this locally greedy algorithm for deciding when to act and when to keep shtum falls easily into the hands of a growing oppressive force.