Why are there so many cargo cults embraced by one segment of the population or another?
Is it something to do with the need to feel special and unique? To sublimate away the fear of being forgotten after death?
To compete for social status? An outlet for unrefined creative energies?
In some cases it’s even more extreme, and seemingly even more maladaptive, than the Pacific Islanders spending their energy on building wooden radar dishes and control towers in hopes of attracting cargo planes.
Such as the unironic collectors of anime girl pillows. Or those single mothers that spend all their money buying luxury handbags, shoes, etc. Or young men going into debt to afford expensive upbadged versions of normal cars (in some cases the cars aren’t even faster or more comfortable, just more expensive with flashy trim)
This leads to a scary thought, is the human reward system that easy to hijack?
I really don’t think it’s that deep. People cargo cult because they want cargo and have an improper model of how cargo is lifted onto the island. Sometimes they get that improper model because of motivated reasoning but just as often it’s because people are stupid.
But why would someone be consistently stupid year after year. Surely by year 3 or 4 they would have acquired enough first-hand experience on the viability of the equivalents of wooden radar dishes, control towers, etc…?
Why are there so many cargo cults embraced by one segment of the population or another?
Is it something to do with the need to feel special and unique? To sublimate away the fear of being forgotten after death?
To compete for social status? An outlet for unrefined creative energies?
In some cases it’s even more extreme, and seemingly even more maladaptive, than the Pacific Islanders spending their energy on building wooden radar dishes and control towers in hopes of attracting cargo planes.
Such as the unironic collectors of anime girl pillows. Or those single mothers that spend all their money buying luxury handbags, shoes, etc. Or young men going into debt to afford expensive upbadged versions of normal cars (in some cases the cars aren’t even faster or more comfortable, just more expensive with flashy trim)
This leads to a scary thought, is the human reward system that easy to hijack?
I really don’t think it’s that deep. People cargo cult because they want cargo and have an improper model of how cargo is lifted onto the island. Sometimes they get that improper model because of motivated reasoning but just as often it’s because people are stupid.
But why would someone be consistently stupid year after year. Surely by year 3 or 4 they would have acquired enough first-hand experience on the viability of the equivalents of wooden radar dishes, control towers, etc…?