Fnord wrote:
I got shut out of a university discussion group on a technicality. One of the expectations was that all members would contribute to the discussion. When it came to my turn to give an opinion, I told them that the topic we were discussing was so complex that I had not yet formed an opinion about it.
"So you choose to not contribute to this discussion." said the facilitator.
"No, I just haven't formed an opinion, so I have nothing to say yet."
"So you're not going to contribute."
"I will contribute when I have formed an opinion."
The discussion went back and forth like this, until the facilitator called for a break, invited me into the hallway, and told me that since I wasn't going to participate, then I should just leave.
I tried to explain to him again that the complexity of the topic made it impossible for me to form an opinion so quickly, but he cut me off and told me that I was violating the rules, and that he was dismissing me from the committee.
So I left.
To this day, I still don't understand what the heck we were discussing in the first place.
Ohhh, boy! The Delphi Method rises its ugly head again. They are those who restrict free speech (or independent non-speech) to agree with them, only to conclude that the entirety of the group has reached agreement because no one declined going along with "Idea A." This method is quite dangerous. It borders on cultism, in my opinion. If you experience it, RUN, and don't look back.
12 Oct 2018, 11:00 am
