The Economist explains the thinking behind mindlessly idiotic government policies:

We must do something; this is something; therefore we must do it. Befuddled politicians are too often seduced by that beguiling syllogism

The specific policy it is discussing is the UK Conservative pledge to reduce annual net immigration, but it surely applies universally, from measure to "improve" aviation security, to increased use of prison sentences, to weapons like the dreaded ASBOs, which can turn wearing a hoodie into a crime.

I suppose that libertarians would prefer that, if a government insists on doing something, it does something futile and ineffective. But why the bulk of the population accepts such nonsense is a mystery yet to be revealed.

[QUOTE=roadkill;32473]

Corrected for balance:

The Economist explains the thinking behind mindlessly idiotic corporate policies:

We must do something; this is something; therefore we must do it. Befuddled managers are too often seduced by that beguiling syllogism

Corrected for balance:

The Economist explains the thinking behind mindlessly idiotic human affairs:

We must do something; this is something; therefore we must do it. Befuddled humans are too often seduced by that beguiling syllogism...

Why do you think I insist so heavily on elitism and cost/benefit analysis and first principles type of deductive reasoning?

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I think it's worse among politicians. Doing something actually costs other people money so they're more likely to think carefully about it.

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Good point, that.

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[quote]

Originally Posted by roadkill

Corrected for balance:

Contracycle, I have no idea what this is supposed to mean. Are you planning to stand for local government?

Originally Posted by Gilles de Rais

Why do you think I insist so heavily on elitism

Because you like to be wrong?

Quote:

I think it's worse among politicians. Doing something actually costs other people money so they're more likely to think carefully about it.

Which is of course exactly the same situation for management in companies. It's not their money, it's the shareholders money.

Quote:

Contracycle, I have no idea what this is supposed to mean.

The fanatical ideology which proclaims that "government" is somehow different from other institutions irks me.

Well, companies may have active shareholders or be under the threat of M&A. That doesn't eliminate all evil and, certainly, these past decades have seen management reaping large profits for themselves while often screwing the shareholders - But what kind of even paper-tiger protection do we have with unaccountable government agencies?

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Originally Posted by Gilles de Rais

But what kind of even paper-tiger protection do we have with unaccountable government agencies?

The ballot box.

On the face of it, that seems even less effective than AGMs...

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