Comments on: Nicholas Christakis

By: Suzanna Beth Stinnett

Suzanna Beth Stinnett — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 01:10:19 +0000

Thanks for distilling this work into a quick read, and good work keeping the humor intact. As a “practical optimist,” this is the kind of thing that makes my teaching at least appear authoritative. When I speak tomorrow in front of a herd of professionals, I’ll point to this post when I tell them that by learning online communication, they are raising the collective applicable intelligence of their community. Now, what juxtaposition do I avail when learning pi, and why does it make me so happy?
Suzanna Stinnett

By: kl

kl — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 06:53:27 +0000

I would be quite interested in reviewing the results of a well designed comprehensive research project designed on the concept of the “Wisdom of Crowds” applied to the publications of current experts: scientists, economists, philosophers, psychologists, medical doctors, linguists, founders of early religion, etc. and theories published by their predecessors. I suspect that all aspects of life are, or at the very least have the potential to be, interconnected on every level: subatomic, paralinguistic, moral decision making, social & economic development, migration, immigration, birth & mortality rates, technological advances, etc. When one thing is changed, it has the potential to change everything.

Regarding emotional responses to comparisons, results will directly correlate to the mindset from which they are viewed: win-win, win-lose, or lose-lose. When information/knowledge is gained, it can be applied a variety of ways. Inspiration and hope can be derived from any experience if negative emotional reactions/ judgments are suspended and depersonalized so all factors, courses of action, and possible outcomes may be considered.

By: Kaushik

Kaushik — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:32:05 +0000

The justification probably needs more profundity. When one is among people who are unhappy, uglier, poorer and shorter you feel happy by means of a consolation to self that you don’t suck (which is because others around you suck). But this happiness may not sustain when the person realizes that it was just consolation and will promptly jump to depression when encountered with better and happier people.
On the other hand, keeping company with happy people may not make you happy when there is a chance of a comparison. For example, let’s take an example of two software engineers. Engineer X works for company A, which is one of the world’s most innovative companies churning new products every month and changing the world. He also gets paid very handsomely apart from numerous other unheard of benefits. Engineer Y works for one of the world’s largest companies which seems to have past its prime but is still making money by means of reaping benefits of early years of innovation. X and Y are friends. X is very happy and content with his life and also has a wonderful family. What are the chances of Y being happy because of that? Are human beings that altruistic that they can be happy if they see others happy?
To summarize my argument, happiness may be contagious but only when the room for comparisons is as small as possible. However, the chances of a comparison are less when we talk about a third degree of separation.

By: lilian

lilian — Thu, 28 May 2009 18:41:07 +0000

Marc:

That was freaking hysterical.

And isn’t that just exactly what people do?

Isn’t that the foundation of nationalism?

Too funny.

By: Rob

Rob — Mon, 18 May 2009 21:41:00 +0000

So I guess Bernie Madoff knew what he was doing when he surrounded himself with very rich people…or was it that he gravitated toward people like himself…Hmmm,I will need to re-think this social infection hypothesis.

By: pipa

pipa — Sun, 17 May 2009 11:00:33 +0000

This seems very plausible

But wasn’t there a Harvard study a while ago which claimed that if your friend is fat chances are you are fat too, even if the friend is 2 continents away?

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Sun, 17 May 2009 02:44:40 +0000

This series of studies has SERIOUS methodological problems. Using the same methods, other researchers have found the same “social network effects” for acne, height, and headaches.

By: Tom Voss

Tom Voss — Sat, 16 May 2009 03:58:03 +0000

Disagree

By: roy sperrazza

roy sperrazza — Fri, 15 May 2009 19:23:01 +0000

My mother always said, ” Tell me who you hang out with and I will tell you who you are”. She was right. I am a retired teacher.
I made sure that my class was fun. Where there is no joy there is NO LEARNING.

By: Marc Resnick

Marc Resnick — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:24:19 +0000

So to get the best of both research streams, what you need to do is surround yourself with a few happy, skinny, happily married, close friends among a sea of poorer, uglier, shorter folks that you can compare your social group to.