I’ve been reading Influence by Robert Cialdini and just finished a disturbing section about how we are wired to obey an authority figure even when it causes harm. In this instance, the 911 dispatcher was the authority figure. Sad story.

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nrhrjrjrjtntbt 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Causes harm is the hard thing to know. In the London Grenfell fire the dispatchers said stay in the appartment. This is correct advice, except when some dodgy supply chain middleman puts effectively what amounts to gunpowder up all the external walls.

	▲	jimmydddd 3 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		During the 9/11 attacks in NYC, the folks in the second tower were instructed to stay in the building after a plane struck the first building. Also good advice until a second plane struck.
	▲	analog8374 4 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		It's like we're wired to trust what we're told over what we see. The one doing the telling is the confident man on tv and the people around us. What's funny is, 9 out of 10 people are totally credulous. They'll swallow any foolish thing as long as a authority says it. That last guy is a skeptic. BUT if everybody around him AND the authority are saying the thing, then he believes it. Because that's reasonable, right?

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croes 4 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

In such cases how do you in advance what causes harm? Waiting for the ambulance or driving yourself? People died also because they didn’t wait for an ambulance.

	▲	rogerrogerr 4 hours ago \| parent [-]
		(Not GP): Heart attacks and strokes are the two things where I will always load family members into the car and get to the hospital as quickly as practicable. Time is brain, and time is heart. I’d call 911 on the way and have them notify the hospital what’s going on. I figure that if I’m a 10 minute drive from the hospital, it’s highly unlikely that lights and sirens will get to me and then to the hospital quicker than I can do only the second leg. If they want to meet me halfway, fine - but if they aren’t there, I’m not waiting. Everything else? Sure, we can wait for the ambulance. I can control bleeding or whatever and you’ll live through some pain without lasting side effects. But if there isn’t blood going to an organ, we are gonna get that fixed ASAP.

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burntoutgray 4 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

From the caller's perspective the dispatcher is the authority figure. But that person is just at the bottom of a pyramid. The supervisor, the section manager all the way to the CEO and shareholders.

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gryfft 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-]