Comments on: Disastrous Rumours http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/disastrous-rumours.html Science Blog from Freelance Science Writer David Bradley Sat, 20 Mar 2010 17:40:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: chris piwuna http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/disastrous-rumours.html/comment-page-1#comment-628827 chris piwuna Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:39:20 +0000 http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/?p=2160#comment-628827 At times of disaster, a measure of the negative rumour is needed to keep you going (??performance anxiety) especially when you are in a setting where the flow of correct information is skewed. At times of disaster, a measure of the negative rumour is needed to keep you going (??performance anxiety) especially when you are in a setting where the flow of correct information is skewed.

]]> By: David Bradley http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/disastrous-rumours.html/comment-page-1#comment-544914 David Bradley Sun, 28 Sep 2008 18:43:13 +0000 http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/?p=2160#comment-544914 Wayne, I think you're right, I cannot imagine how a positive rumour would be synthesised and spread, because there'd still be the all the negative rumours that would bubble to the surface regardless to confuse the the issues. Just look at the <a href="http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/melamine-in-milk.html" rel="nofollow">melamine in milk scandal</a> being discussed elsewhere here. Wayne, I think you’re right, I cannot imagine how a positive rumour would be synthesised and spread, because there’d still be the all the negative rumours that would bubble to the surface regardless to confuse the the issues. Just look at the melamine in milk scandal being discussed elsewhere here.

]]> By: Wayne Smallman http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/disastrous-rumours.html/comment-page-1#comment-543572 Wayne Smallman Sat, 27 Sep 2008 09:37:35 +0000 http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/?p=2160#comment-543572 I don't see how they can create positive rumours. If such a thing was possible, we'd have seen them come about quite naturally before now. When i think of rumours, I liken them to the warning bird call, or shriek of an ape. It's as if they're a warning call. What we've done as add words to them, which allows for embellishment, often making them worse. Making rumours worse still is the subjectivity they're often loaded with. One person could say: "Oh man, what a mess! Total chaos down there." But if you're a professional, like a soldier in the Royal Engineering Regiment, a person used to make the best of bad situations, chaos to you is probably a total and utter loss to everyone else. It's still and interesting idea, though... I don’t see how they can create positive rumours. If such a thing was possible, we’d have seen them come about quite naturally before now.

When i think of rumours, I liken them to the warning bird call, or shriek of an ape. It’s as if they’re a warning call.

What we’ve done as add words to them, which allows for embellishment, often making them worse.

Making rumours worse still is the subjectivity they’re often loaded with.

One person could say: “Oh man, what a mess! Total chaos down there.” But if you’re a professional, like a soldier in the Royal Engineering Regiment, a person used to make the best of bad situations, chaos to you is probably a total and utter loss to everyone else.

It’s still and interesting idea, though…

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