Change it? No.
We were in ops the other day getting our weather. It was good that day and was forecast to be good the next. The Air Force weather sergeant disagreed with that forecast though. She thought it would be dusty and she explained why. Then she added that when she told higher headquarters they didn't want to change the forecast because their model showed different and "We already briefed the general that the weather would be good."
She didn't seem well satisfied with her military career at that precise moment.
posted by Carl at 5:25 PM
4 Comments:
Hmmm, I think I heard this one before. "We can't change our report, we already told the president that Iraq would be easy."
Here I am trying to make a simple point about human nature and you have to go getting political on me. That does not make for as good a story.
Anyway it is more accurate to say, "we won't change our minds. we've already convinced ourselves and if we thunk it, it will be." Read James Fallows' book about the subject.
I see your simple point and raise you a simple point about human nature. No politics here, just carrying your story to its logical end.
No one (especially people in authority) ever makes a mistake or admits to poor judgement. Subsiquently, we as a society are destined to repeat history.
Imagine what a great story it would make if any great historical figure said "Boy did I get that one wrong and I fully and whole heartedly suport the efforts to correct my error."
you ask to much of people. i am content if they recognize a mistake and try not to make it again. they don't have to say a word.
in Tom Ricks' two books Gen. Ordierno changed from one side, so to speak, to the other. he was a man in authority who saw something wasn't right, learned what it was and changed. that is a very admirable thing.
and not that rare a thing either. there are many who do that. Ernie King did that in WWII. he didn't allow convoys to be set up on the east coast at first and the merchant ships got slaughtered, U-boats in biscayne bay etc. then he saw the error of his way and they set up coastal convoys and that was that.
people can learn from experience.
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