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From: elf@utcsrgv.UUCP (Eugene Fiume)
Newsgroups: can.politics
Subject: re: CAPITAL PUNISHMENT REFERENDUM
Message-ID: <76@utcsrgv.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 5-Oct-84 14:15:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: utcsrgv.76
Posted: Fri Oct  5 14:15:32 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 5-Oct-84 14:43:57 EDT
References: <18@utecfc.UUCP>
Organization: CSRI, University of Toronto
Lines: 27

It cheers me to know that my psychological health is of sufficient concern
to Mark Thompson to warrant a thorough psychoanalysis.

Lookit, even politicians talk about a "bandwagon" effect.  They certainly
believe that people jump on the bandwagon which is perceived to have the
greatest public support.   For once, I find myself agreeing with politicians.
I think polls (and one-sided media coverage) have the same effect.
That is, it's not a question of whether polls etc. shape public opinion, but
how much.

Stephen suggests that "intelligent" people are not affected by such things.
That's possible, but irrelevent: "intelligent" people are in the minority
and are not likely to figure in the result of any election/referendum.
I'm not sure people are rational in their voting behaviour anyway, even
"intelligent" people.  Was the outcome of the referendum in Quebec based on
rational choice?

In my first article, I did not state how I feel about capital punishment,
though you psychoanalysts out there may have cleverly figured things out.
I just observed that if there were a referendum, the public decision would
be based on hyperbole and sensationalism.

Mark asks how I would feel if I were a policeman.  I'd feel fine, unless
some nutcase wastes me, and then I wouldn't feel fine.

Eugene Fiume
U of Toronto