Many people use the phrase "wisdom of the crowds" when discussing controversial issues, but the truth is that it is extremely unreliable and misleading. The theory behind this common saying is that the collective judgment of people is often better than the expertise of experts. However, this is not necessarily the case, as crowds can be biased and social influences can distort the results.
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The wisdom of crowds has many critics, who argue that it leads to groupthink and defeats the purpose of diversity. But, it is important to note that humans are social creatures and tend to conform to the opinions of others. Thus, averaging the weight of an object can be more accurate than an expert's opinion.
Groupthink happens when the desire to get unanimous agreement drives decisions away from common sense and good problem-solving skills. This can lead to bad decisions.
Romantic Rebel fallacy
The Romantic Rebel fallacy is a common form of argumentation. This fallacy is also called the "Truthdig/Trueout Fallacy," "Wisdom of the Crowd," and "Conspiracy Theories." It involves making arguments that challenge the dominant orthodoxy and current Standard Model, and assumes that people will not analyze the arguments and sources in order to determine whether or not they are true.
Another common fallacy is called Hero-Busting, or "The Perfect Is the Enemy of the Good." In this fallacy, people believe that the perfect person is not perfect, despite their achievements. This view is especially dangerous because our great heroes were not perfect. For example, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln were racists, and both were slaveholders. Karl Marx sexually exploited a domestic worker. Martin Luther King Jr. had an eye for women, Lenin condemned feminism, and Mahatma Gandhi drank his own urine.
Danger Danger