Should We Trust the Wisdom of Crowds?

Should We Trust the Wisdom of Crowds?An essay sample that asks the question should we trust the wisdom of crowds can be found in essays by Eric Hoffer, Daniel Bell, and some anonymous individual. It was published in 1933 by The Home Economics Association. The essay includes a variation on an essay topic; Should we trust the wisdom of crowds? What we learn from this essay is the tendency for crowds to lean towards the majority opinion and ignore or reject the minority opinions.There is a second version of this essay that opens with the statement: We should trust the people in control to have true wisdom. The difference is this second version is offered in one place. We will read the essay in a work, the same work from which we are currently reading. The second version is not presented in a different work. Neither version is actually offered in different works, but both are presented in the same work.Both versions have two questions that need to be answered. The first question is, 'Do you believe in crowds?' The second question is, 'Do you believe in wise crowds?' Each question contains a group of people that are acting in self-interests. In order to answer those questions, the author must make a determination about what is likely to occur under any given set of circumstances.Consider the smart and wise groups who are often referred to as a 'quorum.' When a quorum assembles they usually meet in public places to discuss future actions. The group becomes a group of like minded individuals who all want the same outcome - the best option.In this situation, when the group is all together it can be expected that each will have their own view and opinion, but no group will be clearly in control of their group. Thus there is no wise crowd that can be considered.It is easy to see why the wise crowds will act for the good of the whole group and for the same group as a whole. When a group has been divided the members have not necessarily acted for their own betterment but f or the group's benefit as a whole. If a group of people makes up a group they do not act in self-interest but in the interest of the group.When the group becomes a group of individuals, each is acting for their own self-interest, they may well 'vote' as a group, but not as a wise group, and thus can not be called a wise crowd. The wise majority opinion will generally prevail when the group is in a group, and the majority opinion does not generally have to mean the majority vote.The intelligent group that has been divided often act as a group as they engage in discussion and debate and yet they do not constitute a group that can be considered a wise crowd. While the intelligent group may be able to collect and organize the opinion of a very large number of members to bring their point of view to a vote, it does not mean the group can be called a wise crowd. And the wise crowds in the latter case cannot be considered by the intelligent group that can collect and organize their thought s.