LessWrong (Curated & Popular) “Power Lies Trembling: a three-book review” by Richard_Ngo
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Feb 26, 2025 Richard Ngo, an insightful author and thinker, delves into the sociology of military coups and social dynamics. He paints coups as rare supernovae that reveal the underlying forces of society, particularly through Naunihal Singh's research on Ghana. Ngo discusses how preference falsification shapes societal behavior, especially in racial discrimination, and emphasizes the importance of expressing true beliefs. The conversation also touches on Kierkegaard's ideas, contrasting different forms of faith and their roles in uniting individuals for collective action.
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Jerry Rawlings' Coup
- Jerry Rawlings successfully led a coup in Ghana with minimal force, partly due to the government's displayed weakness.
- Public warnings about Rawlings inadvertently bolstered his social proof and encouraged others to join him.
Preference Falsification and Cascades
- Timur Kuran's book, Private Truths, Public Lies, argues that preference falsification affects expressed beliefs.
- This can lead to rapid shifts in public opinion known as preference cascades.
Shift in American Race Relations
- Kuran cites the rapid shift in American race relations in the 1960s as an example of a preference cascade.
- This shift moved from segregation to government-promoted discrimination in favor of Black people within a decade.
