October 13, 2017

  • Escalation of Commitment 101

    The Harvey Weinstein news is shocking and depressing, sure. But what makes it worse is that it seems like he had a mini-army of staffers, directors, and partners who helped him. Woman after woman recounts a similar story. She went with others to a meeting with Harvey. Those "others" would suddenly disappear or be dismissed by Harvey so he could be alone with the vulnerable woman he targeted. So why did that mini-army help him?

    And mind you, this isn't about the gender or character of those people. I just wanted to talk about a concept that has been in my mind lately. The way that the little flaws we tolerate in people can lead to overlooking crimes and huge problems.

    So I overlook the time you yelled at her, or you smacked him (but only once, and with an open hand, not a fist), and I tell myself you had a bad day. I'm a Christian! I'm forgiving! right? But then, what else have you done in the shadows that I haven't seen? If you misbehave like that in front of me, what have you done behind me? That staffer for Weinstein probably tried to tell themselves that nothing would happen, that Harvey just wanted to discuss business in private. But surely they knew better, after the nth victim? Were they unable to change their mind because they felt guilty for the victims who already had suffered? That's crazy, but that's how escalation of commitment works, in some ways.

    There's just a bizarre logic that happens, that once I overlook or partake in some small vice with you, I've now signed up for all your crimes. It's a common theme in literature, and it's worrisome. And we're seeing it now with celebrities, with politicians. People just can't quit Chris Brown, or Chris Christie (lol) or whatever other person it is that they once liked. We can't get off the elevator after the first few floors: no, we need to ride it to the bottom.

    Sigh. Escalation of commitment is a real phenomenon. Part of being a good human is being able to bite the hands that feed us, once those hands are proven to be false.