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Microcap & Penny Stocks : TSIG.com TIGI (formerly TSIG)
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To: Suzanne Newsome who wrote (34154)8/29/1999 4:52:00 AM
From: Ditchdigger  Read Replies (2) of 44908
 
Can anyone post this original article? Excerpts from a post.
Calling all cults: After reading this column's back-and-forth with IDT investors,
California clinical psychologist Jerome Silverman wrote that he believes it's clear
the IDT-iots "reflect an additional classic behavioral principle. This has to do with
external support for one's pathological condition. If an individual with
pathological ideation is surrounded by people who challenge the pathological
position there will be a reasonable probability that the position will be
re-evaluated, rejected and a healthier one put in place.

"However if the pathological position has external supports -- people who
similarly hold that position -- there is often very little chance to have that position
re-evaluated, let alone having it modified in a healthier way.

"This is why cults are so powerful an influence on their members. It seems that for
many buying a stock is similar to joining a cult. Instead of being investors -- open,
alert, considering all information concerning their holding -- they become cultists,
cheering the stock in spite of negative data and wanting to kill the messenger who
brought it.

"They find cult mates on Internet message boards and in a kind of ritualistic
behavior, post wishful predictions like 'up 10% by next month' or 'big takeover
coming.' These posts have nothing to do with fact, but by posting them the action
itself serves to reassure them and other cultists that all is well and that they have
done something in the service of the cult -- e.g. the post and prediction.

"This is similar to primitive peoples who during a drought do a rain dance. It
gives them something to do to validate their beliefs and it reaffirms the cultist
hope."

Which is where the "springs eternal" comes in."
Message 11097472
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