Psychology question. . .
Posted on: July 8, 2008 - 5:34pm
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Psychology question. . .
Can you name something you've accomplished as a team that you could never have achieved on your own?
I'm curious what other's responses to this will be as I think people are inherently self-centered. That is, people tend to think in terms of what they themselves have done and not what they worked as a group to accomplish. I believe there is an illusion of self-sufficiency at work in our daily lives which may lead people to believe that all they need is themselves (and possibly god, for what that's worth).
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Depending on how you define "team," I've accomplished absolutely nothing on my own.
When I write a program, it's using compilers, debuggers, editors, libraries, and operating systems written by other people -- on a computer designed, developed, and built by completely different people. The language I speak was developed over the course of thousands of years, by many different people. The house I live in was built by a construction crew over 100 years ago, and was built with lumber that was milled by yet another crew.
So, depending on what you mean by "accomplish," and how loosely you define "team," I've either accomplished everything on my own, or nothing. (Well, I've contributed a bit to society, I reckon. Maybe even more than I've taken from society. At least, I hope.)
Of course, you kinda gave away the punchline in your questionaire.
"Yes, I seriously believe that consciousness is a product of a natural process. I find that the neuroscientists, psychologists, and philosophers who proceed from that premise are the ones who are actually making useful contributions to our understanding of the mind." - PZ Myers
My neighbor rang the bell yesterday and asked for help lifting his jet ski into the truck bed...... I could not have done it alone, nor could he.
Is this what you mean?
The last refuge of a man with no answers and no argument: "It came from god."
Relay Races.
Just kidding.
But seriously.
I really could get totally sappy in this thread: parents (despite their fundy nature), friends, etc..., but I will spare you.
Actually, what I meant was in a temporally present team. As in working together over the internet or in person. Still, it's a valid point.
It's starting to become clear to me that I could have phrased the question better. I suppose what I should have written is more along the lines of
"When/How have you worked in a team to solve a problem that you could not solve on your own?"
On Myth, Sexuality, and Culture
If you haven't read this, you should. It has a section dealing with the myth of independence.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
Almost everything I do. Even the simple things. I'm getting back in to cycling which I used to do a lot as a kid, and without the help, advice, questions from others and wise words of people on multiple forums I wouldn't have the bike I do now nor the tyres/other bits and pieces that make it a more enjoyable experience.
Organised religion is the ultimate form of blasphemy.
Censored and blacked out for internet access in ANZ!
AU: http://nocleanfeed.com/ | NZ: http://nzblackout.org/
So far, I'm with the rest of the team that has responded to your thread.
At my work, over just this past holiday weekend, we extinguished 11 fires including a business and three homes. It was ALL teamwork!
Yeah it's all team work, my businesses, my music bands, my very thoughts, RRS , in this time place ..... we are never alone ..... QM thingy ---->
Hey thingy, I am trying to be a hermit ..... 
"Cant be done", SHOUTS thingy !
See the other versions etc here !
Twilight Zone (PSS edition)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hO6An0UBpU&feature=related
Alien pricks are on the "ONE" gawed team too ! TZ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r074ifr8NtE
Atheism Books.
I figured that's what you were getting at -- you really were pretty clear. I answered as I did because I'm practicing being a cantankerous old bastard. I only have a few more years to get it right.
I'm also working on lechery, but I didn't see this as a proper venue.
"Yes, I seriously believe that consciousness is a product of a natural process. I find that the neuroscientists, psychologists, and philosophers who proceed from that premise are the ones who are actually making useful contributions to our understanding of the mind." - PZ Myers
If time constraints are an issue, then a good example would be working on a complex project which has a deadline. I've worked on several that I couldn't have solved on my own within the time constraints.
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Gnu Atheism Facebook group — All gnu-friendly RRS members welcome (including Luminon!) — Try something gnu!
the flip side to all this is if we knew the total sum of all the effects of our self-centeredness on other lives, we would probably feel so bad about it we wouldnt want to get out of bed in the morning, knowing all the problems we've contributed to by putting ourselves first.
Justanotherbeliever, I just noticed your bronze status. Thanks for the support!
I think you might be our only current theist contributor. Kudos to you.
Atheism isn't a lot like religion at all. Unless by "religion" you mean "not religion". --Ciarin
http://hambydammit.wordpress.com/
Books about atheism
My team is the human species. We have survived for nearly 200-300,000 years and I certainly could not have done THAT alone. And I think we should feel damn good about, cause the alternative sucks.
“It is true that in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. It is equally true that in the land of the blind, the two-eyed man is an enemy of the state, the people, and domestic tranquility… and necessarily so. Someone has to rearrange the furniture.”
I'd really like to see more theist responses to this question to see how their answers differ, if at all.
No, God does not count as a team member.
Ditto. I can't think of anything I've done without some kind of help, and I'm a pretty selfish bastard.
Saint Will: no gyration without funkstification.
fabulae! nil satis firmi video quam ob rem accipere hunc mi expediat metum. - Terence
You're right - that's a better question. Here's where I'm the bastard. There are two situations of this kind: when things need to be done quickly, and when things need to be done so that everyone's happy. The latter is more prevalent, but the former is when I solve the problem alone, and quickly.
However ... there have been many instances where I have been proven wrong by clever colleagues. That's largely because they get fed up with me being right, and when I'm wrong, they jump on me. That's the best kind of teamwork, I find - being a competitive asshole. It's quicker, too.
Saint Will: no gyration without funkstification.
fabulae! nil satis firmi video quam ob rem accipere hunc mi expediat metum. - Terence
Let's walk the hypothetical through the garden of the real, shall we?
The truth is that you just get used to being the bad guy.
Saint Will: no gyration without funkstification.
fabulae! nil satis firmi video quam ob rem accipere hunc mi expediat metum. - Terence
The best writing (and psychology) advice I've ever received:
"Everybody's the hero from their point of view."
"Yes, I seriously believe that consciousness is a product of a natural process. I find that the neuroscientists, psychologists, and philosophers who proceed from that premise are the ones who are actually making useful contributions to our understanding of the mind." - PZ Myers