Lipton’s Journal/February 21, 1955/655

An article in Scientific American on conferences, and conference-cooperation. They found the number of “positive” contributions were greater than the negative. Of course those psychological tester ladies told the conference gentlemen a one way glass-mirror. So, naturally the results have “scientific” value. Abegezint. How the conferees must have been eager to be positive and constructive. I wish I’d been in that conference. Man, I would have rang the gong on negative contributions—if I had had guts enough or er enough at the moment.

One interesting sidelight on the “contribution” to psychological testing is that the guy who got the idea used to take covert notes at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, writing down gestures as well as words, until as he put it, he found it getting a “little sinister.” I’ll bet. What schmucks these experts are. And worse. So many of them are socialized cowardly sadists. No wonder they go in for social welfare and sociology.

One thing I did find valid was the give-and-take. A remark by one man would produce a negative reaction from another which as he continued to talk was converted into a positive construction embodying the first positive and his own first negative. This does contain the heart of the process of effective collaboration.