“Wooden-headedness, the source of self-deception, is a factor that plays a remarkably large role in government. It consists of assessing a situation in terms of preconceived fixed notions while ignoring or rejecting any contrary signs. It is acting according to wish while not allowing oneself to be deflected by the facts.”
Barbara Tuchman, “The March of Folly”
In The March of Folly, Tuchman declares humans “wooden-headed”- biased enough to allow their ‘preconceived notions’ to influence government affairs. She is correct. Man, by nature, is a subjective beast, and he is rarely capable of objectivity save in the most trivial of circumstances. When man is presented with a new fact, his initial- and often only- response is to compare it to each fact he has encountered in his lifetime. If this new idea differs from beliefs he has already subscribed to, he is predisposed to disbelief. If the new idea concurs, then he will add it to the criteria for which he will judge all new information. This seems contrary to what should be; man should become more objective as the consequences of his bias become more dire. The cause for this disparity lies in the simple fact that as a situation’s gravity increases, so too does the weight of the beliefs a man carries.
Though “wooden-headedness… plays a remarkably large role in government”, it is as prevalent in more plebian matters. Witnesses of crimes are not necessarily politicians; but as politicians adhere to “fixed notions”, so too do the men and women sworn to honesty in courts worldwide. In the past, the testimony of these sworn witnesses has been sufficient evidence to convict an individual of a crime. Presently, however, witness testimony is often declared hearsay, even if multiple witnesses testify. This development is largely due to a new unbiased witness- deoxyribonucleic acid. DNA evidence has convicted new criminals, and in turn, has redeemed convicted criminals. More than two hundred wrongful convictions have been declared in the United States. Of these, seventy five percent were because of eyewitness misidentification. More than one hundred and forty five men and women have paid wages for another’s crimes in their own lifetime and blood. Were they deliberately, maliciously wronged? Unlikely, as witnesses are usually questioned individually and therefore unable to conspire against a suspect. It is rather more likely that the witnesses were guilty themselves- of being human, and thus “wooden-headed”.
The faulty witness is he who testifies according to “preconceived fixed notions while ignoring or rejecting any contrary signs”. The faulty witness sees a suspect as guilty or innocent according to the narrow horse-blinders he has ignorantly donned. The United States Department of Justice released Eyewitness Evidence, A Guide for Law Enforcement, and the foreword by Attorney General Janet Reno admits that “Even the most honest and objective people can make mistakes in recalling and interpreting a witnessed event…” Less honest and objective people make mistakes in recall due to racism, following prior instruction, or clues in the suspect lineup as to whom the police consider their major suspect. Out of 180 cases, roughly 110 cases of witness misidentification resulted in a black American being sent to jail. This could be malicious racism, or more likely, the underlying fear of a person different from oneself. In either case, the misidentification was the result of a “preconceived fixed notion.”
Granted, some cases of witness identification have been upheld. “Wooden-headedness” is not so steadfast that every man adheres to it. It would be folly to assume that they would. Perhaps there are more convictions of black Americans to draw from in the first place. However, the presence of any eyewitness misidentifications whatsoever proves that the witness has allowed some sort of earlier knowledge to influence their declaration that this suspect is guilty.
Man looks at the world through glasses tinted the lively shade of his own gray matter. His every decision is made in light of his every previous decision. This is the “wooden-headedness” Tuchman speaks of. It is evident in every circle of human life; from the schoolyard with children forming cliques, to the fields of work dominated by men, to the judicial proceedings convicting innocents, to nations profiling against races in order to prevent terrorism. Each man, woman, and child has the responsibility to remove the glasses that filter out what they dislike; the world is best seen in every color.
Reno, Janet. “Eyewitness Evidence: A Guide for Law Enforcement.” National Criminal Justice Reference System. 31 OCT 2007. U.S. Department of Justice. 1 Nov 2007 <http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/178240.pdf” >.
“The Innocence Project – Understand the Causes: Eyewitness Misidentification.” Innocence Project. 31 OCT 2007. The Innocence Project. 1 Nov 2007 <http://innocenceproject.org/understand/Eyewitness-Misidentification.php>.
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