We've talked in the past about cargo cult science and how a rather superficial understanding of complex situations leads people to only copy those superficial elements in the belief that they are why something works. Then, of course, when it doesn't work, they're confused. It's why South Pacific islanders thought that if they staffed the airport, American soldiers would return with supplies. It's why GM thought that if they just rebuilt the NUMMI plant inch-for-inch, they'd get the same production elsewhere.

I'm left thinking about this as I read about how some IP maximalists at a gathering about how to "counter" the public are discussing the importance of social media and their own usage of it. Even reading about the discussion sounds oddly stilted - like your parents trying to sound cool by using youth slang:

The role of social media in promoting IP will be a key topic. For example, both USPTO Director David Kappos and EPO President Benoit Battistelli regularly write blogs about their respective offices.

The offices represented on the panel also use Twitter and Facebook as well as conventional media such as TV to communicate with users and society generally.

Oh my goodness. Can you believe it? They blog? They use Twitter and Facebook? They must know everything!

Perhaps, at some point, they'll realize it's not the usage of social media that made a difference, but the fact that the people using social media find these issues to be serious and important, and don't believe the official explanations for why they have to lock down content.