I mean stagnation in all areas of life, not just politics. The more time you spend going in a single direction the harder it is to change course. It’s like a chronological version of the sunk cost fallacy.
I see, on the personal level of the State Department official? Yes, that is true. That kind of thinking: I've followed this idea before, therefore I must continue to follow it, even as evidence builds up that this idea is wrong.
This also explains stagnation in general.
Do you mean stagnation in foreign policy, or stagnation in all areas of life over which the government has a role?
I mean stagnation in all areas of life, not just politics. The more time you spend going in a single direction the harder it is to change course. It’s like a chronological version of the sunk cost fallacy.
I see, on the personal level of the State Department official? Yes, that is true. That kind of thinking: I've followed this idea before, therefore I must continue to follow it, even as evidence builds up that this idea is wrong.