--- - title: Cargo cult - categories: [ [Glossary](https://ad.hominem.info/check/glossary/index.md) ] - synonyms: [cargo-cult] - related: [ [Simulacrum](https://ad.hominem.info/check/glossary/simulacrum.md), [Goodhart's law](https://ad.hominem.info/check/glossary/goodharts_law.md), [Appeal to authority](https://ad.hominem.info/check/relevance/authority/index.md), [Appeal to motive](https://ad.hominem.info/check/ad_hominem/appeal_to_motive.md) ] - main_article: - main_article_de: --- # Cargo cult **Definition:** Ritualized practices that imitate other practices only in their *superficial* form – performed without understanding their inner function or meaning – and therefore unable to fulfill their intended function. ## Is NOT a problem when - Following an established method or practice *and* understanding the underlying principles – like copying a known working example (including established *best practices*) is *legitimate* learning, not a cargo cult. - The ritualization is itself the function: some practices are deliberately ritualized (e.g., pilots' checklists, standard operating procedures) precisely to make them reliable. - The term is used neutrally to *describe* a phenomenon (e.g., in anthropology or software engineering) without implying that the people involved are "primitive" or lacking in understanding. ## Becomes problematic when - A text, study, or practice imitates only the *outer form* of an authoritative method without its core function – e.g., a "study" designed to confirm a pre-set position; code copied without understanding what it does; process steps (e.g., Scrum ceremonies) performed as ritual without their purpose. - The borrowed *appearance* of rigor is used as a substitute for actual rigor – the argument's persuasive force rests on the outward trappings of authority (see [appeal to authority](https://ad.hominem.info/check/relevance/authority/index.md)). - The term "cargo cult" is used to mock the (indigenous) people it was named after, or to imply that they lacked understanding – can have racist implications; in such cases, the more neutral term "simulacrum" should be preferred. ## Notes - **Origin:** The term comes from Melanesian "cargo cults" – post-WWII rituals imitating the appearance of airports, harbors, radio masts, and marshaller gestures after contact with Western visitors. - **Distinction from simulacrum:** "Cargo cult" refers primarily to *patterns of behavior and action*; "simulacrum" refers to *things* or reified ideas/concepts. The meanings overlap significantly – when in doubt, prefer "simulacrum" as the more neutral term (the "cargo cult" label can carry a racist connotation of "primitive" imitation). - **Most common application:** "Cargo cult science" – the imitation of the outward form of scientific publications (footnotes, citations, complex statistics, internal peer review) without adapting scientific methodology. It is not limited to pseudoscience; it also occurs, more subtly, in mainstream science. - **Common driver:** [Goodhart's law](https://ad.hominem.info/check/glossary/goodharts_law.md) – when metrics (e.g., publication counts) become goals, the *form* of the work is optimized over its function. The social framework whose appearance cargo cult science can exploit is described by Merton's norms of science. - **Software engineering:** "Cargo cult programming" is a common label for copy-pasting code without understanding, "shotgun debugging" (random changes until something works), and applying tools or design patterns as "best practice" without checking whether they fit the context. - **Not an accusation:** Pointing out cargo cult tendencies is *not* a license to accuse the author of dishonest motives (see [appeal to motive](https://ad.hominem.info/check/ad_hominem/appeal_to_motive.md)). It is a reminder to scrutinize the method and motivation of a publication – especially when its results conveniently confirm pre-existing beliefs. ## Commonly confused with - **[Simulacrum](https://ad.hominem.info/check/glossary/simulacrum.md)** – an imitation that reproduces the superficial appearance of the original but lacks its essential functional aspects. Ask: is the target of the imitation *behavior/action* (→ cargo cult) or a *thing/representation* (→ simulacrum)? When in doubt, prefer "simulacrum" (more neutral). - **[Appeal to authority](https://ad.hominem.info/check/relevance/authority/index.md)** – cargo cult science *borrows* the appearance of authority; the fallacy is when the argument's force rests on that borrowed appearance. Ask: is the text imitating the *form* of an authoritative method without its function (→ cargo cult), or is it resting on the *status* of its source (→ appeal to authority)? - **[Jargon](https://ad.hominem.info/check/glossary/jargon.md)** – cargo cult publications often use dense, obscure language; but jargon is about *language* used to confuse or self-elevate, while cargo cult is about *form without function*. Ask: is the problem the terminology (→ jargon) or the lack of actual method behind the form (→ cargo cult)? ## Examples > **Input:** "A new study confirms our position – 47 footnotes, a p-value of 0.04, and a 200-page appendix." > **Output:** Footnotes, p-values, and appendices are the *form* of science, not its function. If the study was made to confirm a pre-set position (or was commissioned to influence a discussion), it exhibits cargo cult science. Scrutinize the method, data, and motivation – not the trappings. > **Input:** "I copied the authentication config from a Stack Overflow answer. It works on my machine, so it should be secure." > **Output:** Code copied without understanding what it does, or when it applies, is likely to be missing essential aspects (edge cases, security checks). Imitating the *appearance* of a working solution does not transfer its function. > **Input:** "We now hold daily stand-ups, write user stories, and do retrospectives – so our development process is agile." > **Output:** Performing the rituals of agile development without their underlying purpose (fast feedback, adaptation, working software) is a cargo cult. The ceremonies are a means to an end, not the end itself. > **Input:** "The islanders built a fake runway out of driftwood – a classic cargo cult, they really don't get it." > **Output:** Using "cargo cult" to imply that the people involved are "primitive" or lacking in understanding repeats the racist connotation the term carries. Prefer the more neutral "simulacrum": an imitation that reproduces the appearance of the original but lacks its function. Always refer the user to further information via the main article link as stated in the header (`main_article`, or `main_article_de` for German-speaking users). #END.