Summary
A cargo cult is a type of religious
practice that may appear in traditional tribal societies in the wake of
interaction with technologically advanced cultures.
(Source: Wikipedia)
Commentary
Cargo cults provide an interesting insight into the development of beliefs and rituals. The concept of cargo cults has been extended to include any superficial copy that is disconnected from the underlying workings.
Meta
What are other examples of cargo cults?
See Also
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Detached Lever Fallacy at Less Wrong (formerly Overcoming Bias) for a somewhat related discussion on artificial intelligence systems.
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Tanna: John Frum Day Sulfa Bay at YouTube for part of the annual ceremonies.
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Great Designers Steal at YouTube for a discussion about a similar behavior among designers.