I think the most common technique is to ask ourselves, "What is the most likely outcome?", and if that outcome is good, then we do it.
For those thinking logically, yes.
Many others (not hn readers, or course) ask themselves, "What is everyone else doing?"
Marge: What on earth possessed you to get an earring?
Bart: Milhouse has one.
Marge: If Milhouse jumped off a cliff...
Bart: Milhouse jumped off a cliff? I'm there.
[EDIT: Oops, I forgot the </sarcasm> tag. I keep doing that. Obviously, we all make many decisions by following the crowd. Those of us who pride ourselves in being logical would rather not admit it except for the most minor decisions.]
Many others (not hn readers, or course) ask themselves, "What is everyone else doing?"
Are you seriously saying that HN readers aren't prone to jumping on bandwagons? To the extent that the HN readership is a microcosm of the silicon valley startup culture, this seems profoundly inaccurate -- I can't think of any group more prone to imitation than silicon valley startups.
(Obviously there are some exceptions -- and the exceptions are the successful companies which we all hear about.)
I used to jump on bandwagons, but then I changed and started thinking all decisions through on my own, because I noticed that's what everybody else on hn was doing.
Yeah, people don't actually make decisions logically for the most part, but to the extent that there is any about of reasoning (or rationalizing), there is some technique to it.
For those thinking logically, yes.
Many others (not hn readers, or course) ask themselves, "What is everyone else doing?"
[EDIT: Oops, I forgot the </sarcasm> tag. I keep doing that. Obviously, we all make many decisions by following the crowd. Those of us who pride ourselves in being logical would rather not admit it except for the most minor decisions.]