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The
Abilene
Paradox
Four
adults are sitting on a porch in 104-degree heat in
the town of Coleman , Texas , some 53 miles from Abilene
. They are moving as little as possible, drinking
lemonade, watching the fan spin lazily, and occasionally
playing dominoes. The characters are a married couple
and the wife's parents. At some point, the wife's
father suggests they drive to Abilene to eat at a
cafeteria there. The son-in-law thinks this is a terrible
idea but doesn't see any need to rock the boat, so
he goes along with it, as do the two women. They get
in their unairconditioned Ford and drive through a
dust storm to Abilene . They eat a mediocre lunch
at the cafeteria and return to Coleman exhausted,
hot, and generally unhappy with the experience. It
is not until they return home that it is revealed
that none of them really wanted to go to
Abilene, they were just going along because they thought
the others were eager to go. Naturally, everyone sees
this miscommunication as someone else's problem!
The
Abilene Paradox Illustrates
When
a group decides to take an action that nobody agrees
with, but which no one is willing to question.
Prevention
•
Notice your own doubts
•
When you're uneasy, inquire
•
Check for the Abilene itinerary
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