Executed without trial

It was Christmas day in Timbuktu and Apollonia’s adopted family were playing Wolf, Seer and Villager (it’s probably not called that but here we are).

To bring you up to speed, Apollonia’s half brother Terango is narrating and instructs the group to open their eyes as it is now morning time and that Apollonia’s aunt August-May has been killed in the night.

August-May is highly offended by this and scowls, folds her arms, clams up and immediately starts seething in her corner.

So, now, hoping to move the game along Terango asks the group is they suspect anyone to be the killer.

A moment of silence follows.

A silence that clearly suggests nobody has the faintest clue who dunnit.

Then Apollonia’s Uncle Dimothy pipes up and suggests Apollonia was the killer. The others latch on and within seconds the entire room is convinced with certainty that Apollonia is the Wolf and within a few more seconds Apollonia is executed.

Wrongly executed it turns out.

Now what I found fascinating, watching this scene unfold, was how quickly and with such little resistance the group determined Apollonia’s guilt.

The agreement seemed to be made out of convenience rather than critical thinking.

Nobody bothered to ask Uncle Dimothy why he thought Apollonia did it.

Instead it was as easy as – we need a solution, the first half baked idea was offered and the group said ‘That’ll do, let’s move on!’

Group think at its finest!