Alternative term for 'cargo cult'

In my line of work as an IT Security Engineer it is common to come across articles written by prominent technology companies describing their practices and processes. It is then also common for another organisation to some time later adopt those ways of working with an expectation to see similar success.

I believe this can be an example of a 'cargo cult'. A term that Wikipedia can explain far more eloquently than I can.

However, the term 'cargo cult' appears problematic and pejorative against and not in particular Pacific Island cultures, and I would like to avoid using it.

I am therefore interested in finding alternative words, terms, idioms or phrases (ideally in common use in British English) that describe in a negative light the practice of copying the example of a successful activity and expecting similar results.

Solution 1:

If you're writing for an IT audience, the term "cargo cult" might be perfectly appropriate. Refer to the Wikipedia entry for cargo cult programming or this article on Medium, "The Curious Case of Cargo Cults and Corporate Innovation."

You do seem to want a slightly pejorative term here, since the practice in question is maladaptive.

I suggest "copycat" or "monkey see monkey do" if you still want an alternative term.

Solution 2:

I'm going to give you a sad answer:

There isn't one.

I posted the same question quite a while ago on an "inclusive language" forum and the dozen people there -- folks who are paid to think about making language more inclusive for IT professionals -- were unable to come up with an alternative.

Since we cannot use discriminatory terminology in technical documentation, we've had to resort to less descriptive phrases like "mindless duplication" or even "copying without understanding", but there's nothing that really substitutes for the phrase.

Solution 3:

Magical thinking is a possibility. Wikipedia defines it as "the belief that unrelated events are causally connected despite the absence of any plausible causal link between them, particularly as a result of supernatural effects".

It's often used in the context of superstitions such as "If I do this, my sports team will win." (Healthline article) But it can be extended to programming beliefs that verge on superstition such as "if I put X in my code it will work" or "if I use X language it will work", and it has been used in the context of software engineering: TechRepublic, Wrong Side of Memphis blog.

It doesn't directly relate to copying other successful models, but does relate to doing things without understanding why they'll work or not work, as a result of irrational beliefs.

Solution 4:

It's a verb rather than a noun, but "ape" might be useful.

From Mirriam-Webster:

ape verb, transitive verb

: to copy closely but often clumsily and ineptly

She apes the speech and manners of the rich.

Solution 5:

Copying parrot-fashion, or 'parroting' almost works, although unfortunately is only applied to saying, rather than doing, things without understanding them.