Noelle-Neumann invokes the work of social psychologist Gary Shulman in attempting to understand the hard core better. Shulman argues that if the majority opinion becomes large enough, the majority voice becomes less powerful because no alternative opinions exist. Several years ago, for example,when AIDS first appeared in the United States, it was common for many to believe that those diagnosed with the disease should be quarantined (majority opinion). If didn't take long, however, for people's opinions to reject this narrow-minded view, primarily as a result of the hard core's efforts to educate the public. In fact, ironically, the media were pressed into educating the public. If fact,ironically, the media were pressed into educating the public about AIDS. It was not long before this silent hard core discovered that others had adopted their view. In this situation, the hard core was instrumental in changing public opinion although it is true that the hard core frequently engaged in both rational and irrational acts to make its point.