cargo cults

Cargo cults are religious movements that emerged among indigenous peoples in Melanesia and the Pacific islands, typically after contact with technologically advanced outsiders.

Adherents believe that performing certain rituals—often mimicking behaviors they observed, such as building mock airstrips or radio equipment—will cause manufactured goods (cargo) to be delivered by supernatural means.

The term extends to any practice that imitates the superficial forms of something without understanding the underlying mechanisms: Their software process is pure cargo cult—they do standups and sprints but have no idea why.