I need a name...

for something I've been observing lately. I'm sure that name exists, and that I've heard it and used it before, but I can't remember it. Perhaps you could help.

I'm a member of a "Security Club," based on the premise that economic life is getting more difficult and we should band together to help each other out. Good premise, I like it. But we've spent most of our time reading macroeconomic theory. I'm offhand hard put to devise a *less* helpful activity for us; it takes our attention *off* of actions we can take and puts it on theoretical questions that put no bread on anybody's table.

So what's the name for it, when people use The Big Picture as a way to hide from taking action?