> I can't understand how people can still give governments the benefit of the doubt when they've been exposed as liars repeatedly for years. Because in their m

> I can't understand how people can still give governments the benefit of the doubt when they've been exposed as liars repeatedly for years. Because in their model of the world, evidence derives from authority. They value phatic expression and hierarchy instead of deduction and reasoning. Before you can convince such people of anything, you must first learn to speak their language. http://scienceblogs.com/clock/2007/05/31/more-than-just-resistance-of-s/ http://scienceblogs.com/clock/2007/05/31/more-than-just-resi... While this essay is concerned with creationists and evolution, I encourage everybody to read it as it's observations about phatic communication - and how to overcome that roadblock in education - apply generally.