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For an opposing viewpoint, today might actually be an excellent day to ponder the effect of a lack of understanding of basic math, science, and history has on t

by CPLX 11y ago

For an opposing viewpoint, today might actually be an excellent day to ponder the effect of a lack of understanding of basic math, science, and history has on the general electorate.

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rayiner 11y ago
I assume you're talking about Trump. We've had universal basic education in those subjects for decades, so that cannot be the explanation. I suspect the problem is not a lack of education, but a lack of indoctrinating the right values. Consider climate change. I believe climate change is happening and needs to be addressed. But I don't really understand the mechanics. Neither do the people who think it doesn't exist. Rather, I've been socialized to trust experts and scientists when they speak on their area of expertise and they have not. People who dislike Trump don't do so because they know facts he doesn't. They dislike him because they have different values than he holds (or purports to hold).
- humanrebar 11y ago
  > They dislike him because they have different values than he holds Right. I believe in the Golden Rule and Trump thinks it's not a big deal. https://youtu.be/PX9reO3QnUA?t=17 https://youtu.be/PX9reO3QnUA?t=17
  - rayiner 11y ago
    The list is a mile long. Is free trade bad? Clinton supporters don't oppose Trump for that because they took macroeconomics and he didn't. They do it because Trump's position comes from a place of unilateralism and "America first" which are values they find odious.
    - humanrebar 11y ago
      Policy questions are different than making fun of someone's handicap or insinuating that a woman must be having her period. This is Kindergarten-level ethics here.
- rjsw 11y ago
  I see climate change denial as an example of a cargo cult. I suspect that the majority of believers in all cargo cults don't independently come up with the same idea, someone will think of it and the rest will follow them. The followers were in a clientelist relationship with the leader and want that to continue and keep providing them with the cargo in future. Maybe we need to look at the education of the kind of people who end up as our leaders.
- deleted 11y ago
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- CPLX 11y ago
  Perhaps. Though I wouldn't bet everything on the idea that a rising streak of overt anti-intellectualism has no relationship to education whatsoever.
deleted 11y ago
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by CPLX 11y ago

For an opposing viewpoint, today might actually be an excellent day to ponder the effect of a lack of understanding of basic math, science, and history has on the general electorate.

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

rayiner 11y ago

I assume you're talking about Trump. We've had universal basic education in those subjects for decades, so that cannot be the explanation. I suspect the problem is not a lack of education, but a lack of indoctrinating the right values. Consider climate change. I believe climate change is happening and needs to be addressed. But I don't really understand the mechanics. Neither do the people who think it doesn't exist. Rather, I've been socialized to trust experts and scientists when they speak on their area of expertise and they have not. People who dislike Trump don't do so because they know facts he doesn't. They dislike him because they have different values than he holds (or purports to hold).

humanrebar 11y ago
> They dislike him because they have different values than he holds Right. I believe in the Golden Rule and Trump thinks it's not a big deal. https://youtu.be/PX9reO3QnUA?t=17 https://youtu.be/PX9reO3QnUA?t=17
- rayiner 11y ago
  The list is a mile long. Is free trade bad? Clinton supporters don't oppose Trump for that because they took macroeconomics and he didn't. They do it because Trump's position comes from a place of unilateralism and "America first" which are values they find odious.
  - humanrebar 11y ago
    Policy questions are different than making fun of someone's handicap or insinuating that a woman must be having her period. This is Kindergarten-level ethics here.
rjsw 11y ago
I see climate change denial as an example of a cargo cult. I suspect that the majority of believers in all cargo cults don't independently come up with the same idea, someone will think of it and the rest will follow them. The followers were in a clientelist relationship with the leader and want that to continue and keep providing them with the cargo in future. Maybe we need to look at the education of the kind of people who end up as our leaders.
deleted 11y ago
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CPLX 11y ago
Perhaps. Though I wouldn't bet everything on the idea that a rising streak of overt anti-intellectualism has no relationship to education whatsoever.

deleted 11y ago

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