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Having an unpopular opinion that's also backed up well is rare in the information age. If a view has evidence to support it, that evidence is available to every

• apta 7y ago
  Having some communities support it does not contradict that it can still be an unpopular opinion. For example, consuming alcohol is a socially acceptable practice in practically all Western nations. There are studies showing the strong correlation between alcohol consumption and crimes, rape, homicides, etc. yet people are still willing to continue the practice because "it's fun".
  • beatgammit 7y ago
    So, would this view then be considered "heretical"? > Alcohol should be more strictly controlled than marijuana because it has greater potential for harm. It's true and bucks the mainstream, but it's highly unpopular and will likely annoy the interviewer if they like to drink. However, it's not that heretical since it's backed by sound research, it's just unpopular and potentially in violation of the 21st amendment. Whether something is heretical depends on the interviewer, and whether a heretical opinion will impact your chances of being hired also depends on the interviewer. That seems unfair and puts the candidate in an uncomfortable position.
    • flaque 7y ago
      > Whether something is heretical depends on the interviewer, and whether a heretical opinion will impact your chances of being hired also depends on the interviewer. I agree a lot with this. It's not crazy for someone in San Francisco to suggest we should ban or severely limit cars, but saying this to the rest of the US might be considered heretical. Similarly, saying that death is wrong and we should be focusing scientific achievements on life extension and immortality might be entirely normal in SF, but wildly heretical elsewhere. "Heretical _where_?" should always be the follow up question