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Or you can write the answer once and copy it infinitely. I understand the feeling because I frequently tell the vaccine-hesitant why they should vaccinate, but
by Natsu 5y ago
Or you can write the answer once and copy it infinitely.
I understand the feeling because I frequently tell the vaccine-hesitant why they should vaccinate, but it's not nearly that bad if you actually try to inform people.
Also, you're not accounting for the reverse, where something is popular but wrong and asserts that it should never ever have to explain why it's right.
Finally, a more useful heuristic is to listen to explanations from people who can and do tell you how things work. The BS artists generally either have models that directly contradict what we know of the world or have no coherent model at all.
Incidentally, the above post is an example of this, is something I've explained many times, and took me nowhere near 10 times as long as your post to write unless you can type significantly faster than 120 WPM.
- PoignardAzur 5y agoYeah, but you're posting on a forum that rewards effort and thoughtful explanations. Also, I've gotten down the rabbit hole of debating with eg vaccine skeptics IRL, and sometimes giving a details-based answers helps, sometimes it doesn't. Some people just stick to their arguments like a shield, and will just cycle between arguments if you knock one of them down. Explaining that eg mRNA has a very short half-life and is unlikely to have long term side-effects doesn't really help.
- Natsu 5y ago> Yeah, but you're posting on a forum that rewards effort and thoughtful explanations. Right now. I also mentioned posting among those who are against vaccines which is... not. > Also, I've gotten down the rabbit hole of debating with eg vaccine skeptics IRL, and sometimes giving a details-based answers helps, sometimes it doesn't. I don't think it's possible to convince everyone, ever. Some people have distorted learning and/or experience that may or may not even be possible to untangle. But as you pointed out, some can be convinced. Also, only a small minority of people ever post, leaving stuff out there with no explanation of why it's wrong is perhaps even more dangerous.
- SantalBlush 5y agoIt is difficult to gauge whether a discussion or explanation will be useful, especially when it involves a complete stranger. If one is determined not to be convinced by an explanation, they always have the option to declare your explanation insufficient.
- Natsu 5y agoSure, but many people read such things for every one who posts. That's why it's necessary to explain things properly.
- SantalBlush 5y agoI disagree that it's necessary to explain anything at all in one's spare time for free. Proper explanations require work--not just the work of forming an answer, but of learning the material in the first place. They're not something that anyone is entitled to just because they asked a bunch of questions. If the latter were the case, we could all get college educations for free just by asking questions to the right people. But it doesn't work that way. Nobody owes you anything.
- Natsu 5y ago> Nobody owes you anything. Right, that's why it's necessary to do it yourself if you want your opinion to be heard. > If the latter were the case, we could all get college educations for free just by asking questions to the right people. Honestly, you basically can do that at this point with the info on the internet. You might not get the credential itself, but you absolutely can get all the knowledge and then some with things like Khan Academy, MIT OpenCourseware, etc.
- SantalBlush 5y agoAgain, you're assuming that a full explanation is necessary simply because someone might want to be heard, which isn't true. Moreover, you haven't given much explanation for why you think that's true, which supports my point. Regarding things like OpenCourseware, etc., that's not about anyone being obligated to support their position to people asking questions, which is what we're discussing. I never said people can't consult video or a book to learn more, but it's not the same thing as demanding answers from any expert and obligating them to explain. You're basically changing the subject now, and you've proved my points pretty well, so I think we're done here.