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No, choosing to live in a fantasy world and believing in provably false conspiracy theories is not an understandable response. If I grew up hating the way histo

No, choosing to live in a fantasy world and believing in provably false conspiracy theories is not an understandable response. If I grew up hating the way history was taught and communicated because of pro-Western biases and whitewashing atrocities and American exceptionalism, and my response is to decide history is bullshit and I'm going to believe instead in some gibberish I found on a blog or a podcast, that is not understandable. It's a dramatic and seemingly emotional overreaction that not only fails to solve the issue, but significantly undermines my own ability to effectively view and understand the world in other ways. The difference of course is that anti-vaxxers and other anti-science types were and are literally dying due to their belief in nonsense and conspiracies.

_aavaa_ 4y ago
Before disparaging all of these people, consider the "provably false conspiracy theories" in light of the public health approach taken by the government and major tech companies. The beginning of the pandemic, especially, featured a great deal of noble lies and "following the science". These things have yet to be acknowledged and there hasn't been an honest discussion and apology from those involved and there has been no indication that the right lesson has been learned. > that is not understandable. It's a dramatic and seemingly emotional overreaction I think what you mean is "rational" in some platonic sense of the word rational. It is entirely understandable that humans, as sometimes irrational and always emotional creatures could react this way. It is not all history that we're talking about, as your own example demonstrates, merely the "history" and the institutions that provided the history that you grew up with. > The difference of course is that anti-vaxxers and other anti-science types were and are literally dying due to their belief in nonsense and conspiracies. Plenty of innocent people died and had their lives ruined or negatively impacted because of the nonsense beliefs and decisions made by the "follow the science" crowd. Which science was being followed when hospitals decided they did not need a stockpile of masks? Which science was being followed when it was decided that schools must be closed? Which science was being followed when it was decreed that masking children would have no negative impact on their development?
mistermann 4y ago
> No, choosing to live in a fantasy world and believing in provably false conspiracy theories is not an understandable response. A problem: you are falling victim to the very same phenomenon as the "people" you criticize: mistaking your perception of affairs to be an accurate representation of actual affairs. You do not actually possess knowledge about what is going on in the minds of your outgroup members, you only have belief. If Normies could get their own affairs sorted out, maybe they could demonstrate by example how to think in a logically an epistemically sound manner, but until they do me and my fellow conspiracy theorists (as flawed as they are) will continue being a thorn in your sides. > If I grew up hating the way history was taught and communicated because of pro-Western biases and whitewashing atrocities and American exceptionalism, and my response is to decide history is bullshit and I'm going to believe instead in some gibberish I found on a blog or a podcast, that is not understandable. To what degree is this actually happening though? If you cannot question the accuracy of your beliefs, why should the members of your outgroup? Also, note that "not understandable" has a dependency on your abilities as well. > The difference of course is that anti-vaxxers and other anti-science types were and are literally dying due to their belief in nonsense and conspiracies. And taking others with them! Best put on our thinking caps and figure out what's actually happening if you ask me.

_aavaa_ 4y ago

Before disparaging all of these people, consider the "provably false conspiracy theories" in light of the public health approach taken by the government and major tech companies. The beginning of the pandemic, especially, featured a great deal of noble lies and "following the science". These things have yet to be acknowledged and there hasn't been an honest discussion and apology from those involved and there has been no indication that the right lesson has been learned. > that is not understandable. It's a dramatic and seemingly emotional overreaction I think what you mean is "rational" in some platonic sense of the word rational. It is entirely understandable that humans, as sometimes irrational and always emotional creatures could react this way. It is not all history that we're talking about, as your own example demonstrates, merely the "history" and the institutions that provided the history that you grew up with. > The difference of course is that anti-vaxxers and other anti-science types were and are literally dying due to their belief in nonsense and conspiracies. Plenty of innocent people died and had their lives ruined or negatively impacted because of the nonsense beliefs and decisions made by the "follow the science" crowd. Which science was being followed when hospitals decided they did not need a stockpile of masks? Which science was being followed when it was decided that schools must be closed? Which science was being followed when it was decreed that masking children would have no negative impact on their development?

mistermann 4y ago

> No, choosing to live in a fantasy world and believing in provably false conspiracy theories is not an understandable response. A problem: you are falling victim to the very same phenomenon as the "people" you criticize: mistaking your perception of affairs to be an accurate representation of actual affairs. You do not actually possess knowledge about what is going on in the minds of your outgroup members, you only have belief. If Normies could get their own affairs sorted out, maybe they could demonstrate by example how to think in a logically an epistemically sound manner, but until they do me and my fellow conspiracy theorists (as flawed as they are) will continue being a thorn in your sides. > If I grew up hating the way history was taught and communicated because of pro-Western biases and whitewashing atrocities and American exceptionalism, and my response is to decide history is bullshit and I'm going to believe instead in some gibberish I found on a blog or a podcast, that is not understandable. To what degree is this actually happening though? If you cannot question the accuracy of your beliefs, why should the members of your outgroup? Also, note that "not understandable" has a dependency on your abilities as well. > The difference of course is that anti-vaxxers and other anti-science types were and are literally dying due to their belief in nonsense and conspiracies. And taking others with them! Best put on our thinking caps and figure out what's actually happening if you ask me.