3 ms·

Just today I was listening to Consider This on NPR (transcript [1]) about the increase of election worker harassment. It's quite scary the level things have got

Just today I was listening to Consider This on NPR (transcript [1]) about the increase of election worker harassment. It's quite scary the level things have gotten, with serious death threats, harassment, vandalism, even one election worker's dog being poisoned. What we still haven't come to grips with is that the internet and the information age have made propaganda and the ability to sway large swaths of the "stupid" (which I would more accurately call the uninformed credulous) exceedingly easy. Network effects cause this mob behavior to accelerate much more rapidly than before. In Carl Sagan’s The Demon Haunted World [2], he starts his book with an account of what Dietrich here would call the "stupid", a taxi driver that begins to question Carl in earnest about all sorts of conspiracies. Carl shows through this exchange that it's not that people are stupid. Often many of the credulous are very intelligent, and curious. But what has happened is that our society has failed to teach critical thinking across the board, and has also failed in its ability to democratize education in a way the reaches everyone equally. Public schools have been a failure in teaching critical thinking. Teachers are not versed or required to have standards in critical thinking skills. Our society also lacks a focus on childhood mental health, so children the most at risk often can't even begin to benefit from school, and will continue down the same paths as their parents. And so we are left with a perpetual problem that continues generation to generation. If we fix our education and mental health systems, I believe a lot of the worlds problems will follow. [1] https://www.npr.org/2023/06/20/1183289840/election-workers-are-already-being-threatened-theyre-worried-about-2024 https://www.npr.org/2023/06/20/1183289840/election-workers-a... [2] https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Dark-ebook/dp/B004W0I00Q/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2DOZ38JK66SXJ&keywords=the+demon+haunted+world+carl+sagan+kindle&qid=1687315364&sprefix=the+demon+haunted+world+carl+sagan+kindl%2Caps%2C142&sr=8-1 https://www.amazon.com/Demon-Haunted-World-Science-Candle-Da...

smackeyacky 3y ago
I used to believe that conspirasists and prejudiced people would drop their ignorance in the face of reason but I don't any more. Chuds are chuds and will never change unless whatever it is suddenly confronts them personally and engages their emotions. We just have to deal with the fact that our chud brethren are not to be excited or riled up and its best to simply change the subject when they say something ignorant. Bless their little cotton socks.
- mistermann 3y ago
  >I used to believe that conspirasists and prejudiced people would drop their ignorance in the face of reason but I don't any more. Why ask of others what you yourself will not do (here I am referring to the hallucinations in the remainder of your message. Why you hallucinate reality, Homie? Why do you not "simply" stop doing that? Did you even realize you were doing it in the first place?). I await my cultural scolding/education ("bad faith!", "HN is for "curious conversation" [only] - one account throttling for you!"[1], etc) with anticipation. [1] Gee, might this sort of thing play any causal role in the grand scheme of why humanity is not as smart as it could be?
  - smackeyacky 3y ago
    How about that Super bowl this year, that sure was something!
    - mistermann 3y ago
      Well this comment certainly caught me off guard....either I'm misinterpreting your intended meaning, or it is one of the more paradoxical experiences I've had in recent memory....or, you were joking initially and are now dragging it out? It's fun to think about anyways!

smackeyacky 3y ago

I used to believe that conspirasists and prejudiced people would drop their ignorance in the face of reason but I don't any more. Chuds are chuds and will never change unless whatever it is suddenly confronts them personally and engages their emotions. We just have to deal with the fact that our chud brethren are not to be excited or riled up and its best to simply change the subject when they say something ignorant. Bless their little cotton socks.

mistermann 3y ago
>I used to believe that conspirasists and prejudiced people would drop their ignorance in the face of reason but I don't any more. Why ask of others what you yourself will not do (here I am referring to the hallucinations in the remainder of your message. Why you hallucinate reality, Homie? Why do you not "simply" stop doing that? Did you even realize you were doing it in the first place?). I await my cultural scolding/education ("bad faith!", "HN is for "curious conversation" [only] - one account throttling for you!"[1], etc) with anticipation. [1] Gee, might this sort of thing play any causal role in the grand scheme of why humanity is not as smart as it could be?
- smackeyacky 3y ago
  How about that Super bowl this year, that sure was something!
  - mistermann 3y ago
    Well this comment certainly caught me off guard....either I'm misinterpreting your intended meaning, or it is one of the more paradoxical experiences I've had in recent memory....or, you were joking initially and are now dragging it out? It's fun to think about anyways!