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> but the problem is that the chatterati — very nice and non-conspiracy-theorising and non-overtly-racist though they may be — tend to coalesce around some quit

> but the problem is that the chatterati — very nice and non-conspiracy-theorising and non-overtly-racist though they may be — tend to coalesce around some quite similar viewpoints, which makes for a rather echoey chamber. Are any of us truly going to live better lives if we see a bunch of conspiracy theories and racist rants? Some of those posts are a result of genuine mental illness. I have a clinically retarded uncle who is a big fan of nazi stuff. I'm glad the internet wasn't around when he was young.

feetsoup 2y ago
I think it could be better in that you get a more rounded perspective of what people think, and develop greater empathy for the hang-ups that people have and understand the patterns they develop along. It's certainly more comfortable to insulate yourself from those negative ideas, and everyone has to determine for themselves how much of it they can take, but ultimately I think it's positive for personal growth. And these 'clinically retarded' people, as you call them, have all of the same rights you do, including the right to vote. It's antithetical to democratic and egalitarian values to imply that a value is lesser somehow because many of the people who hold it have intellectual disabilities. If anything you could just as easily say the reason people with disabilities hold these fringe ideas are because they aren't included in the public discourse, and we have failed to learn to communicate with them effectively enough to instill them with our values.
- nitwit005 2y ago
  I called exactly one person clinically retarded. I also didn't suggest or imply disabled people should have no right to speech or vote. You made all that up.
ETH_start 2y ago
Low IQ is correlated with being racist, though that may just be that having a low IQ means you're not smart enough to keep your mouth shut about being racist.
- palmfacehn 2y ago
  IQ discussions remind me of the obese discussing the diet trends. Those most concerned with dieting may not be the healthiest. However, they are healthy by the metrics of their diet program. Similarly, one can study for IQ tests, but it leaves the question: If they are satisfied with their intellectual capacity relative to the general population, why is it necessary?
  - talldayo 2y ago
    > Similarly, one can study for IQ tests Have you ever taken an IQ test?
    - palmfacehn 2y ago
      Yes, they were compulsory. I'm also aware of individuals who are studying for them to improve their score.
- Diti 2y ago
  I’d be interested in reading primary sources showing the correlation between low IQ scores and being racist. Do you have any? All I’ve ever seen is that the overall education level of right-wing voters is lower than that of left-wing voters, but there’s no correlation related to intelligence (it probably just means that the lower-educated people live in lesser-than-kind neighborhoods).

feetsoup 2y ago

I think it could be better in that you get a more rounded perspective of what people think, and develop greater empathy for the hang-ups that people have and understand the patterns they develop along. It's certainly more comfortable to insulate yourself from those negative ideas, and everyone has to determine for themselves how much of it they can take, but ultimately I think it's positive for personal growth. And these 'clinically retarded' people, as you call them, have all of the same rights you do, including the right to vote. It's antithetical to democratic and egalitarian values to imply that a value is lesser somehow because many of the people who hold it have intellectual disabilities. If anything you could just as easily say the reason people with disabilities hold these fringe ideas are because they aren't included in the public discourse, and we have failed to learn to communicate with them effectively enough to instill them with our values.

nitwit005 2y ago
I called exactly one person clinically retarded. I also didn't suggest or imply disabled people should have no right to speech or vote. You made all that up.

ETH_start 2y ago

Low IQ is correlated with being racist, though that may just be that having a low IQ means you're not smart enough to keep your mouth shut about being racist.

palmfacehn 2y ago
IQ discussions remind me of the obese discussing the diet trends. Those most concerned with dieting may not be the healthiest. However, they are healthy by the metrics of their diet program. Similarly, one can study for IQ tests, but it leaves the question: If they are satisfied with their intellectual capacity relative to the general population, why is it necessary?
- talldayo 2y ago
  > Similarly, one can study for IQ tests Have you ever taken an IQ test?
  - palmfacehn 2y ago
    Yes, they were compulsory. I'm also aware of individuals who are studying for them to improve their score.
Diti 2y ago
I’d be interested in reading primary sources showing the correlation between low IQ scores and being racist. Do you have any? All I’ve ever seen is that the overall education level of right-wing voters is lower than that of left-wing voters, but there’s no correlation related to intelligence (it probably just means that the lower-educated people live in lesser-than-kind neighborhoods).