4 ms·

Normal human communication already does that. Do you really think almost any of the people who share their political opinions came up with them by being rationa

Normal human communication already does that. Do you really think almost any of the people who share their political opinions came up with them by being rational and working it out from information? Of course not. They just copied what they were told to believe. Almost nobody applies critical thought to politics, it's just "I believe something so I'm right and everybody else is stupid/evil".

drdaeman 1y ago
> Almost nobody applies critical thought to politics Because they have different concerns, and time and attention are scarce. With all possible social changes like the article suggests this focus could change too. Ultimately, when things will get too bad, uprisings happen and sometimes things change. And I hope the more we (collectively) get through, the higher are the chances we start noticing the patterns and stopping early.
- f6v 1y ago
  > With all possible social changes like the article suggests this focus could change too. I have an anecdote from Denmark. It’s a rich country with one of the best work-life balance in the world. Socialized healthcare and social safety net. I noticed that during the election, they put the ads with just the candidate’s face and party name. It’s like they didn’t even have a message. I asked why. The locals told me nobody cares because “they’re all the same anyway”. Two things could be happening: either all the candidates are really the same. Or people choose to focus on doing the things they like with their free time and resources. My feeling tells me it’s the second.
- kevin_b_er 1y ago
  And that's where drones and robots come in. The goal is to make sure there's no more uprisings, ever again. You need only look at the US, where the rich are given all the benefits in changes in law, and the commoner gets nothing except some get the perverted glee of causing someone else to suffer first, not realizing they're on the menu to be sacrificed later.
NitpickLawyer 1y ago
> Almost nobody applies critical thought to politics Not only that, but they actively stop applying critical thinking when the same problem is framed in a political way. And yes it's both sides, and yes the "more educated" the people are, the worse their results are (i.e. almost a complete reversal from framing the same problem as skin care products vs. gun control). Recent paper on this, also covered and somewhat replicated by popular youtubers.
ysofunny 1y ago
they way this comment is downvoted goes to show that most people are viscerally reacting to feeling insulted by being called out about how most of what we think most of the time is simply chorus-like repetition of the general vibe we lead ourselves into believing is the vibe of "our" kind of people. our tribe of like minded individuals; the hacker crowd. but at least I can admit this. it's only at certain sparse points in anybody's life that we are forced to really think critically; but this experience is terribly difficult and if/when real enough it comes with the existential dread of impossible choices weighted by real world consequences. I remind myself of this so to feel better about how I am indeed a mindless bot preaching to the choir, repeating what I was told to repeat, and pretending that I am fully present and fully free at all times (nobody is... that would be exhausting)
Cheer2171 1y ago
> Almost nobody applies critical thought to politics Including you. This is a 3000 year old critique you just uncritically parroted. It is the the original thought terminating cliche. People have always been calling each other ideologically brainwashed NPCs and themselves independent maverick free thinkers. Except my thoughts are original and critical, everyone else is just a sheep. /s
- foxglacier 1y ago
  No doubt I have some of that but I at least try to be objective. I often come up with what I think are my own political ideas (no doubt influenced by society) and they sometimes turn out to be wrong but I'm proud of myself for getting there without having them spoon-fed to me and for changing them as I learn more.

drdaeman 1y ago

> Almost nobody applies critical thought to politics Because they have different concerns, and time and attention are scarce. With all possible social changes like the article suggests this focus could change too. Ultimately, when things will get too bad, uprisings happen and sometimes things change. And I hope the more we (collectively) get through, the higher are the chances we start noticing the patterns and stopping early.

f6v 1y ago
> With all possible social changes like the article suggests this focus could change too. I have an anecdote from Denmark. It’s a rich country with one of the best work-life balance in the world. Socialized healthcare and social safety net. I noticed that during the election, they put the ads with just the candidate’s face and party name. It’s like they didn’t even have a message. I asked why. The locals told me nobody cares because “they’re all the same anyway”. Two things could be happening: either all the candidates are really the same. Or people choose to focus on doing the things they like with their free time and resources. My feeling tells me it’s the second.
kevin_b_er 1y ago
And that's where drones and robots come in. The goal is to make sure there's no more uprisings, ever again. You need only look at the US, where the rich are given all the benefits in changes in law, and the commoner gets nothing except some get the perverted glee of causing someone else to suffer first, not realizing they're on the menu to be sacrificed later.

NitpickLawyer 1y ago

> Almost nobody applies critical thought to politics Not only that, but they actively stop applying critical thinking when the same problem is framed in a political way. And yes it's both sides, and yes the "more educated" the people are, the worse their results are (i.e. almost a complete reversal from framing the same problem as skin care products vs. gun control). Recent paper on this, also covered and somewhat replicated by popular youtubers.

ysofunny 1y ago

they way this comment is downvoted goes to show that most people are viscerally reacting to feeling insulted by being called out about how most of what we think most of the time is simply chorus-like repetition of the general vibe we lead ourselves into believing is the vibe of "our" kind of people. our tribe of like minded individuals; the hacker crowd. but at least I can admit this. it's only at certain sparse points in anybody's life that we are forced to really think critically; but this experience is terribly difficult and if/when real enough it comes with the existential dread of impossible choices weighted by real world consequences. I remind myself of this so to feel better about how I am indeed a mindless bot preaching to the choir, repeating what I was told to repeat, and pretending that I am fully present and fully free at all times (nobody is... that would be exhausting)

Cheer2171 1y ago

> Almost nobody applies critical thought to politics Including you. This is a 3000 year old critique you just uncritically parroted. It is the the original thought terminating cliche. People have always been calling each other ideologically brainwashed NPCs and themselves independent maverick free thinkers. Except my thoughts are original and critical, everyone else is just a sheep. /s

foxglacier 1y ago
No doubt I have some of that but I at least try to be objective. I often come up with what I think are my own political ideas (no doubt influenced by society) and they sometimes turn out to be wrong but I'm proud of myself for getting there without having them spoon-fed to me and for changing them as I learn more.