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> And though Second Commenter is lazy, we recognize the dismissive potato-potahto sentiment. “Come on, don’t be a party pooper.” We feel that in social situatio
by ddoolin 13y ago
> And though Second Commenter is lazy, we recognize the dismissive potato-potahto sentiment. “Come on, don’t be a party pooper.” We feel that in social situations. Don’t challenge. It’ll be awkward. If someone posts the Time piece on their Facebook wall, it’s a little jerky to post LaPrade’s rebuttal in the comments. That’s why the good doctor’s post won’t have as strong legs in correcting the record; a lot of the people who cared about posting the “discovery” the first time will shy from posting that it actually wasn’t. It makes them look duped.
This seems to me like the most important takeaway here. I've corrected people on Facebook many times and gotten pretty nasty replies for doing so, but honestly it's for the better if just one person isn't fooled by a misleading story or outright lie.
On the same note, I give things a lot of time and thought before posting anything on any network, especially if it's opinionated.
- prawks 13y agoThis is one thing I will probably just never understand about people. If I'm wrong, I want to know about it. Why wouldn't you? I get that there are a multitude of reasons, yadda yadda, but it's just so difficult for me to empathize with someone who has that mentality. You really want to live with a bunch of (potentially dangerous) misconceptions? Doesn't that go against basic survival instincts (lizard brain) at the very least?
- Amadou 13y agoDoesn't that go against basic survival instincts (lizard brain) at the very least? It's a form of tribalism and I'd argue that tribalism is the king of "lizard brain" survival instincts.
- xenophonf 13y agoHasn't the whole "lizard brain" thing been debunked? See for example http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2012/09/07/revenge-of-the-lizard-brain/ http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2012/09/07/re....
- Amadou 13y agoSure, but it is still a catch-all term for base, low-cognitive mental processes. I don't literally think lizards are tribal, if anything the opposite.
- gohrt 13y agoI find that it helps get a better reception if you let the poster save face by saying something like "Someone discovered that the article had a mistake" or "You were lied to", to deflect the focus from "you are wrong/stupid"
- ryusage 13y agoEven the phrase "you were lied to" is bound to make some people defensive. People generally feel embarrassed when they've been conned or deceived, like it's a personal failing on their own part, and that statement is just bluntly calling them out for being a fool. It's pretty tricky to point these things out without offending anyone.