SpeedRacer 1 #1 February 28, 2008 clicky The spread of bullshit in the modern world. Speed Racer -------------------------------------------------- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,611 #2 February 28, 2008 Didn't you get the memo? We're supposed to be "opening our minds" Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butters 0 #3 February 28, 2008 Knowledge is power ..."That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,132 #4 February 28, 2008 > Didn't you get the memo? We're supposed to be "opening our minds" Yep! Scientists, historians etc are all in on big 9-11/global warming/moon landing/tobacco-is-bad-for-you conspiracies. It's the independent free thinkers who reject those consensus opinions who are the REAL geniuses of today's scientific world. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #5 February 28, 2008 Indeed. And there are figureheads gaining a vast amount of notoriety and large sums of money for it. "There's a sucker born every minute." My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SpeedRacer 1 #6 February 28, 2008 Quote> Didn't you get the memo? We're supposed to be "opening our minds" Yep! Scientists, historians etc are all in on big 9-11/global warming/moon landing/tobacco-is-bad-for-you conspiracies. It's the independent free thinkers who reject those consensus opinions who are the REAL geniuses of today's scientific world.It's TRUE, I tell ya! Speed Racer -------------------------------------------------- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
philh 0 #7 February 29, 2008 I wonder if theres a single major event in histroy that doesnt have a nutty conspiracy theory. the poeple campaigning against vaccines are real scumbags. These are medical miracles that have saved countless millions of lives, that peeople can let their ridiculous parnoia over rule that staggers belief. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pirana 0 #8 February 29, 2008 The problem is we no longer have just a few major channels for getting information; which, for all their weaknesses, were relatively reliable. We now have every nutcase able to pontificate to the masses in a manner that appears credible on the surface. (Which is what I think the article is saying). Human gullibility has always been there; people like to believe weird things. (Shermer's book on the topic is fascinating). But instead of the occasional rumor or streetcorner crazy; we now have bajillions of points of access to intentionally misleading information and purposely deceptive people. This has unfortunately happened during an era when our public education systems are being dumbed down so that people do not have to feel bad about being dumb. So we have the dangerous combination of people wanting to believe spectacular and weird things, and a degradation of the filters normally used to filter all the ridiculous tripe that is perceived by many as credible information. At a time when, more than ever before, education could be our savior, it is (at least for the masses) being watered down to the point where it now resembles training more than it resembles education. A philosophical dilemma for me, because I've always been a big fan of market-based solutions; and it appears the markets are turning a big chunk of people into sheepish idiots." . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JackC 0 #9 February 29, 2008 ^^ I reckon that about sums it up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butters 0 #10 February 29, 2008 QuoteA philosophical dilemma for me, because I've always been a big fan of market-based solutions; and it appears the markets are turning a big chunk of people into sheepish idiots. I'm beginning to think that the human brain is a complex biological computer that has been programmed by evolution and society and that humans are bound to think, say, or do things that evolution or society has programmed them to think, say, or do until they are consciously aware of the things that they have been programmed to think, say, or do and thus can consciously decide not to think, say, or do those things. The problem is that some people are consciously aware of the programming (shepherds) and choose to take advantage of those who are not (sheep) ... I don't think market-based solutions work unless we have more shepherds than sheep but then again I'm young and still learning."That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,184 #11 February 29, 2008 QuoteQuoteA philosophical dilemma for me, because I've always been a big fan of market-based solutions; and it appears the markets are turning a big chunk of people into sheepish idiots. I'm beginning to think that the human brain is a complex biological computer that has been programmed by evolution and society and that humans are bound to think, say, or do things that evolution or society has programmed them to do until they are consciously aware of the things that they have been programmed to think, say, or do and thus can consciously decide not to think, say, or do those things. The problem is that some people are consciously aware of the programming (shepherds) and choose to take advantage of those who are not (sheep) ... I don't think market-based solutions work unless we have more shepherds than sheep but then again I'm young and still learning. Most modern economic theory is based on the premise of rational, informed decision making. Yet there is abundant evidence that emotion rather than reason plays a large part in people's decisions, and ignorance is widespread, as has been amply pointed out already.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydyvr 0 #12 February 29, 2008 Quote Most modern economic theory is based on the premise of rational, informed decision making. Yet there is abundant evidence that emotion rather than reason plays a large part in people's decisions, and ignorance is widespread, as has been amply pointed out already. Shutup, I want my flat screen TV! . . =(_8^(1) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pirana 0 #13 February 29, 2008 QuoteQuoteQuoteA philosophical dilemma for me, because I've always been a big fan of market-based solutions; and it appears the markets are turning a big chunk of people into sheepish idiots. I'm beginning to think that the human brain is a complex biological computer that has been programmed by evolution and society and that humans are bound to think, say, or do things that evolution or society has programmed them to do until they are consciously aware of the things that they have been programmed to think, say, or do and thus can consciously decide not to think, say, or do those things. The problem is that some people are consciously aware of the programming (shepherds) and choose to take advantage of those who are not (sheep) ... I don't think market-based solutions work unless we have more shepherds than sheep but then again I'm young and still learning. Most modern economic theory is based on the premise of rational, informed decision making. Yet there is abundant evidence that emotion rather than reason plays a large part in people's decisions, and ignorance is widespread, as has been amply pointed out already. Butters and you, very good point. I remember the first time I was asked whether I though humans were thinking beings with emotions or emotional beings that think. I now firmly reside in the camp of believing most humans are emotional creatures that only occasionally use their brains to something near full capacity. (I mean full capacity based on each individuals ability). I may have said this before; but I think it is the price we pay for having big frontal lobes and such great capacity for creativity and conceptual thinking. Logic has taken a back seat; or at best, has turned over too many of the controls to wishful thinking." . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SpeedRacer 1 #14 February 29, 2008 I kind of think that the human mind is like a muscle, which most people don't choose to exercise enough to keep it in workable shape. Speed Racer -------------------------------------------------- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
