Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

RGB3x3 t1_j6s7k2q wrote

Reply to comment by MooMooStone in How to be a sceptic | We have an ethical responsibility to adopt a sceptical attitude to everything from philosophy and science to economics and history in the pursuit of a good life for ourselves and others. by IAI_Admin

I've noticed lately that a certain group of people will be skeptical about all the wrong things. They're not skeptical about a company telling them their untested product cures ailments or that clean coal can save the planet.

They're skeptical about massive scientific research and clearly proven facts. And they're skeptical-bordering-on-conspiracy about the mundane and meaningless. Questioning the wrong authority on things they know nothing about.

8

MooMooStone t1_j6sdd47 wrote

Absolutely, noticed a line they always incorporate, "I do my own research" and then make the most mind-numbing statement.

But also extra funny because my comment is downvoted.

5

XiphosAletheria t1_j6uervp wrote

Or perhaps they are questioning the authorities that have a track record of openly lying to them, as when, early the pandemic, the experts all said masks weren't very useful against Covid, not because they didn't know better but because supplies of decent masks were limited and they didn't want a run on them.

And you see a lot of lies like that from governments, the establishment, etc. Often their core supporters don't even experience the lies as lies, because the lies aren't meant to fool them. As when then primary-candidate Obama promised blue collar workers he'd tear up NAFTA, while sending messages to the Canadian government assuring them this was just a campaign lie. When it came out, it didn't kill Obama's political fortunes, because his core supporters all knew he was lying any way, to get those low information idiots onboard.

But the penalty for lying repeatedly to people you don't respect is that they eventually start to just assume everything you are saying is a lie. And it seems like a lot of Americans have reached that point with the government and its associated experts.

1

Wow00woW t1_j6w0oct wrote

I really don't believe that at all. people just didn't want to be inconvenienced. they took any opportunity of confusion and clinged to it. we saw it when the truth about masks was concrete. they still believe masks are ineffective or downright harmful.

also bringing up Obama has nothing to do with this, except that the same obstructionist group of people are just that; petulant children.

2

XiphosAletheria t1_j6x8i39 wrote

>I really don't believe that at all.

You don't believe that if people are repeatedly lied to, they eventually begin to mistrust those who lied to them? Because that's a basic psychological truth, really.

2