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Cli4ordtheBRD t1_j6srcew wrote

This is a really good book about how to be skeptical and how to use your newfound powers.

Calling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World". It's by two professors, Carl T. Bergstrom (Theoretical & Evolutionary Biologist) and Jevin D. West (Data Science). This isn't a book about bipolar but it's very much worth the read (and I highly recommend it ([the full course is on YouTube] (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPnZfvKID1Sje5jWxt-4CSZD7bUI4gSPS)))

Towards the end, the authors try to instill a sense of responsibility in the reader of their new found powers by providing multiple warnings, which unfortunately could be read as a list of devastating personal attacks on my character provided by someone who has spent serious time with me (I was once told that having a conversation with me "felt like the verbal equivalent of getting mugged"...by a friend, who wasn't wrong).

  • "Carelessly calling bullshit is a quick way to make enemies of strangers and strangers of friends." (pg. 266)

  • "Scoring rhetorical points on tangential technicalities doesn't convince anyone, it just pisses people off." (pg. 280)

  • "The less antagonistic your interaction is, the more likely someone will seriously consider your ideas." (pg. 280)

  • "What's a well-actually guy? It’s the guy who interrupts a conversation to demonstrate his own cleverness by pointing out some irrelevant factoid that renders the speaker incorrect on a technicality." (pg. 284)

  • "A well-actually guy doesn't care so much about where the argument is going as he does about demonstrating his own intellectual superiority." (pg. 285)

  • "A well-actually guy doesn't care about protecting an audience, he is merely interested in demonstrating his own cleverness." (pg. 285)

  • "His motivation is to put the speaker in her place while raising himself up." (pg. 285)

  • "A caller of bullshit makes a careful decision about whether it is worthwhile to speak up, derail a conversation, risk a confrontation, or make someone feel defensive. A well-actually guy simply cannot help himself. He hears something he believes he can contradict and doesn't have the self-control to think first about whether it is helpful to do so." (pg. 285)

  • "He doesn't care about advancing truth, or about the logical coherence of his objections. He is simply trying to impress or intimidate someone with his knowledge." (pg. 286)

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rynosoft t1_j6tnrdt wrote

I worry all the time about being the well-actually guy.

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fenasi_kerim t1_j6vxu4j wrote

Actually it's pretty easy to not be that guy.

...wait.

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OkeyDoke47 t1_j6ux27k wrote

My brother-in-law is the ''well actually'' guy, and he actually does say that.

He is a man of clearly superior intellect, Rain Man level of recall for tiny little factoids about everything. it's just a shame that he always feels the need to prove his superiority with every conversation. This makes him often unpleasant, when he is otherwise a pleasant man.

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jorjordandan t1_j6vvzsh wrote

This also reminds me of the idea of reading or listening charitably- assuming the best version of the argument, or that the writer or listener simplified something to make it more legible or interesting… a well actually guy always does the opposite, looking for any detail to jump on to, whether it’s relevant to the conversation or not. I think this behaviour (in addition to being irritating) also lowers the quality of discourse in general by forcing everyone to constantly hedge their arguments against every possible obvious minor nitpick.

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buttersstochfan-5956 t1_j6vqesd wrote

Hahaha I just picked up the audiobook for Calling Bullshit, it's really good!

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Also Alexa will bleep the name out when you play it out of the speaker.

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