ISF Death Clock

[sparks]

It's a waste of time. But occasionally, mildly amusing.

[Admin]

I've been chatting a bunch over at SkepticalCommunity though. That's......interesting.

People there fall into two clear groups.

A quiet bunch of decent people who sit in the background and say fuck all.

The filth who prove my point about mental illness and far-right ideology. I'm a non-violent person but I'd line them up and punch every one of them in the mouth - and I have zero doubt about my ability to that, they're a bunch of fat, useless, sick, old cunts. (as long as Wildcat isn't allowed to bring his gun. If he is, I'll just bring mine, I'd bet on being a better shot)

There are also a couple of odd-bods - Pres and Sparks - who call them out now and then.

[sparks]

Not very satisfying really. Even if one has a great argument, they will twist and/or ignore it and claim a victory on smoke they pulled out of their asses.

Pyrrho, Bruce and AC seem fairly well grounded in rationality. The rest are either batshit crazy or so busy trying to be cute that the point is lost in the quagmire of "look at how clever I am".

Fuck.

[Meadmaker]

Pyrrho, Bruce and AC seem fairly well grounded in rationality.

I haven't seen any of them.

I have seen plenty of the batshit crazy.

[stanky]

It's possible to question the official story of the JFK assassination, without thinking the moon landing was a hoax.
It's possible to agree with some of RFK jr's stance and not like Trump, at all. It's possible to be a fan of vaccinations while finding Pfizer to be an untrustworthy corporation.

The all or none mentality is a drag. It seeks divisiveness. It pre-judges, poorly, in needing to define and categorize quickly. It's arrogant. Ultimately, boring.

[arthwollipot]

In fact, conspiracy theories tend to cluster. Believing in one conspiracy makes a person more likely to believe in others.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 6921000209

[Admin]

In fact, conspiracy theories tend to cluster. Believing in one conspiracy makes a person more likely to believe in others.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 6921000209

I've seen it in real time over many years.

Conspiracies operate as gateway drugs in the exact way that drugs don't. People will buy into a harmless and irrelevant conspiracy - bigfoot or alien abductions, and because they're all related in terms of "They" (the people who are covering them up) it's easy to swallow the next line.

One guy I used to be good mates with started with covid scepticism and since the pandemic began he's moved all the way to flat earth.

It's a mental illness.

[sparks]

I've heard it said that people prefer a conspiracy theory (bullshit in other words) to no theory at all because we are, after all, pattern seeking animals.

What's you take on that notion TA?

Thanks.

[sparks]

In fact, conspiracy theories tend to cluster. Believing in one conspiracy makes a person more likely to believe in others.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... 6921000209

I blush to the roots of my hair to admit that stuff is over my head. But it did appear to be very well and thoroughly done.
Thanks Arth!

[Admin]

I've heard it said that people prefer a conspiracy theory (bullshit in other words) to no theory at all because we are, after all, pattern seeking animals.

What's you take on that notion TA?

Thanks.

I think it's more a need to believe. I'm sure you could map the numbers of people swapping from religious belief to belief in fairies/conspiracies. They then become part of an "in" group and get to feel special. My personal view is that it attracts idiots because the only way they can feel smarter than everyone else is by getting a superior feeling from being the only ones who know The Truth!

We do seek patterns, hence Jesus on toast, but I'm not sure conspiracies fit into that.