Stupid isn’t the same as harmful though. They didn’t ban anti-vax because it was stupid, they banned it because they were putting people at risk. This is more of the same. I don’t get what flatearthers put at risk other than our eyes after rolling them too hard.
They’re gateways for other more dangerous conspiracy theories and the alt right. Folding Ideas has an excellent vid about it but I don’t have the time to link it now.
And if we were to censor flat earthers, do you think you’ll get less alt rights from the flat earthers or more?
Hint: by blocking their speech, you end up giving them first-hand evidence on a key alt-right talking point; that the mainstream censors ideas simply because it doesn’t like them. “It was never about safety, like they said when they went after COVID deniers and anti vaxxers. They went after flat earthers who, even by their standards, aren’t posing any harm.”
Not sure I follow… Is the implication that religion is magical thinking, and therefore harmful to society? Because if so, I agree.
If you really are interested in this concept, I highly recommend reading “The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark” by Carl Sagan. In fact, it should be required reading for every adult human.
He explains why this stuff is harmful way better than I ever could.
There are always elements of ‘magical thinking’ in our lives. There is a lot that cannot be explained by the logical, such as human behaviour. And sometimes we have these fantasies in our head, even though they are impossible or…out there.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that on some level, ‘magical thinking’ is innate to all of us and isn’t something that should be discouraged. Obviously it shouldn’t override hard facts but if they do and no one stands to be harmed…just let people be wrong and start on the process of learning.
Again, if you actually care to learn more about this position, I highly recommend reading A Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan. Like I said, he does a much better job explaining what I’m attempting to say.
I’m not talking about people just “being wrong,” and then learning. That isn’t what’s happening.
And no, magical thinking is not part of everyone’s life, and it absolutely should be discouraged.
How are we defining magical thinking here? Are we talking about anything illogical or specifically the unironic my-Hogwarts-letter-got-lost-in-the-post types?
I’ll definitely give that book a read, thanks for the recommendation.
Magical thinking, or superstitious thinking,[1] is the belief that unrelated events are causally connected despite the absence of any plausible causal link between them, particularly as a result of supernatural effects.
Flat earth videos when?
Do flat earthers really hurt anyone though?
It’s a gateway for stupider things.
Stupid isn’t the same as harmful though. They didn’t ban anti-vax because it was stupid, they banned it because they were putting people at risk. This is more of the same. I don’t get what flatearthers put at risk other than our eyes after rolling them too hard.
They’re gateways for other more dangerous conspiracy theories and the alt right. Folding Ideas has an excellent vid about it but I don’t have the time to link it now.
And if we were to censor flat earthers, do you think you’ll get less alt rights from the flat earthers or more?
Hint: by blocking their speech, you end up giving them first-hand evidence on a key alt-right talking point; that the mainstream censors ideas simply because it doesn’t like them. “It was never about safety, like they said when they went after COVID deniers and anti vaxxers. They went after flat earthers who, even by their standards, aren’t posing any harm.”
Yes. A technological society cannot survive if people don’t support science that keeps it running.
Also most flat earthers are staunch antisemites, because the Jews are hiding the truth of the flat earth.
All pseudoscience is dangerous as it promotes magical thinking and denigrates the importance of critical thinking.
Interesting. So where do you sit on things like religion being discussed online?
Not sure I follow… Is the implication that religion is magical thinking, and therefore harmful to society? Because if so, I agree.
If you really are interested in this concept, I highly recommend reading “The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark” by Carl Sagan. In fact, it should be required reading for every adult human.
He explains why this stuff is harmful way better than I ever could.
There are always elements of ‘magical thinking’ in our lives. There is a lot that cannot be explained by the logical, such as human behaviour. And sometimes we have these fantasies in our head, even though they are impossible or…out there.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that on some level, ‘magical thinking’ is innate to all of us and isn’t something that should be discouraged. Obviously it shouldn’t override hard facts but if they do and no one stands to be harmed…just let people be wrong and start on the process of learning.
Again, if you actually care to learn more about this position, I highly recommend reading A Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan. Like I said, he does a much better job explaining what I’m attempting to say.
I’m not talking about people just “being wrong,” and then learning. That isn’t what’s happening.
And no, magical thinking is not part of everyone’s life, and it absolutely should be discouraged.
How are we defining magical thinking here? Are we talking about anything illogical or specifically the unironic my-Hogwarts-letter-got-lost-in-the-post types?
I’ll definitely give that book a read, thanks for the recommendation.