Research... Get a Clue

[Loulit01]

What is the problem? In high school and college I had to go to libraries, sometimes to Manhattan from NJ, to go to the NYPL on 5th and 42nd to get the right materials. Card catologues, sorting through stacks, writing down names and numbers to get articles pulled from files by staff.

Now you just hit Google. It's like a dream. But this seems too tough for many, many people. Research is a dirty word. Why read facts when you can watch TV and have talking heads explain stuff to you in a way designed to get ratings, not the truth? And these are people who care enough about politics and topical issues to post on a debate forum. Imagine the colossal ignorance of our average voter.

As an example, there are intelligent people here who don't believe climate change is real.

I find it difficult not to despair sometimes.

 

[RabidAlpaca]

Well the problem is that so many people today feel qualified to "research" and form conclusions on complex topics they know nothing about. I'm sure most of the anti-vaxx idiots on this forum will claim they "did their own research", and by that, they Google "Covid vaccine kills" and they read the first blog that came up, which confirmed what they wanted to believe.

In reality, these are people who haven't spent even one single day of their lives dedicated to studying virology, yet they believe they know more than all of the world's virologists combined and their judgment is better and more effective than the scientific process.

These people are illiterate, uneducated idiots, and they know they are. You can't reason with them, so just mock them and let them continue to kill themselves off like the lemmings they are.

 

[ataraxia]

What is the problem? In high school and college I had to go to libraries, sometimes to Manhattan from NJ, to go to the NYPL on 5th and 42nd to get the right materials. Card catolugues, sorting through stacks, writing down names and numbers to get articles pulled from files by staff.

Now you just hit Google. It's like a dream. But this seems too tough for many, many people. Research is a dirty word. Why read facts when you can watch TV and have talking heads explain stuff to you in a way designed to get ratings, not the truth. And these are people who care enough about politics and topical issues to post on a debate forum. Imagine the colossal ignorance of our average voter.

As an example, there are intelligent people here who don't believe climate change is real.

I find it difficult not to despair sometimes.

It is true that in this age of internet access and social media, we are getting stupider and more isolated, paradoxically and counterintuitively. It was never supposed to work this way. But oh well- it has.

Why is this weird phenomenon happening? There are people who are researching it.

Professor says he knows why the last 10 years in the US have been so 'stupid'

Social psychologist and NYU professor Jonathan Haidt argues that social media has polarized and damaged democracy in the US.

www.wfmz.com

 

[The Mark]

What is the problem? In high school and college I had to go to libraries, sometimes to Manhattan from NJ, to go to the NYPL on 5th and 42nd to get the right materials. Card catolugues, sorting through stacks, writing down names and numbers to get articles pulled from files by staff.

Now you just hit Google. It's like a dream. But this seems too tough for many, many people. Research is a dirty word. Why read facts when you can watch TV and have talking heads explain stuff to you in a way designed to get ratings, not the truth. And these are people who care enough about politics and topical issues to post on a debate forum. Imagine the colossal ignorance of our average voter.

As an example, there are intelligent people here who don't believe climate change is real.

I find it difficult not to despair sometimes.

It's easier to have someone who acts like they know what they're doing tell you what you want to hear and affirm your reality is the real one.

 

[ataraxia]

 

[Torus34]

What is the problem? In high school and college I had to go to libraries, sometimes to Manhattan from NJ, to go to the NYPL on 5th and 42nd to get the right materials. Card catolugues, sorting through stacks, writing down names and numbers to get articles pulled from files by staff.

Now you just hit Google. It's like a dream. But this seems too tough for many, many people. Research is a dirty word. Why read facts when you can watch TV and have talking heads explain stuff to you in a way designed to get ratings, not the truth. And these are people who care enough about politics and topical issues to post on a debate forum. Imagine the colossal ignorance of our average voter.

As an example, there are intelligent people here who don't believe climate change is real.

I find it difficult not to despair sometimes.

Hi, Loulit01.

The steps leading up from the Dungeon of Despair to a brighter outlook is informed by considering just what we h. sapiens really are. For openers, we tend toward rationalization as opposed to the strictly rational. We're capable of holding two mutually exclusive beliefs without feeling it necessary to resolve the conflict. We make myriad decisions without conscious thought.

On forums such as this one, you'll find folks who are here for a number of reasons. A few are interested in learning something new, perhaps an insight or a way to frame a concept. Others are simply trolls. Yet others are interested in 'winning', as defined by them.

A secular humanist with background in the sciences, I engage these days with those wishing to explore issues. I politely thank those who I find have another agenda. As a last resort, there's the 'ignore' option.

Regards, stay safe 'n well.

 

[Loulit01]

Hi, Loulit01.

The steps leading up from the Dungeon of Despair to a brighter outlook is informed by considering just what we h. sapiens really are. For openers, we tend toward rationalization as opposed to the strictly rational. We're capable of holding two mutually exclusive beliefs without feeling it necessary to resolve the conflict.

Yeah, I grok doublethink. 1984 happened a long time ago.

We make myriad decisions without conscious thought.

On forums such as this one, you'll find folks who are here for a number of reasons. A few are interested in learning something new, perhaps an insight or a way to frame a concept. Others are simply trolls. Yet others are interested in 'winning', as defined by them.

A secular humanist with background in the sciences, I engage these days with those wishing to explore issues. I politely thank those who I find have another agenda. As a last resort, there's the 'ignore' option.

Regards, stay safe 'n well.

Thanks!

 

[bluesmoke]

Hi, Loulit01.

The steps leading up from the Dungeon of Despair to a brighter outlook is informed by considering just what we h. sapiens really are. For openers, we tend toward rationalization as opposed to the strictly rational. We're capable of holding two mutually exclusive beliefs without feeling it necessary to resolve the conflict. We make myriad decisions without conscious thought.

On forums such as this one, you'll find folks who are here for a number of reasons. A few are interested in learning something new, perhaps an insight or a way to frame a concept. Others are simply trolls. Yet others are interested in 'winning', as defined by them.

A secular humanist with background in the sciences, I engage these days with those wishing to explore issues. I politely thank those who I find have another agenda. As a last resort, there's the 'ignore' option.

Regards, stay safe 'n well.

Bolding of your post is mine.

We're talking about many posters who use the ignore option as the first resort, during debate. Heh-heh.

 

[Torus34]

Bolding of your post is mine.

We're talking about many posters who use the ignore option as the first resort, during debate. Heh-heh.

Hi, bluesmoke.

Nice to chat with you again.

To be honest, I've no idea whatever of whether I've been placed on someone's ignore list. If I have, I consider it a plus, not a minus. I have always responded to those who quote my posts with politeness and respect. I shall continue to do so.

Regards, best wishes to you and yours.

 

[Loulit01]

I've never ignored anyone. Sometimes the trolley, jerky ones are hilarious.

 

[Lord Tammerlain]

While I am not a brain surgeon or rocket scientist

I did sleep at a Holiday inn last night and read something or heard it on talk radio, that makes my opinion on topics just as valid and truthful as a person who studied the topic for years and whose expertise is in that field.

I will answer all questions with an ill formed opinion that you can trust and follow without question

 

[TheParser]

What is the problem?

Now you just hit Google.

Actually, it's not that easy.

Google scrubs certain information not deemed worthy of posting.

For example, I am so old that I remember there was gossip about Mr. X back in the 1970s (?) that he was gay or at least bisexual.

I just googled that rumor because his name is being bandied about in the media big time nowadays. (He is deceased.)

There was absolutely no results -- to the best of my knowledge.