Fascinating article on stupid people

[Cruzan]

http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/03/denial-science-chris-mooney

[Cruzan]

1. Very current example: High Speed Rail

http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/04/21/harrod.high.speed.rail.trains/?hpt=T2

[GomezLives]

2. Heh, stupid people are funny

[valerief]

4. There is that. nt

[handmade34]

5. no, it's not funny

[GomezLives]

7. You could have gone Joe Pesci on me.

[Kurovski]

10. LOL. (nt)

[jimlup]

16. That would be true if...

They didn't do so much damage in the process of their stupid ramblings.

[handmade34]

3. rec

[Cruzan]

6. Counter Example: Accused aid worker

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/21/opinion/21kristof.html

[themadstork]

8. So what does this say about those of us who routinely alter our stance on an issue in light of new

evidence? Or those of us who freely admit that we're unsure/undecided when we haven't seen reviewed enough evidence to deliberate on an issue? Are we neural freaks? Why is this something that comes so hard to so many people?

And I don't think not doing this means a person is necessarily stupid. Many intelligent people behave similarly.

[sendero]

18. If you can't change your mind..

.... it may be broken.

[MilesColtrane]

9. When someone posted a proposal for a special forum on DU to allow right wingers to mouth off...

in the hopes that reasoned debate and facts would sway them to a more liberal view, I mentioned that it would likely have the opposite effect.

While I do like being right, I wish the science didn't back me up in this case.

[Kurovski]

11. "We apply fight-or-flight reflexes not only to predators, but to data itself."

I've done it. I never believed homosexuality was a mental illness, a sin, or real crime. late 60s to early 70s when I grew up. I would have been told I was in denial I guess. Still many in the world would say that. But I say: Get over it, ya turdball of a Jack Ass."

[uponit7771]

12. This article is a must read, I never thought most conservatives were stupid just ....

...don't have background thinking that matched reality

[patrice]

13. Cognitive characteristics are such an interesting topic.

[kentuck]

14. We think we are reasoning when we are rationalizing...

We think we are being scientists when we are being lawyers.

[harris8]

15. Awesome article - K&R

[sendero]

17. Explains..

.. why conservatives still "believe" tax cuts for the rich create jobs in the face of irrefutable evidence to the contrary.

[hfojvt]

19. yeah, did you notice this line

"In other words, a higher education correlated with an INCREASED likelihood of denying the science on the issue."

And this

"If you want somebody to accept new evidence, make sure to present it to them in a context that doesn't trigger a defensive, emotional reaction."


Or in other words, it might help if you did not pre-judge them as being 'stupid' just because they disagree with you.