So the idea that people with terrible judgment also are more likely to make armchair claims about physics being “bad” is “baloney” to you? Seems almost like a truism to me. — Xtrix
It's very tempting to have opinions about everything, rather than constantly saying "I really don't know enough to have a real opinion about that," so I get the urge. — Xtrix
I tend to agree, but it's like playing poker: there's incomplete information, so you have to use your judgment about probabilities (is the likelihood that this person's range beats me here greater than my hand's strength?) -- but determining that probability is "subjective," dependent on how the person gathers information and assesses the situation. — Xtrix
Yet their conclusions are so absurd it's almost shocking. What I love the most is when they make predictions based on their beliefs. Then it becomes as apparent as poker: they're always wrong. Look no further than the Q-anon people. It's such stupid nonsense that they actually make predictions -- smarter charlatans never do that, for good reason. — Xtrix
So do I, including family members. So what? It's still terrible, terrible judgment. — Xtrix
But there's level of crazy. JFK seems to me to be less crazy than 9/11 which is less crazy than Q, etc. And I'll go further, I think you're allowed to have one or two such ideas, as long as it doesn't cloud everything in your vision. It's a fine line. — Manuel
What flavour is that quark? I don't know bite it and see. Ha ha ha! — Metaphysician Undercover
I don't follow your claim that there are subjects that we have no right to question.
— fishfry
I never once said that. — Xtrix
I'm talking about 9/11 truthers -- those who believe the towers were an "inside job," brought down by the government -- through use of remote control planes or dynamite installed in the buildings, etc. — Xtrix
The "Building 7" crowd. — Xtrix
If you're talking about something else, fine -- yeah, there are holes in all kinds of commissions. But the evidence isn't restricted to one official governmental commission. — Xtrix
How did three steel-framed buildings collapse, the first, last, and only such collapses of steel-framed buildings in history?
— fishfry
:roll: Ask a civil engineer. — Xtrix
Yes, it was the first time in history. It was also the first time in history the US was attacked in such a way on its own soil (besides Pearl Harbor). — Xtrix
So what? It happened: the planes flew into the buildings, and the buildings collapsed. — Xtrix
If you want to learn about it, there's plenty of credible information out there. The NIST comes to mind.
[/quotre]
That's exactly the problem. The NIST report is a disgrace. It's an exercise in handwaving at best. It raises more questions than it answers. You should do your homework.
— Xtrix
Direct your very free-thinking questions to them. While your at it, direct your skepticism towards electromagnetism -- isn't THAT theory a little funny? — Xtrix
But I've never said things can't be legitimately discussed. — Xtrix
Some things can, some things can't. — Xtrix
I don't consider 9/11 "questions" to be legitimate ones — Xtrix
-- they're not after "truth," they -- like Creationists and Holocaust deniers before them -- start with an idea that's been planted into their heads and they try to poke holes, distort and exaggerate every word and every detail, use false arguments and sophisticated sophistry to confirm their gut feelings. — Xtrix
All with either no alternatives, or stories that are so ludicrous as to be embarrassing. Flat earthers do the same thing -- are their questions "legitimate"? Maybe to you -- not to me. 9/11 truthers are in the same group, in my judgment. Again, your circle of legitimacy needs to be shrunk -- by a lot. — Xtrix
No -- that's just an excuse you tell yourself. The real reason -- and obvious to anyone with any historical or psychological sense -- is that Reagan didn't die. Had he died, it would have been another JFK moment, and people like you would be defending bogus theories about Hinckley being a CIA operative or something. — Xtrix
There's plenty of problems with that assassination attempt I could conjure up right now. — Xtrix
How did this guy get so close to the President? Did you know there were warning signs that were ignored by the FBI? Full documentation is still classified. Reagan's stint in the hospital was odd -- no reporters, no pictures. Many people think that he really died but a look-alike was put in his place from then on -- plenty of video evidence that suggests this. Etc. — Xtrix
I'm not saying any of it is true -- but how can you not question? Don't you want to find out the truth? If you want to sit and idly believe the standard narrative, that's on you. Why are you so conforming? — Xtrix
Psychological theories aren't evidence.
— fishfry
Again, not a surprise you miss the point. What psychology does do is show why people like you even care about evidence in the first place. — Xtrix
You're clearly of this cloth. — Xtrix
And no amount of explanation by me or anyone else can convince you of where you're going wrong. — Xtrix
But you are. You go way too far towards one extreme, then want to justify it with the standard arguments about "free thought," while of course invoking Galileo and the Church, how "everyone believed" the earth was flat at one point (straight out of Men in Black, if I recall), sapere aude, etc. etc. etc. Been there, done that. — Xtrix
Indeed. I do the same with Creationists and Flat Earthers as well. Normally I don't even bother with the claims about "facts" or "evidence" at all -- so you're an exception in that case! — Xtrix
But still ultimately another deluded individual. And again, me saying so won't sway you. I already know that. I'm writing mainly for others -- you're a good demonstration of thinking gone awry. — Xtrix
Guess I caught a real one here. Funny I anticipated the building 7 thing above -- without having read further. Shocker. — Xtrix
Another typical response. Actually in the 9/11 case I have, a little. But I regret spending even a second on it -- the most it deserved was 0 seconds, like the claims of flat earthers. Of course I could be wrong about them too! But that's a risk I'm happy to take. I trust my bullshit-detector. — Xtrix
Calm down... — Xtrix
Why do they need to stay home, socially distance, and wear masks if every single one of them is vaxed?
— fishfry
Why? WHY? — Xtrix
Yes. You have poor judgment and I don't. That's the difference. — Xtrix
I actually did laugh at this one. You rebel you! Just a natural born rebel! — Xtrix
Or naturally born deluded. But go with whichever is more psychologically pleasing. — Xtrix
Yes, and I suspect you'd go right to the end of that experiment -- if the experimenter was a 9/11 truther, of course. — Xtrix
That all changed the day I saw a [url=]video of the collapse of building 7. You can't unsee it. It's a controlled demolition. — fishfry
It remains unexplained. — fishfry
How did three steel-framed buildings collapse, the first, last, and only such collapses of steel-framed buildings in history?
— fishfry
:roll: Ask a civil engineer.
— Xtrix
Like these guys? — fishfry
And you seem remarkably uncurious about the world. — fishfry
I don't consider 9/11 "questions" to be legitimate ones
— Xtrix
Why not? — fishfry
No -- that's just an excuse you tell yourself. The real reason -- and obvious to anyone with any historical or psychological sense -- is that Reagan didn't die. Had he died, it would have been another JFK moment, and people like you would be defending bogus theories about Hinckley being a CIA operative or something.
— Xtrix
I don't see that at all. — fishfry
I don't recall anything out of the ordinary or questionable about that case. — fishfry
How did this guy get so close to the President? Did you know there were warning signs that were ignored by the FBI? Full documentation is still classified. Reagan's stint in the hospital was odd -- no reporters, no pictures. Many people think that he really died but a look-alike was put in his place from then on -- plenty of video evidence that suggests this. Etc.
— Xtrix
LOL. Good stuff! There was nothing remarkable about the case at the time. You seem to think people make up conspiracies, rather than simply notice anomalies in the official explanation and look for answers. — fishfry
I'm not saying any of it is true -- but how can you not question? Don't you want to find out the truth? If you want to sit and idly believe the standard narrative, that's on you. Why are you so conforming?
— Xtrix
You honestly don't seem to be able to distinguish between people making things up, and people noting actual, substantive anomalies. — fishfry
People question the official stories of the JFK assassination and 9/11 precisely because the official explanation are so full of holes. Not because they are psychologically disposed to see things that aren't there. And this explains your Hinkley example. There really weren't any mysteries about that case. That I know of. And if there were, as you enumerated, they didn't resonate with enough people. — fishfry
Ad hominems are all you've got. No facts, no evidence, no logic. — fishfry
You're embarrassing yourself. — fishfry
You have as little curiosity about 9/11 as you do about flat earth theory. I just find this a stunning admission. — fishfry
Yes. You have poor judgment and I don't. That's the difference.
— Xtrix
I would say the same about you. — fishfry
What am I deluded about? — fishfry
You can have the last word. — fishfry
I doubt that very much. — Xtrix
I doubt that very much.
— Xtrix
To the extent that this counts as a post, you're right. — fishfry
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