Why Does the Right Embrace Ignorance as a Virtue?

[Discombobulated]

I wonder how many Americans believe that President Obama is a Muslim? And what would be the average intelligence of those people? Another interesting subject for statistical study.

 

[Discombobulated]

Perhaps you're overestimating your intellect. That seems far more likely.

That might be true, but I certainly haven't overestimated yours.

I'm sure it comforts you to believe that.

Say, kid, ever going to do anything to merit that arrogance?

I'm only guilty of picking easy targets.

 

[Stephanie]

I wonder how many Americans believe that President Obama is a Muslim? And what would be the average intelligence of those people? Another interesting subject for statistical study.

who care's, but someone like you because you do think you are better than everyone and evidently don't have a life either
what a typical liberal SNOB

 

[Discombobulated]

I wonder how many Americans believe that President Obama is a Muslim? And what would be the average intelligence of those people? Another interesting subject for statistical study.

who care's, but someone like you because you do think you are better than everyone and evidently don't have a life either
what a typical liberal SNOB

Evidently 17% of Americans say they believe the President is a Muslim. Therefore 17% of Americans are either very stupid or completely dishonest.

 

[Toro]

I found a great article that casts some light on the puzzling, reality-denying, seemingly insane behavior of so many of the rightwingnut AGW denier cultists who post on this forum. It could have been written with them in mind. It perfectly describes their rejection of science and evidence, as well as logic and rationality, in the service of their political/economic ideologies.

Why Does the Right Embrace Ignorance as a Virtue?
Dismissing facts and science has become a staple of conservative ideology.
AlterNet
By Amanda Marcotte
June 11, 2014
(excerpts)
Spouting off about stuff you know nothing about is traditionally considered unwise. But as the Republican war on science intensifies, ignorance has started to become not only less of a handicap, but a point of pride. In the face of expertise and facts, being belligerently ignorant—and offended that anyone dare suggest ignorance is less desirable than knowledge—has become the go-to position for many conservative politicians and pundits. Sadly, it’s a strategy that’s working, making it harder every day for liberals to argue the value of evidence and reason over wishful thinking and unblinking prejudice. ... But for modern Republicans, being downright proud of their ignorance has become a badge of honor, a way to demonstrate loyalty to the right-wing cause while also sticking it to those liberal pinheads who think there’s some kind of value in knowing what they're talking about before offering an opinion.

The thing is, shameless lying and ignorance work surprisingly well as debate tactics. It’s hard to argue with someone who not only has signaled that he doesn’t care what the truth is but is downright proud of how little he actually knows. Such a person is not amenable to being educated. Once the pretense of really caring one way or another about what is right and what is wrong has been abandoned, all avenue of discourse is shut down. The problem here is that someone who is not only so catastrophically wrong but downright proud of being an ignoramus is not going to actually bother to listen to an explanation like that. That’s why the wall of ignorance is such a powerful rhetorical tool. When you have nothing but contempt for the facts, attempts to educate you will only make your pride in your own ignorance grow stronger. The more you try to educate the proudly ignorant, the dumber they get. At the end of the day, the problem is one of identity. The conservative identity is one of being opposed to everything liberal, to the point of despising anything even associated with liberalism. As liberalism has increasingly been aligned with the values of empiricism and reason, the incentives for conservatives to reject empiricism and reason multiply. To be a “conservative” increasingly means taking a contemptuous view of reality. And so the proudly ignorant grow more belligerent, day after day.

It's a good question.

One reason is because apocalyptical leftist environmentalists have been spectacularly wrong in the past.

That doesn't mean they're wrong now. But go back and read about the predictions of the new ice age in the 70s, and how acid rain had killed lakes for 10,000 years, and you can see why some people might be skeptical of global warming.

 

[Toro]

I wonder how many Americans believe that President Obama is a Muslim? And what would be the average intelligence of those people? Another interesting subject for statistical study.

Or how many people thought Bush was either behind 9/11 or knew about it and let it happen.

I'm betting many more Democrats believe that one than Republicans.

 

[Discombobulated]

I wonder how many Americans believe that President Obama is a Muslim? And what would be the average intelligence of those people? Another interesting subject for statistical study.

Or how many people thought Bush was either behind 9/11 or knew about it and let it happen.

I'm betting many more Democrats believe that one than Republicans.

I'll bet you would bet that. Maybe you should conduct a study to confirm your hypothesis.

 

[bedowin62]

I wonder how many Americans believe that President Obama is a Muslim? And what would be the average intelligence of those people? Another interesting subject for statistical study.

Or how many people thought Bush was either behind 9/11 or knew about it and let it happen.

I'm betting many more Democrats believe that one than Republicans.

I'll bet you would bet that. Maybe you should conduct a study to confirm your hypothesis.

why dont you conduct if for him or her?
i mean some morons seem to have nothing to do but use other people's money to give to people to find a "conclusion" they wanted in the first place

 

[Discombobulated]

Or how many people thought Bush was either behind 9/11 or knew about it and let it happen.

I'm betting many more Democrats believe that one than Republicans.

I'll bet you would bet that. Maybe you should conduct a study to confirm your hypothesis.

why dont you conduct if for him or her?
i mean some morons seem to have nothing to do but use other people's money to give to people to find a "conclusion" they wanted in the first place

Indeed! I see many people on this forum going to great lengths to confirm what they were already predisposed to believe.

 

[bedowin62]

I'll bet you would bet that. Maybe you should conduct a study to confirm your hypothesis.

why dont you conduct if for him or her?
i mean some morons seem to have nothing to do but use other people's money to give to people to find a "conclusion" they wanted in the first place

Indeed! I see many people on this forum going to great lengths to confirm what they were already predisposed to believe.

yes it's a message board

wow!

 

[Discombobulated]

why dont you conduct if for him or her?
i mean some morons seem to have nothing to do but use other people's money to give to people to find a "conclusion" they wanted in the first place

Indeed! I see many people on this forum going to great lengths to confirm what they were already predisposed to believe.

yes it's a message board

wow!

Which of course precludes any rational discussion.

 

[bedowin62]

Indeed! I see many people on this forum going to great lengths to confirm what they were already predisposed to believe.

yes it's a message board

wow!

Which of course precludes any rational discussion.

in your opinion it does.

 

[bedowin62]

Indeed! I see many people on this forum going to great lengths to confirm what they were already predisposed to believe.

yes it's a message board

wow!

Which of course precludes any rational discussion.

then stay in the classroom

 

[Toro]

I wonder how many Americans believe that President Obama is a Muslim? And what would be the average intelligence of those people? Another interesting subject for statistical study.

Or how many people thought Bush was either behind 9/11 or knew about it and let it happen.

I'm betting many more Democrats believe that one than Republicans.

I'll bet you would bet that. Maybe you should conduct a study to confirm your hypothesis.

A survey of New Jersey Democrats demonstrated exactly that. Fully a third believed Bush was behind 9/11 or had foreknowledge of the attacks.

 

[Discombobulated]

Or how many people thought Bush was either behind 9/11 or knew about it and let it happen.

I'm betting many more Democrats believe that one than Republicans.

I'll bet you would bet that. Maybe you should conduct a study to confirm your hypothesis.

A survey of New Jersey Democrats demonstrated exactly that. Fully a third believed Bush was behind 9/11 or had foreknowledge of the attacks.

No doubt this little New Jersey factoid has great significance for you.

 

[Discombobulated]

yes it's a message board

wow!

Which of course precludes any rational discussion.

then stay in the classroom

Maybe if you answer twice it will make more sense.

 

[bedowin62]

I'll bet you would bet that. Maybe you should conduct a study to confirm your hypothesis.

A survey of New Jersey Democrats demonstrated exactly that. Fully a third believed Bush was behind 9/11 or had foreknowledge of the attacks.

No doubt this little New Jersey factoid has great significance for you.

this board is also filled with losers that; when confronted with inconveniant facts that fall outside of the narrative they have for others; ones that are closer to home; are simply ignored or dismissed

 

[Discombobulated]

A survey of New Jersey Democrats demonstrated exactly that. Fully a third believed Bush was behind 9/11 or had foreknowledge of the attacks.

No doubt this little New Jersey factoid has great significance for you.

this board is also filled with losers that; when confronted with inconveniant facts that fall outside of the narrative they have for others; ones that are closer to home; are simply ignored or dismissed

My thoughts exactly.

 

[bedowin62]

No doubt this little New Jersey factoid has great significance for you.

this board is also filled with losers that; when confronted with inconveniant facts that fall outside of the narrative they have for others; ones that are closer to home; are simply ignored or dismissed

My thoughts exactly.

your thoughts exactly or your practice exactly?
be honest

 

[Toro]

I'll bet you would bet that. Maybe you should conduct a study to confirm your hypothesis.

A survey of New Jersey Democrats demonstrated exactly that. Fully a third believed Bush was behind 9/11 or had foreknowledge of the attacks.

No doubt this little New Jersey factoid has great significance for you.

If you understand statistics, yes.