Is Stupidity Expanding? Some Hypotheses • Hacker News Board

Re: Is Stupidity Expanding? Some Hypotheses

#261

Post by webmaven » Fri, Oct 16, 2020, 5:37 AM UTC

autokad wrote: post #211

mdorazio wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this theory is missing a component: the erosion of respect for experts. It at least seems like pre-internet, when people didn't understand the world around them they would default to trusting what scientists/doctors/researchers told them was true. But today, we've gone so far down the disinformation "fake news" rabbit hole that a large portion of the general public, at least in America, just straight up doesn…

well the experts were saying in March, 2020 that masks do not work and are not recommended. I was basically attacked at work as being xenophobic and insular for saying if we are going out we should wear a mask. so where were your experts on that one? sure f*#!ed up that one.

> well the experts were saying in March, 2020 that masks do not work and are not recommended.

As I recall, at the time experts were saying "Don't recommend that everyone wear a mask, we have a shortage and need to save them for health care workers."

Re: Is Stupidity Expanding? Some Hypotheses

#262

Post by will_pseudonym » Fri, Oct 16, 2020, 5:39 AM UTC

mdorazio wrote: post #105

grenoire wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think there is too much information around for the average person to filter and process and digest. All three are important parts of living in a society and it looks to me like even with e.g. economic issues alone, it's just very hard for (to be fair) anybody to keep up. In turn, people reach out to conspiracy theories to simplify the world around them with obvious answers and explanations. My theory, sort of.

I think this theory is missing a component: the erosion of respect for experts. It at least seems like pre-internet, when people didn't understand the world around them they would default to trusting what scientists/doctors/researchers told them was true. But today, we've gone so far down the disinformation "fake news" rabbit hole that a large portion of the general public, at least in America, just straight up doesn…

Experts haven't exactly done themselves any favors.

--------

"Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS!

They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus"

U.S. Surgeon General, February 29, 2020 [0]

--------

"Stigma, to be honest, is more dangerous than the virus itself. Let's really underline that. Stigma is the most dangerous enemy."

Tedros Adhanom, Director-General of the World Health Organization, March 2nd, 2020 [1]

--------

Have the experts always been like this, and it's simply more obvious now that the world is much more interconnected? Or has the quality of experts gone down dramatically? Both?

[0] https://twitter.com/Surgeon_General/status/12337257852839321...

[1] https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/transcr...

Re: Is Stupidity Expanding? Some Hypotheses

#263

Post by randcraw » Fri, Oct 16, 2020, 5:46 AM UTC

29athrowaway wrote: post #256

The cost of publishing and barrier of entry to publishing is now lower. Therefore the attention that would usually go to high quality content is now being spent in very low quality content.

It's also easier than ever to publish, so we're surely seeing the effect of putting less time and effort into speaking out. At the same time, the rise in political and social polarization especially in America rewards choosing sides and expressing emotion-driven opinion in order to to bond with your home boys. This practice has never been more evident than it is today, in an election year dominated by a prez candidate not known for thoughtful informed rational discourse.

Re: Is Stupidity Expanding? Some Hypotheses

#264

Post by jamesrcole » Fri, Oct 16, 2020, 5:48 AM UTC

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #33

Counterintuitively, people love reading about and engaging in what they consider "stupidity". Internet companies capitalize on this by bringing an optimized stream of stupidity for your viewing pleasure. Take a look at the front page of Reddit (logged out, default subs): Half of the content highlights stupidity of others: /r/IdiotsInCars shows the worst drivers from around the world, /r/insanepeoplefacebook shows the…

> Counterintuitively, people love reading about and engaging in what they consider "stupidity".

What is the intuition that this runs counter to?

I don't see it as counterintuitive. It seems to me a reflection of human nature. I imagine people have always been that way.

Re: Is Stupidity Expanding? Some Hypotheses

#265

Post by jussij » Fri, Oct 16, 2020, 5:51 AM UTC

will_pseudonym wrote: post #262

mdorazio wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this theory is missing a component: the erosion of respect for experts. It at least seems like pre-internet, when people didn't understand the world around them they would default to trusting what scientists/doctors/researchers told them was true. But today, we've gone so far down the disinformation "fake news" rabbit hole that a large portion of the general public, at least in America, just straight up doesn…

Experts haven't exactly done themselves any favors. -------- "Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS! They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus" U.S. Surgeon General, February 29, 2020 [0] -------- "Stigma, to be honest, is more dangerous than the virus itself. Let's really underline that. Stigma is the most dangerous enemy." Tedros Adhanom, Director-General of the World Health Organ…

I was very surprised to read your quote attributed to the U.S. Surgeon General, as it doe sound like a rather stupid thing to be saying.

So I Goggle it and sure enough he did say as much.

However, you did not post the full statement which means the context is lost.

With the full quote and the resulting context the statement makes perfect sense:

Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS!

They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!

Re: Is Stupidity Expanding? Some Hypotheses

#266

Post by webmaven » Fri, Oct 16, 2020, 5:53 AM UTC

TallGuyShort wrote: post #32

I've engaged a few flat earthers to actually listen to their arguments and show them my own evidence that it's real (locating amateur radio satellites using data shared by people around the globe and demonstrating the doppler effect on them). The response strikes me as being indicative of mental illness. And I don't mean that as an insult - I mean that when confronted with that they're clearly irrational. And somethi…

> The response strikes me as being indicative of mental illness. And I don't mean that as an insult - I mean that when confronted with that they're clearly irrational. And something's gotta be going on their heads that makes them cling to this hypothesis.

You may find these resources useful:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-convince-s...

https://jamesclear.com/why-facts-dont-change-minds

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/words-matter/201810/...

https://ed.ted.com/best_of_web/hI9YSFHW#review

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/02/27/why-facts-dont...

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/03/this-art...

Re: Is Stupidity Expanding? Some Hypotheses

#267

Post by GarvielLoken » Fri, Oct 16, 2020, 6:12 AM UTC

What kind of guy devotes this much time to worrying about people who doesn't agree with him? Doesn't he have any hobby or passion in his life?

Re: Is Stupidity Expanding? Some Hypotheses

#268

Post by didibus » Fri, Oct 16, 2020, 6:17 AM UTC

jxramos wrote: post #166

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #33

Counterintuitively, people love reading about and engaging in what they consider "stupidity". Internet companies capitalize on this by bringing an optimized stream of stupidity for your viewing pleasure. Take a look at the front page of Reddit (logged out, default subs): Half of the content highlights stupidity of others: /r/IdiotsInCars shows the worst drivers from around the world, /r/insanepeoplefacebook shows the…

stupidity concentrators so good. Always remember folks, you get good at what you do. I'd like to coin the term intelligence concentrators . We need some of those.

Hackernews? :p

Re: Is Stupidity Expanding? Some Hypotheses

#269

Post by didibus » Fri, Oct 16, 2020, 6:18 AM UTC

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #33

Counterintuitively, people love reading about and engaging in what they consider "stupidity". Internet companies capitalize on this by bringing an optimized stream of stupidity for your viewing pleasure. Take a look at the front page of Reddit (logged out, default subs): Half of the content highlights stupidity of others: /r/IdiotsInCars shows the worst drivers from around the world, /r/insanepeoplefacebook shows the…

Or maybe this is the root cause? Seems like these stupidity concentrators would just yieldorw stupidity and make their consumers stupider, feeding back into more concentration of stupidity, etc.

Re: Is Stupidity Expanding? Some Hypotheses

#270

Post by CountSessine » Fri, Oct 16, 2020, 6:38 AM UTC

Hypothesis: the baby-boomers, the largest generation in history, have entered their 70’s and are experiencing cognitive decline, as everyone does. This increases the “stupid-average”, giving bad ideas and misinformation greater currency through popular support.