You have a different opinion to me, so you must be STUPID!

[PerpetuallyCurious]

The internet (YouTube especially) sadly does seem to really bring out the bigotry among people where we discredit everything someone says and does simply because we disagree on a certain issue.

Whether it be politics, feminism or religion (which theists and atheists are equally guilty of), it seems to almost be promoted and congratulated when someone makes a statement that 'When *this view* is gone, the world will be better' or 'I don't agree with *this view* because I'm not an idiot' which at the least is unneeded tactlessness which usually ends in an unpleasant argument and at worst changes the way people treat one another.

Examples:

But then there are these rare videos when people can actually debate without the bigotry and there it just feels like a breath of fresh air as it can actually help for others to understand both sides instead of creating strawmans for the opposition.

Fair enough if you think I'm just whining because 'People are so mean!' and if so feel free to find a thread that will interest you more. I just figured I'd raise this point, see what others have seen/ experienced as well as what others think.

 

[Moral Orel]

I agree to a point. For the most part, if you actually want to change someone's mind, it is an entirely ineffectual method to call them stupid. And in the case of the Bill Maher show, I agree it was a great example of intelligent people having an intelligent discussion.

But we shouldn't get to sensitive to say that no one is stupid for having certain opinions. Or rather, I should say some people are stupid for forming opinions in the wrong way. For instance, as you mentioned politics, if you get all of your news from just one source and think you really know what's going on, well.... some people are stupid.

 

[Eudaimonist]

The internet (YouTube especially) sadly does seem to really bring out the bigotry among people where we discredit everything someone says and does simply because we disagree on a certain issue.

While I agree with you in principle, that sometimes people overreact and call someone else's opinion stupid when it truly isn't...

...sometimes it really is stupid.


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[bhsmte]

The internet (YouTube especially) sadly does seem to really bring out the bigotry among people where we discredit everything someone says and does simply because we disagree on a certain issue.

Whether it be politics, feminism or religion (which theists and atheists are equally guilty of), it seems to almost be promoted and congratulated when someone makes a statement that 'When *this view* is gone, the world will be better' or 'I don't agree with *this view* because I'm not an idiot' which at the least is unneeded tactlessness which usually ends in an unpleasant argument and at worst changes the way people treat one another.

Examples:

But then there are these rare videos when people can actually debate without the bigotry and there it just feels like a breath of fresh air as it can actually help for others to understand both sides instead of creating strawmans for the opposition.

Fair enough if you think I'm just whining because 'People are so mean!' and if so feel free to find a thread that will interest you more. I just figured I'd raise this point, see what others have seen/ experienced as well as what others think.

In general, I would agree, but there is a fine line.

When someone has a certain belief and their personal belief requires them to ignore or deny well evidenced facts and or manufacture their own facts, it may involve stupidity, or it may be as simple as; that person having a very strong psychological need to believe something and then building the adequate defense mechanisms, to protect it, at all costs.

 

[DogmaHunter]

Some beliefs simply ARE stupid, period.

Some beliefs only deserve ridicule.

Imagine a guy comes up and starts arguing against embryology and for stork theory...
Would you engage the dude in academic debate with mutual respect? Or would you call it what it is?

 

[PerpetuallyCurious]

Some beliefs simply ARE stupid, period.

Some beliefs only deserve ridicule.

Imagine a guy comes up and starts arguing against embryology and for stork theory...
Would you engage the dude in academic debate with mutual respect? Or would you call it what it is?

I'd kind of be intrigued how on Earth he came to the idea that it is true, what evidence he had for it and why he thinks their evidence is more conclusive than scientific evidence. I might not deem the theory as realistic and chances are they are a troll taking the mick out of creationism but at least it could entertain us both until another debate came along.

 

[DogmaHunter]

I'd kind of be intrigued how on Earth he came to the idea that it is true, what evidence he had for it and why he thinks their evidence is more conclusive than scientific evidence.

Sure. To get insight into the psychological undertones of having such a stupid warped view of reality...

But most certainly not to engage in "academic debate" with "mutual respect".
Aside from being curious about the psychological undertones of taking such a position, you'ld rightfully think that the person in question is nothing short of a nutbag.