[simonbarker87]

I think everyone, engaged and skeptical or otherwise can miss falsehoods if it aligns with their values/beliefs already. Taking something like this should, in theory, give you tools to make sure that even if you really want to believe what you are reading/hearing because it aligns with your world view (or worse, comes from a source you respect and trust) then you can still determine how honest or accurate it is.

[matwood]

The latest SGU (Skeptics Guide to the Universe) podcast touched on your point, and how everyone is susceptible to false hoods particularly when those opinions make up a persons identity. Someone who identifies as 'liberal' or 'conservative' is more likely to fight facts that go against their beliefs. One possible solution presented, was to always attempt to self identify as a skeptic who is okay changing opinions as new facts come in. It is not an easy thing to do because 1) it's a lot of work and 2) you're outside of most of the big popular groups.

[mcguire]

Self identifying as a skeptic is easy. Changing opinions as new facts come in is hard.

[virusduck]

Holy cow, I totally forgot about SGU. Used to listen all the time, but it just fell off my radar. I bet this last year has been insane.

[mapcars]

>always attempt to self identify as a skeptic who is okay changing opinions as new facts come in

>you're outside of most of the big popular groups

Story of my life

[Vinnl]

I see what you're saying, but since I really strongly think my being skeptical guards me from missing falsehoods regardless, I'm not going to take this.

[battlebot]

No it doesn't. Smart people are among the easiest to fool. You simply appeal to their intellect and flatter them.

[Vinnl]

Sorry, it was a joke, but guess I didn't layer it on thick enough - I was exactly demonstrating your point :P

[battlebot]

Like Climate Science? I have never seen so much bullshit and bullshit artists in one place except for DC, which is all bullshit all the time. Academia is the same, almost 100% bullshit these days--not much real science going on outside of medical research, physics, math, stuff you can't readily fake or make up as you desire. The software business runs on unbelievable amounts of bullshit and bullshit's brother, hype.

I know exactly how and why it happens, too. It's human nature to want to be liked and be successful. It is human nature to go with the flow when funding is at stake. It is human nature to want to be accepted by one's peers and to impress one's superiors. Also, it is extremely hard to innovate these days when so many people are out there doing the exact same things as you are.

Unfortunately, all that behavior has taken humanity down some dark paths before.

[DonHopkins]

No, we were not talking about climate science. Actually, we were talking about people like you who miss falsehoods and believe fashionable political propaganda instead of peer reviewed settled science, because it aligns with their prejudices and world views. So thanks for illustrating the point so unwittingly.