Are People Really This Stupid These Days?

[Guest sibon]

30 minutes ago, trastrick said:

I'd say because most folks get their news and opinion from the MSM.

 

Which is why a lot of people ARE, and remain stupid, these days.

 

But not all!

 

That doesn’t make it a bigger problem. There’s a lot to be said for using the msm as a primary source of information.

 

There are all sorts of whackos out there, pumping out unverified, dangerous nonsense. Some people repeat some of that on here, over and over again😇.

 

The  main problem is people who can’t filter, can’t question and can’t verify stuff.

 

I’d trust the Times or the Guardian over Alex Jones , 25 hours a day, eight days a week. That doesn’t mean that I trust them blindly though,

19 minutes ago, Anna B said:

Because we all treat interweb information with a degree of caution (or we should) and check out its validity, but not so with the MSM which is also prone to a degree of misinformation, bias, lying by omission etc.

But we don’t. See above for examples.

Edited September 11, 2022 by sibon

[trastrick]

Life, it appears, is mostly rubbish and disagreeable on SF.

 

So I would advise folks that there is a beautiful life outside if you open your eyes.

 

Which I'm about to participate in. My daily swim, a walk on a palm fringed beach, and a later a cold beer at the shack bar with good friends.

 

I will leave you with something you don't see posted on the school bulletin boards. A positive thought.

 

Desiterada

 

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.

 

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

 

Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

 

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

 

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

 

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.

 

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

 

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

 

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

 

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

 

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.

 

Strive to be happy.

 

(by Max Ehrmann ©1927)

[El Cid]

12 minutes ago, trastrick said:

I'd say because most folks get their news and opinion from the MSM.

 

Which is why a lot of people ARE, and remain stupid, these days.

I have never used MSM so I don't know what it is, but it sounds like YouTube, full of opinions. I am sure some opinions are good, but how do ordinary people know who the charlatans are?

[Mr Bloke]

Hmmm...

I've just popped in to say that I'm really enjoying this thread!

We're already on page 4 and we're all having a nice little chat without any nasty comments or arguments (so far)...
... probably because the ones who like a good wind-up have been put-off by the thread title!

Let's hope it continues...

[trastrick]

2 minutes ago, El Cid said:

I have never used MSM so I don't know what it is, but it sounds like YouTube, full of opinions. I am sure some opinions are good, but how do ordinary people know who the charlatans are?

God gave us a brain.

 

But most folks feel more comfortable going along with the crowd!

 

 

[wotnot]

16 hours ago, hackey lad said:

What do I win ?

A left-handed screwdriver, and The Complete Works of Theophrastus.

[Delbow]

2 hours ago, HumbleNarrator said:

In certain places  such as California and Oregon, an increasing amount of "teachers" in schools are nothing more than radical activists, obsessed with sex and sexual identity and race/racial identity and find a way to crowbar it into every lesson regardless of subject, even math's. 

 

The Newport-Mesa School District is investigating a teacher after she posted a video admitting that she encouraged her students to pledge allegiance to a gay pride flag after she removed the American flag from her classroom.

 

 

 

And this equates to "taken over" does it?

 

Your constant parroting of nonsense from Fox, Breitbart and Infowars, without any critical thinking on your part, shows you to be one of the people who is that stupid.

[Mr Bloke]

Hmmm...

Just to go off on one for a moment...
... I wonder if it's a bit like footy referees and VAR?

We all have an opinion, like a footy referee makes a decision.

We then have a look on the interwebs searching for confirmation or to reinforce our opinion, like a footy referee consults VAR.

The difference here is that the interwebs has loads of different possible suggestions, so it's more than likely you'll find someone who agrees with you (right or wrong), and so it's less likely that you'll change your opinion...
... whereas VAR records only what ACTUALLY happened, and so (in theory) the referee's opinion SHOULD be able to be proved to be right or wrong.

But even when there's only one version of events, sometimes the incorrect decisions are still made!

[Guest sibon]

26 minutes ago, Mr Bloke said:

Hmmm...

Just to go off on one for a moment...
... I wonder if it's a bit like footy referees and VAR?

We all have an opinion, like a footy referee makes a decision.

We then have a look on the interwebs searching for confirmation or to reinforce our opinion, like a footy referee consults VAR.

The difference here is that the interwebs has loads of different possible suggestions, so it's more than likely you'll find someone who agrees with you (right or wrong), and so it's less likely that you'll change your opinion...
... whereas VAR records only what ACTUALLY happened, and so (in theory) the referee's opinion SHOULD be able to be proved to be right or wrong.

But even when there's only one version of events, sometimes the incorrect decisions are still made!

You might have a point there. 
 

Especially as VAR uses two dimensional images to try to resolve a three dimensional issue😁

[Baron99]

1 hour ago, trastrick said:

Life, it appears, is mostly rubbish and disagreeable on SF.

 

So I would advise folks that there is a beautiful life outside if you open your eyes.

 

Which I'm about to participate in. My daily swim, a walk on a palm fringed beach, and a later a cold beer at the shack bar with good friends.

 

I will leave you with something you don't see posted on the school bulletin boards. A positive thought.

 

Desiterada

 

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.

 

Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

 

Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

 

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

 

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

 

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.

 

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

 

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

 

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

 

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

 

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.

 

Strive to be happy.

 

(by Max Ehrmann ©1927)

My bold. 

 

Is that the top or bottom end of the Shirecliffe? 🙂