this post was submitted on 08 Oct 2023
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The world is less anti intellectual than it ever has been.
It's just that people with dumb opinions are more obvious.
I would challenge you to try to understand why people have the various opinions they do rather than just labelling them uneducated or anti-intellectual.
Like why do some people believe the earth is flat? It's not because they're stupid, uneducated, or anti-intellectual.
It's because they're all three at once and desperate to feel special
Delusional. And I'd argue being delusional makes you stupid, regardless of your reasoning to be so.
I don't get why people are so bent on 'understanding' because I do, but it still doesn't justify something just because a person given reason.
True, but I just wonder if it will ever actually be something that is actually gone, or if people will still cling to it. You are right though, the increase of people voicing their opinions makes it seem much greater than it is.
However, I have already considered opposing beliefs many times, with religion especially, but even though I can understand their reasons and motivations they don't act as rational justifications. Past a point, you are responsible for your own will and I can't take every argument. I'd die of old age. I have empathy, and I have tried to understand more than most people probably ever have or will, and I can. But it still doesn't mean their reasoning is valid.
Also, how are you defining 'stupid', 'uneducated' and 'anti-intellectual' because I would definitely categorise somebody who believes the earth is flat as stupid without question. It's evidently false and not even difficult to prove. You have to deny reality at that point. Maybe it was inspired by a distrust of authority or indoctrination, but still the belief itself is idiotic and irrational regardless, and with any self-reflection it becomes obvious how wrong it is to think.
Sure. I'm not going to defend flat earthers.
My point is merely that categorisations like stupid or anti-intellectual are pretty meaningless and don't really help you understand what's actually going on. They're more like symptoms than core problems.