AIBU to think presenting facts is pointless.

[OlympicProcrastinator]

This year has been an eye opener for sure. From conspiracy theories, anti vaccine, BLM, Trump, Brexit etc there has been a huge amount of discussion and argument. But I have begun to think that actually, discussion on line (yes I know I’m being hypocritical here) is largely pointless because facts mean relatively little in comparison to personal belief. People simply double down on their own arguments because being right is more important to them regardless of evidence or facts. So I looked a little more into this and it doesn’t even have anything to do with lack of intellect. In fact, the higher the IQ, the more able someone is to dig deep and defend their position. I have witnessed this first hand with academics.

Now I’m aware of it I’m going to try my hardest to open my own mind much more. But in the grand scheme of things, it appears pointless to argue, especially on line about any topic and a waste of all our time and energy AIBU?

www.google.com/amp/s/www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/02/27/why-facts-dont-change-our-minds/amp

www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/factd-up-why-its-pointless-to-argue-based-on-the-facts.html/

Yes, ok then, extremely moronic - always a helpful contribution

It was. Shame your reading comprehension didn't let you understand it. And yet, multiple comments from you against a post you still didn't actually read! Again, if you've forgotten, the topic is the pointlessness of debate these days...thank you for being such a shining example of why that is the case.

Everybody has the right to speak

Not everybody should have the right to be heard

Yep. The overwhelming commitment to sheer ignorance and blind stupidity I have seen this year from any number of people I know has left me staggered. People are going to believe what they want to believe in the face of all contrary logic, reason and facts, just because they can.

@teateateateateamoretea

Yes, ok then, extremely moronic - always a helpful contribution

It was. Shame your reading comprehension didn't let you understand it. And yet, multiple comments from you against a post you still didn't actually read! Again, if you've forgotten, the topic is the pointlessness of debate these days...thank you for being such a shining example of why that is the case.

Shame your superior attitude isn't matched by any concept of politeness. Do you have any idea just how pompous it sounds when dismiss other people's reading comprehension skills as if you had been appointed the sole arbiter of such matters? Dismissing others using terms such as moronic and calling into question their comprehension isn't debate - it's just willy-waving. You can hold an opinion without being quite so pompous, superior and condescending - and that is on-topic since the interventions of people who always know better is very much the issue at hand in the closing down of debate. For the avoidance of doubt I disagree with most of what you say - but I haven't seen fit to characterise it as moronic or accuse you of not reading things properly just because I happen to have a different opinion.

I do think people don't seem to debate in terms of having several well reasoned positions and with a view to having their mind changed if the other arguments are better. I also think there is less common ground/overlap of 'opposing sides' these days.

I watched The Social Dilemma and it talked a bit about how social media / search engines sort of send people off in a direction and groups then end up polarised and i think i can see that happening.

i also think we have lost sight of all opinions aren't equal. Eg i have an opinion on vaccines, but its not as important as the chief vaccinator of vaccine studies opinion - even if they aren't stating a fact.

MillieEpple thanks for bringing some normality and sensible discussion back to the thread. I don’t understand why the tone of this thread had to turn nasty.

Yes I think the internet has given the image of equality in the value of opinions. While it might be good that more people are involved in discussions, it gives more weight to views that are not equal in terms of evidence based knowledge.

I also think we have lost sight of all opinions aren't equal.
Definitely
The BBC failed miserably by pretending there was balance on certain issues
when the consensus of facts, verifiable information and data was 99.9% in one direction
Climate Change
and gave much too much airtime to people who knew nothing of what they spoke

and it wend downhill badly in 2016

and has continued ever since as Social Media has driven wedges between people all over the world