Arguing with the anti-maskers, anti-vaxxers, flat earthers, and climate change deniers is a heck of a job. If you've ever tried, you’ll know what I am talking about.
And even though you recognize the fallacy in their arguments, like saying that masks don’t help to stop the coronavirus, you sometimes need heavy artillery.
Luckily, some people who know what they’re talking about have done everyone a service and stepped in to school the science deniers big time. From biochemists to sport scientists, these are some of the most mic-drop moves in stopping the spread of misinformation.
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These days, when there are so many science deniers, it may feel like arguing with them is absolutely pointless. But a 2019 study published in the journal Nature Human Behavior showed that it’s in fact worth arguing with them.
Philipp Schmid and Cornelia Betsch of the University of Erfurt in Germany conducted six experiments with 1,773 subjects. They assessed “how to mitigate the influence of a denier on the audience.”
The results showed that “not responding to science deniers has a negative effect on attitudes towards behaviors favored by science (for example, vaccination) and intentions to perform these behaviors.”
Alan Turing was praised for what he has done during war time and condemned for whom he loved. That's the great tragedy of his life.
Dear God-botherers. If god drowned everyone except one family on the planet because they were evil then he believed that unborn children could be evil (not to mention all the born children). You anti-abortion types must really hate god for that.
Facing deniers can be treated as a concerned and important effort to fight misinformation. The authors of the study suggest that “not turning up to the discussion at all seems to result in the worst effect.”
Meanwhile, showing up on an acquaintance's Facebook post, even if you think it's pointless, will surely do some good.
Interestingly, the authors claim that science deniers use the same rhetoric across domains. It means that “uncovering their rhetorical techniques is an effective and economic addition to the advocates’ toolbox.”
Never ending story of idiots spreading a disease because they do not believe in science.
I can't believe that the idiot had 1.8k up-votes. Yowsers, so many dafties.
Lol. How dare you debunk the nonsense I'm spewing on the internet with science? Don't you ever do that again!!!!
Even if you'd put the entire flat-earth movement in a spaceship and circle the earth in any way they want, they'd be telling you that it's a trick with mirrors and projectors. But at least they are harmless and don't hurt other people with their nonsense.
hahahaha I love it when people who have no flippin' idea who they are talking to make an a*s out of themselves. I always look up whoever I am in a discussion/argument/debate with before I make a comment that I might regret later. You never know if someone's background qualifies them to be right or not.
History is there to teach the future lessons. But of course, you do need some kind of education to be able to understand those lessons.
Do people forget that literally everything is made up of chemicals...?
Someone should probably tell them that Darwin believed in God and evolution simultaneously throughout most of his research years.
More and more European countries make vaccinating mandatory. Unvaccinated children are banned from schools in those countries and parents can be forced to have their children vaccinated. And rightly so. Screw your "strong convictions" and "religious beliefs", our national health is endangered because of your b******t and we are getting tired of your stupidity.
It's so sad to see one thinks that if their kids are momentarily healthy without vaccination, that's proof that this state will keep up indefinitely. It most likely won't. It would be funny to see their faces when they realize their mistakes, but it won't, because it would be to the expense of the child who'd deserve better.
Tell that to the families of women who died from cervical cancer. Including a 15 year old girl in the UK a few years ago. Plus it’s been proven that men can be affected by HPV as well so some are campaigning for teenage boys to have the vaccine too. Oh and it might not cause cancer, but more often genital warts and other infections. Who would want to be protected from getting genital warts right?! Morons...
HPV is genital warts...and it's the leading causes of cervical cancer. And yes. Boys can be carriers with no symptoms
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I got the TDAP shot (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) before my niece was born. I got a painful hard lump in my arm for a month. And from day 3-8 after the shot I was so exhausted that I took 3 hour naps. But you know what? I didn't get Whooping Cough (pertussis) and give it to my baby niece. Yay vaccines!!!!
My husband had hpv throat cancer. He almost died and has dealt with long lasting effects from the cancer and treatment. Anyone who refuses to let their children get a vaccine that will prevent a devastating and deadly cancer should have their children taken away. I witness his suffering and it horrific.
im sixteen and my parents wont let me get the vaccine. im not sexually active, but i wish i could get the vaccine. im sorry about your husband, and i hope he hasn't suffered too much.
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I'm almost positive this kid believes mask requirements are unconstitutional.
I have HPV. Probably for years now. Theoretically I could have given it to my children by birthing them. My doc even had suspicions I could have cancer. Thats why they cut away some of my cervix. Thankfully there was nothing there, but YIlive in fear of getting it now. My children will ALL get that vaccine!
Not only is the timeline wrong, but the comment that vaccines are combating diseases that aren't contagious. That is the point of a vaccine - to eradicate contagious diseases!
I'm not sure when this was posted, but my kids started their first HPV vacs when they were about 11. Also, it's an STD, so dudes can spread it whether they show symptoms of it or not. I also had most of my cervix removed due to pre-cancerous cells from HPV I apparently had, when I was 25. Wish I could have had that vaccine and been able to carry a second child to term.
Did you know that you can get an exemption card for vaccination here in México?? Yeah :/
I got the vaccine and I didn’t have any issues other than soreness at the spot. I’ve had hpv before and I’ve had squamous cells in my cervix that thankfully were benign, but I didn’t wanna take my chances.
HPV is contagious though, that's the point of the vaccine isn't it? AND a disease can still pose a threat without being contagious. Such as cancer. *sigh*
I'm 31 and set to get the HPV vaccine during my next doctor's appointment.
Yes, there can be terrible side-effects to the HPV vaccine. But it has THREE dosages (at least in the UK). There should be pletny of time to realize that compelting the vaccine is not a good idea. That the nurses of paretns of one girl did it anyway is not the fault of the vaccine. The same goes for not listening ot instructions like NO SPORTS after some vaccines. Getting vaccinated cna be exhausting for the body - let it rest and recover.
Darwinism -- it has a strong place in the future of humans....there will be fewer stupid ones
the boy learned these sh*t from his parents... genetical stupidity.
HPV is totally contagious and is absolutely a danger to the public. Amazing what you learn when you take a little time to educate yourself. /s
Having pre-cancerous cells cauterized is SO MUCH FUN. /s Good heavens, people are stupid.
I had cervical cancer. If a vaccine can reduce the odds, I strongly recommend it over the alternative.
Okay, that's a fair point. However the rest of what she is saying is a load of rubbish. HPV is highly contagious and can lead to cancer which, of course, can kill. So to claim it poses no danger is bollocks indeed.
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Note: this post originally had 69 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.
I had to stop reading these. People who embrace ignorance and stupidity are scarier than Freddie Kruger.
Yep. Even if Freddy were real, he'd still be less dangerous. He's killed far less people than willful ignorance has.
Load More Replies... Are these science deniers really stupid or are they trolls trying to make a joke? I always thought no one can be that stupid.
Same but there are some scary as levels of stupid and denial out there. Intelligence is knowing enough to know that you dont know everything. So many people lack that insight its disheartening for our future as a species
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I was caught spreading unproven facts (aka BS) on several occasions during my lifetime. It was really embarrassing bacause I considered myself an intelligent human being. Hopefully, these people learned something like I had learned, and will know better.
At least you can admit to being wrong and have made the choice to be educated. Well done you :)
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I really wish people who love to post stupid s**t would research what they are posting for the validity of the topic. So many times I see something and know instantly that something is amiss and it takes me just a few minutes to find the truth behind the post. No I don't use snopes but I use credible sources and post the websites to that person's post to let them know just how f*****g dumb they are to post stupid s**t. It really scares me that people are that gullible and naive.
The dihydrogen monoxide gullibility "test" comes to mind. When asked if it should be banned from food many people said yes becsuse it sounded scary to them, not realising what it actually was.
Load More Replies... So many idiots, too much of the time. I've just recently educated myself as to what QAnon is. It seems like there are even more of them than there are Flat Earthers! It's terrifying that we are surrounded by imbeciles. There's a good chance that one of them will be elected to Congress. God help us survive the teaming morons who inhabit our society.
i gotta remember some of these for the karrens out there like no. 14's NASA called they can see your stupidity from space
Also: 'Fat acceptance! Being obese is healthy! If you think obesity is unhealthy you're fat-phobic!' FALSE!! The term phobia specifically means a fear which is irrational. It's not irrational to fear obesity when the WHO, The UK Nat.'l Health Service, The US CDC, The US NIH, The Am. Heart Association, Cancer Research UK and The Am. Cancer Society have all issued official declarations that obesity is extremely dangerous to your health. In what way is the fear of dire health consequences irrational? Since that fear is not irrational, how could it properly be considered a phobia? Yes, call out the anti-science right who denies evolution and climate change. Call out the anti-science left on 'fat-acceptance' - esp. when a non-scientist-non-physician like Kelli Jean Drinkwater preaches it on the Ted stage. 'Enough With The Fear of Fat' she calls her Ted Talk. Wrong! People should be scared shitless of their obesity! It literally is as serious as a heart attack, and it literally is a matter of grave consequences.
Watch me explode over anti-vaxxers. I was born in 1950, so I was a little kid before many vaccines were available. I had chickenpox at age 5, measles (rubeola) at age 7, mumps age 11, rubella age 13. My dad took us to get our polio sugar cubes when I was six. He made up open our mouths to show him we swallowed it, all of it. But then, he had a cousin who had polio. I have retina scarring and a dimple on my cornea from the measles. My temp went over 105F 3 times, mom said they packed me in alcohol and ice water each time. I only remember twice. Then I spent 6-8 weeks in a darkened room, no TV, no books as they tried to limit the damage to my eyes. It is effing child abuse to not get your children vaccinated.
I have saved myself from looking like some of these people by the simple expedient of Googling the person I am talking to. It gives me the time and knowledge to realize that maybe I am the one who should keep her mouth closed and her ears open. If the other poster seems to be the idiot, I save time--and myself from unneeded stress-- by accessing the relevant FB. That usually tells me all that I need to know, like when it just isn't worth the bother, and I can only pray that person is felled by a falling piano before causing more harm.
To Daria: It is a true sign of intellectual growth and maturity to examine one’s prejudices frequently and reevaluate. That’s one of the reasons science is so important. It constantly looks at the data and confirms or changes . The best way to learn. Thanks for your note!
in Buddhist teaching there are 3 root's of evil things in this world. Greed, Hatred, Stupidity. back when I'm still a student, i always asking the teach why stupidity is one of it. now, i know why
Frightening... We have seen worldwide "wars" between things ... brands, societal/economical systems (and we awarded the winner, based on that the opponent collapsed earlier, not based on anything justifying to not expect the winner to collapse, too), will the next battle be between facts and stupidity? Idiocracy. Will come true.
Did *no one* pay attention in school? So many of these things were covered and explained by the time I was 15-16... Basic stuff... Educated in America, so you can't say it's that...
There is a huge anti-intellectual movement that's been going on for decades. They are the people who benefit from people not knowing the truth. They seek to undermine people's trust in "the authority" - scientists, academics, etc. Best example is the slogan of one of their TV networks - "We report, you decide." That may sound innocuous, but what they are really saying is, don't trust the expert's assessment, just believe what you want to believe.
Load More Replies... Why do those who work with factual information even bother trying to talk to dumb people? It's not like they can (or will) digest what's being said, and they certainly have proven that they abhor research and that the extent of their so-called knowledge is based on soundbites and headlines from dubious sources. Maybe scientific advancement has made this generation far too comfortable. Maybe they've concluded with their non-empirical brain cells that since they don't 'see' the problems anymore, there's no need for any more scientifically based solutions.
I think they hope anyone reading the posts/thread also reads their rebuttal and pauses to think.
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*sirens* "We have severe burns on many people, science doubters we need to give all of them a sense of logic and common sense before treating the burn!"
I think we need to stop "shutting down" people and act like decent human beings. Our society has become so negative and ugly , and there is a major superiority complex going around. Be nice to each other people. Who cares if you're wrong or somebody else is. Keyboard hazing has got to go
I had to stop reading these. People who embrace ignorance and stupidity are scarier than Freddie Kruger.
Yep. Even if Freddy were real, he'd still be less dangerous. He's killed far less people than willful ignorance has.
Load More Replies... Are these science deniers really stupid or are they trolls trying to make a joke? I always thought no one can be that stupid.
Same but there are some scary as levels of stupid and denial out there. Intelligence is knowing enough to know that you dont know everything. So many people lack that insight its disheartening for our future as a species
Load More Replies... I was caught spreading unproven facts (aka BS) on several occasions during my lifetime. It was really embarrassing bacause I considered myself an intelligent human being. Hopefully, these people learned something like I had learned, and will know better.
At least you can admit to being wrong and have made the choice to be educated. Well done you :)
Load More Replies... I really wish people who love to post stupid s**t would research what they are posting for the validity of the topic. So many times I see something and know instantly that something is amiss and it takes me just a few minutes to find the truth behind the post. No I don't use snopes but I use credible sources and post the websites to that person's post to let them know just how f*****g dumb they are to post stupid s**t. It really scares me that people are that gullible and naive.
The dihydrogen monoxide gullibility "test" comes to mind. When asked if it should be banned from food many people said yes becsuse it sounded scary to them, not realising what it actually was.
Load More Replies... So many idiots, too much of the time. I've just recently educated myself as to what QAnon is. It seems like there are even more of them than there are Flat Earthers! It's terrifying that we are surrounded by imbeciles. There's a good chance that one of them will be elected to Congress. God help us survive the teaming morons who inhabit our society.
i gotta remember some of these for the karrens out there like no. 14's NASA called they can see your stupidity from space
Also: 'Fat acceptance! Being obese is healthy! If you think obesity is unhealthy you're fat-phobic!' FALSE!! The term phobia specifically means a fear which is irrational. It's not irrational to fear obesity when the WHO, The UK Nat.'l Health Service, The US CDC, The US NIH, The Am. Heart Association, Cancer Research UK and The Am. Cancer Society have all issued official declarations that obesity is extremely dangerous to your health. In what way is the fear of dire health consequences irrational? Since that fear is not irrational, how could it properly be considered a phobia? Yes, call out the anti-science right who denies evolution and climate change. Call out the anti-science left on 'fat-acceptance' - esp. when a non-scientist-non-physician like Kelli Jean Drinkwater preaches it on the Ted stage. 'Enough With The Fear of Fat' she calls her Ted Talk. Wrong! People should be scared shitless of their obesity! It literally is as serious as a heart attack, and it literally is a matter of grave consequences.
Watch me explode over anti-vaxxers. I was born in 1950, so I was a little kid before many vaccines were available. I had chickenpox at age 5, measles (rubeola) at age 7, mumps age 11, rubella age 13. My dad took us to get our polio sugar cubes when I was six. He made up open our mouths to show him we swallowed it, all of it. But then, he had a cousin who had polio. I have retina scarring and a dimple on my cornea from the measles. My temp went over 105F 3 times, mom said they packed me in alcohol and ice water each time. I only remember twice. Then I spent 6-8 weeks in a darkened room, no TV, no books as they tried to limit the damage to my eyes. It is effing child abuse to not get your children vaccinated.
I have saved myself from looking like some of these people by the simple expedient of Googling the person I am talking to. It gives me the time and knowledge to realize that maybe I am the one who should keep her mouth closed and her ears open. If the other poster seems to be the idiot, I save time--and myself from unneeded stress-- by accessing the relevant FB. That usually tells me all that I need to know, like when it just isn't worth the bother, and I can only pray that person is felled by a falling piano before causing more harm.
To Daria: It is a true sign of intellectual growth and maturity to examine one’s prejudices frequently and reevaluate. That’s one of the reasons science is so important. It constantly looks at the data and confirms or changes . The best way to learn. Thanks for your note!
in Buddhist teaching there are 3 root's of evil things in this world. Greed, Hatred, Stupidity. back when I'm still a student, i always asking the teach why stupidity is one of it. now, i know why
Frightening... We have seen worldwide "wars" between things ... brands, societal/economical systems (and we awarded the winner, based on that the opponent collapsed earlier, not based on anything justifying to not expect the winner to collapse, too), will the next battle be between facts and stupidity? Idiocracy. Will come true.
Did *no one* pay attention in school? So many of these things were covered and explained by the time I was 15-16... Basic stuff... Educated in America, so you can't say it's that...
There is a huge anti-intellectual movement that's been going on for decades. They are the people who benefit from people not knowing the truth. They seek to undermine people's trust in "the authority" - scientists, academics, etc. Best example is the slogan of one of their TV networks - "We report, you decide." That may sound innocuous, but what they are really saying is, don't trust the expert's assessment, just believe what you want to believe.
Load More Replies... Why do those who work with factual information even bother trying to talk to dumb people? It's not like they can (or will) digest what's being said, and they certainly have proven that they abhor research and that the extent of their so-called knowledge is based on soundbites and headlines from dubious sources. Maybe scientific advancement has made this generation far too comfortable. Maybe they've concluded with their non-empirical brain cells that since they don't 'see' the problems anymore, there's no need for any more scientifically based solutions.
I think they hope anyone reading the posts/thread also reads their rebuttal and pauses to think.
Load More Replies... *sirens* "We have severe burns on many people, science doubters we need to give all of them a sense of logic and common sense before treating the burn!"
I think we need to stop "shutting down" people and act like decent human beings. Our society has become so negative and ugly , and there is a major superiority complex going around. Be nice to each other people. Who cares if you're wrong or somebody else is. Keyboard hazing has got to go
