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.
I mean, astrophysics aren't directly related to climate change, but you can expect someone who has a PhD in it to know à lot more than someone so unintelligent that they spell virus vIRUS and say that people who believe the truth(that climate change exists) are criminals.
Radiative transfer is an important concept in astrophysics. It's an entire (required) course. It's the same mechanism that is warming up the Earth.
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I think it is important to clarify anthropogenic climate change when talking about climate change. Because you will always get the person who says the climate is constantly changing. The climate IS constantly changing, but we humans are changing it at a rate that is detrimental to our own way of life. In the same way that forest fires are both naturally occurring and human made, so is climate change.
okay i'm very confused, and the comments made me more confused. i'm assuming @AstroKatie is the smart one? but something i read in the comments made me think maybe she isn't.. although i totally could've misunderstood, i'd just like clarification before i make a comment about either two parties.
A PhD in STEM is basically a brick you can throw at climate deniers and they can't block it XD
Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!! Burn! Did this guy even graduate from high school?
Dr. Katharine Hayhoe is my favorite go-to expert on climate change. She has many good videos on You Tube called Global Weirding that explain climate change and its adverse effects very well.
Aside from her expertise, kind of an unfortunate name she's got.
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For me the chasing ice movie was very convincing, the rate that the ice is disappearing is sad, that's why I did my final reports on renewable energy and how it will save money and the environment while in college
I've wanted to be an astrophysicist since the age of ten! This woman just became my new hero!
Is good ol' Jessica saying Gary's tweet is the best on Twitter so far? I guess if you're not considering the truth of a statement, it may rank in the top 50, but the best? phhhhhht
where's Neil in this? I'm sure he would've tossed in his opinion too...but I'll listen to Gary too since science still remains fact and stupid remains stupid.
sure there are plenty of scammers making coin on it - eg carbon credit cash wont change anything, but the effect is real. just the poor people who aren't scamming will be affected first...
Climate Change is simple. Today it's hot and sunny, yesterday it rained. Honestly, I've been around long enough to notice differences right in front of me. Just the hot Summer sun is more intense, piercing, with a different color about it and sort of a hazy halo. I used to love to go out and roast all day, now half an hour and I'm cooked. Of course I am a lot older...
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...
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
