I am a Chiefs fan-pretty normal and don't wear red underwear on game day. Never been to an actual game since tv gives me a great seat. I've had reservations/apprehension most of the year. Methinks they enjoyed a lot of luck 24/25. Never did dominance show. Kudos to the Eagles! Focused and tough in every respect. All year long.
As to the thread...the older I get...the less I seem to know, and recognize a lot of others suffer from the same delusion. Except my pastor. What a smart man of the word! He may not know much about pressure vessels and mechanical breakdowns, but he can sure enlighten using scripture to explain scripture. With all your heart and all your mind, love God. Love one another.
The actor who played the charming, but stupid Forrest Gump is a pedophile and an Epstein Island visitor. All of Hollywood is filled with pedophiles. The message of Forrest Gump was be stupid, be happy, be kind, don’t ask questions, be fearless, keep going forward, in good cheer with faith in the big society. I prefer the grumpy as fuck, angry idiot, who doesn’t know what’s going on but suspects something is terribly wrong and is pissed off by the invisible forces pulling him this way and that.
I believe you are discussing critical thinking. Even though I went through medical school which taught me the scientific method (to a point) and scientific reasoning, I realize today, 46 years later, that I never fully developed all the skills necessary for critical thinking. So I have been reading about it, and my goal is to develop more skills along these lines.
The examples you gave indicate that you have developed critical thinking skills and trying to discuss something with people who lack these skills is a thankless task. Because they lack reasoning ability and they don't have a lot of facts at their disposal, they quickly resort to ad hominem attacks and the discussion breaks down.
That said, we are all a work in progress. I empathize with your frustration since the people you are discussing in your article all seem to be my family members! So I don't discuss politics with them.
I think your articles are the more powerful because you DO require critical thinking of yourself before you send an article out.
Thanks very much for pointing all of this out.
In addition, it is understandable to want to believe a lot of people have opened their eyes. It has been a long struggle to get to this point, where we have an administration ready to fight for us. I know I wish that more people understood the world the way conservatives do. But it's just not easy for some people. We all want to feel like we are good human beings and our political views represent what we feel is the best part of ourselves. Nobody gives that up very easily.
Thanks again for opening my eyes to so many things.
I’m starting to wonder if one can change their IQ, ability to reason, by changing their process of taking in information. Both increase and decrease it. Not just learning facts but change the way our brains process information.
I think the bottom 30% view the world entirely through EMOTIONS. It's about what they FEEL. Thinking is actually hard for some people. My point is that they don't think, they FEEL.
It what I have been reading about the brain is accurate, the brain as an organ has a quality called "plasticity." That merely means the brain can be changed (like modeling clay). For example exercise has been found to increase the associational neural networks in the brain, improving memory. A study was done in which high school students who were having an exam that day either went to study hall for an hour before the test, or ran in PE for an hour before the test. Those who ran for an hour did better on the exam than those who studied for an hour.
Learning new ideas, learning a new language, all of these can change the brain in a positive way, again through increasing new associational networks with already learned information.
There are things that can decrease the brain's functioning. For instance mind control or emotional trauma can cause the mind to shut down [protectively], and can result in the establishment of fewer new neural networks, or in the brain falling back on certain default settings that are similar to closed circuits. Also toxins can decrease or interfere with the brain's cognition and memory.
I watched a video once in which a very elderly Japanese man in his 90's who had survived his whole family was studied to learn about his cognitive capacities. He started every day exercising on an exercise mat. He decided to go to work at a child care center, in which he had to get down on the ground to play with the children. The video showed him playing on the ground with the children and reading to them on the ground (the Japanese often sit on the ground, so this, in itself was not unusual for the Japanese). He also decided to learn a new language and he chose to learn Chinese. The video went on to discuss diet and the role of diet in the people who live in northern Japan. This video encapsulated for me the brain that can change itself and modify itself.
All learning is emotional learning, i.e., one's emotional life continues while someone is learning, and the memories of what is learned are often encoded along with a person's feelings and memories. Someone who has no emotional blocks to learning learns with ease and pleasure, whereas someone whose emotions inhibit one from learning have more difficulty learning and remembering, and have much less pleasure in the learning process.
Yes, yet unfortunately it requires said person to literally have a 'change-of-heart'. Some might link such a life-changing personal event to both sides of repentance or surrendering one's self. Morality (even without religious context) is simply one's decision, or training to act 'better' than one's human-nature would otherwise choose. A-moral people may choose to do good deeds and avoid bad-deeds however the motive is never their 'good heart' and desire to act morally. If anyone desires to be a catalyst in helping an amoral person 'see the light', it will never be done through 'schooling', criticizing, explaining, comparing, or anything other than being an example and loving them regardless of themselves. Super difficult for 'smart' moral people as 'smart people' quickly learn to avoid said amoral people. See the paradox? Smart, moral, people must learn a different type of morality than 'stupid' moral people (of whom are much more numerous than the 'smarts' and of whom the world is a far better place when society learns general morality. It is extremely difficult for 'smart' moral people to be the beacon of example to any immoral person. Blessed are the who... ? Love is what... ? A lesson I must also learn personally. Maybe there's a time and place for loving vs shunning? Avoiding bad-hearted people by not 'yoking' with them in any way yet, interacting with them with love when they are placed in our path? It seems there is a remarkable connection to Biblical teachings when considering things in this perspective.
I think the media on the boob tube has to come clean and tell them they lied, flat out! Otherwise those listeners aren't going to get it! Unless the info is so conflicting these people realize they must think!
I agree with all that you wrote, Erik. My personal observation is that the dumb people canNOT be reasoned with. It is beyond their capacity. The people who didn't vote or who voted for Harris are, without question, dumb. The contrast between Trump and Harris could not have been wider. The choice was OBVIOUS. My theory is that the 30% or so that voted for Harris (aka dumb people) are not reachable by reason (aka dumb). They will only see things once they experience SEE (Significant Emotional Experience). For example, a post on X after the Pacific Palisades fire reported that everyone whose house burned down will now vote republican. Let's analyze that: all the shit that was happening didn't faze them from voting for Harris. It wasn't until their house burned down and the democrats did nothing that convinced them. Their fcking house had to burn down for them to wake the fck up. Dumb = Emotional = need an EMOTIONAL experience that DIRECTLY affects them before they wake the fck up. They need a SEE experience that DIRECTLY affects them to wake up. Simple reasoning is beyond their capacity as they are wholly EMOTIONAL people. They don't think, they FEEL.
I am very glad you bought up this topic, Erik. It's scary how many stupid people there are out there. I am stumped how to wake them up. Like I mentioned my original response, the bottom 30% or so, aka dumb, the terminally retarded, can only see if they have a SEE experience. What is your experience in waking up the dumb sheep?
I think many of these people aren't dumb as in low intelligence(IQ) or even low emotional intelligence(EQ).
I've met people who have a decent post-secondary education and are capable of reasoning things out but are "dumb" in terms of their support for the woke insanity.
However the one constant among all these "dumb" people is in fact post-secondary education!
Surveys of the educational level of MAGA supporters indicate a large proportion of them don't have collage educations whereas a large portion of the "woke" left in fact have post-secondary and even have post-graduate educations!
Collages and Universities are the strongest centers of political and ideological indoctrination in the western world, under the conditions existing within these institutions, young minds don't have a choice in resisting these literal brainwashing programs disguised as higher education.
It's well known that thoroughly brainwashed people cannot reason or think in a normal fashion without a lot of rehabilitation and cult deprogramming.
I know this because I had worked in an academic environment for 15 years and saw the process at work.
It's not obvious and it's insidious and very effective on young still developing minds but much less effective on new students over the age of 30.
I've argued with leftist PhDs and presented my points in a clear and logical manner, what I observed astonished me. These people literally "froze" as in they had a blank look on their faces when they looked any reasoning and evidence which contradicted their views and beliefs.
They went into a literal "mindlock" where their cognitive dissonance literally froze out the rest of their higher brain functions.
You literally see the "does not compute" error message on their faces.
I think many of these people are literally the products of very effective brainwashing programs put in place during the 19th century called the Prussian education system in which the modern 20th and 21st century western school systems are based.
This system devised as a literal brainwashing program to indoctrinate the population to be obedient drones, of course it started with the Germans and spread out from there.
So it's not surprising that many Kamala supporters tend to be over educated relative to the population vs Trump's MAGA base.
In this case less is more, the less formal education you have the better your chances of actually being able to think and reason on social issues!
When my high school class was choosing a class motto, I suggested “whoso would be a man would be a non- conformist” Ralph Waldo Emerson. About 3/4 of the class went along with “journey of a thousand steps…”. Over the past 50 yrs I’ve found that MY motto has served me well.
Being around “stupid” people is depressing and unbelievable.
Many fine comments from others here who bumped heads with the evolutionary challenged.
Another term could be "voluntarily ignorant."
Ignorant is interesting. At first stage it is simply someone who has not yet been informed, lack of data, and thus rather innocent.
At second stage, it is someone who has been informed of new data but now decides to IGNORE that, and here is the willfulness. A choice to not evolve.
As for your comment: " I don’t know a better word to use, and I hope it doesn’t insult or offend anyone."
I could give a flying foutard if they are insulted or offended. In fact I wish now, out of self defense and regard for the ideal of a Republic of responsible citizens, that these stupid vote-defiling cretins are both Offed and Ended!
Your reply is priceless! I love “evolutionarily challenged, and voluntarily ignorant!” I usually refers to these people as ignorant, because they choose to IGNORE the truth.
I'm voting for the 6 more weeks of winter option. Trump knows John and Jane Public and the others of us who are helping toward our goal. He also understands there are plenty of victims. The good news is the shift in visualization of Taylor Swift. The tail follows and is attached to the body. NCSWIC.
Lol to me the perfect caricature of your “lack of IQ” is AOC. The song says “oowee child things are going to get easier, oowee child things will get brighter”! My hope and trust lies with my Savior. He’s all that matters. The trying of our patience with these people works our faith.
Methinks you have a very high IQ Erik. This puts you in a small group say 2-4% making it difficult to engage with lesser mortals. IMO stupid nearly always equates with ignorance/ arrogance making it even harder to engage. Perhaps you are also a very nice person and imagine others are as smart as you. Then the reality smacks you hard. The video above posted by. GRY is good - the Dunning-Kruger effect.
Thanks Julie. I realize I’m preaching to the choir here. Basically I haven’t really engaged with a lot of people outside of our community lately and was surprised to find how unreasonable and insecure many still are today.
There are people "like" Forest... we see them everywhere. They have this strange aspect to them and their ability to suspend their disbelief (pardon me while I close my eyes and say you are not here) AND cognitively remove themselves from the situation ("I'm not listening!!! I can't hear you...")... Great piece.
There is a name for what you are referring to: The Dunning-Kruger Effect.
People who think they know the most, actually know the least, and it can be diagrammed.
It is amazing and I see it everywhere. It is named after two social scientists. Wanna guess their names?
This video explains it in a humorous but accurate manner.
https://youtu.be/4FGnb2lgPBA
Wow! That four minutes is a keeper!!
Thanks.
I am a Chiefs fan-pretty normal and don't wear red underwear on game day. Never been to an actual game since tv gives me a great seat. I've had reservations/apprehension most of the year. Methinks they enjoyed a lot of luck 24/25. Never did dominance show. Kudos to the Eagles! Focused and tough in every respect. All year long.
As to the thread...the older I get...the less I seem to know, and recognize a lot of others suffer from the same delusion. Except my pastor. What a smart man of the word! He may not know much about pressure vessels and mechanical breakdowns, but he can sure enlighten using scripture to explain scripture. With all your heart and all your mind, love God. Love one another.
The actor who played the charming, but stupid Forrest Gump is a pedophile and an Epstein Island visitor. All of Hollywood is filled with pedophiles. The message of Forrest Gump was be stupid, be happy, be kind, don’t ask questions, be fearless, keep going forward, in good cheer with faith in the big society. I prefer the grumpy as fuck, angry idiot, who doesn’t know what’s going on but suspects something is terribly wrong and is pissed off by the invisible forces pulling him this way and that.
I believe you are discussing critical thinking. Even though I went through medical school which taught me the scientific method (to a point) and scientific reasoning, I realize today, 46 years later, that I never fully developed all the skills necessary for critical thinking. So I have been reading about it, and my goal is to develop more skills along these lines.
The examples you gave indicate that you have developed critical thinking skills and trying to discuss something with people who lack these skills is a thankless task. Because they lack reasoning ability and they don't have a lot of facts at their disposal, they quickly resort to ad hominem attacks and the discussion breaks down.
That said, we are all a work in progress. I empathize with your frustration since the people you are discussing in your article all seem to be my family members! So I don't discuss politics with them.
I think your articles are the more powerful because you DO require critical thinking of yourself before you send an article out.
Thanks very much for pointing all of this out.
In addition, it is understandable to want to believe a lot of people have opened their eyes. It has been a long struggle to get to this point, where we have an administration ready to fight for us. I know I wish that more people understood the world the way conservatives do. But it's just not easy for some people. We all want to feel like we are good human beings and our political views represent what we feel is the best part of ourselves. Nobody gives that up very easily.
Thanks again for opening my eyes to so many things.
I’m starting to wonder if one can change their IQ, ability to reason, by changing their process of taking in information. Both increase and decrease it. Not just learning facts but change the way our brains process information.
I think the bottom 30% view the world entirely through EMOTIONS. It's about what they FEEL. Thinking is actually hard for some people. My point is that they don't think, they FEEL.
It what I have been reading about the brain is accurate, the brain as an organ has a quality called "plasticity." That merely means the brain can be changed (like modeling clay). For example exercise has been found to increase the associational neural networks in the brain, improving memory. A study was done in which high school students who were having an exam that day either went to study hall for an hour before the test, or ran in PE for an hour before the test. Those who ran for an hour did better on the exam than those who studied for an hour.
Learning new ideas, learning a new language, all of these can change the brain in a positive way, again through increasing new associational networks with already learned information.
There are things that can decrease the brain's functioning. For instance mind control or emotional trauma can cause the mind to shut down [protectively], and can result in the establishment of fewer new neural networks, or in the brain falling back on certain default settings that are similar to closed circuits. Also toxins can decrease or interfere with the brain's cognition and memory.
I watched a video once in which a very elderly Japanese man in his 90's who had survived his whole family was studied to learn about his cognitive capacities. He started every day exercising on an exercise mat. He decided to go to work at a child care center, in which he had to get down on the ground to play with the children. The video showed him playing on the ground with the children and reading to them on the ground (the Japanese often sit on the ground, so this, in itself was not unusual for the Japanese). He also decided to learn a new language and he chose to learn Chinese. The video went on to discuss diet and the role of diet in the people who live in northern Japan. This video encapsulated for me the brain that can change itself and modify itself.
All learning is emotional learning, i.e., one's emotional life continues while someone is learning, and the memories of what is learned are often encoded along with a person's feelings and memories. Someone who has no emotional blocks to learning learns with ease and pleasure, whereas someone whose emotions inhibit one from learning have more difficulty learning and remembering, and have much less pleasure in the learning process.
Yes, yet unfortunately it requires said person to literally have a 'change-of-heart'. Some might link such a life-changing personal event to both sides of repentance or surrendering one's self. Morality (even without religious context) is simply one's decision, or training to act 'better' than one's human-nature would otherwise choose. A-moral people may choose to do good deeds and avoid bad-deeds however the motive is never their 'good heart' and desire to act morally. If anyone desires to be a catalyst in helping an amoral person 'see the light', it will never be done through 'schooling', criticizing, explaining, comparing, or anything other than being an example and loving them regardless of themselves. Super difficult for 'smart' moral people as 'smart people' quickly learn to avoid said amoral people. See the paradox? Smart, moral, people must learn a different type of morality than 'stupid' moral people (of whom are much more numerous than the 'smarts' and of whom the world is a far better place when society learns general morality. It is extremely difficult for 'smart' moral people to be the beacon of example to any immoral person. Blessed are the who... ? Love is what... ? A lesson I must also learn personally. Maybe there's a time and place for loving vs shunning? Avoiding bad-hearted people by not 'yoking' with them in any way yet, interacting with them with love when they are placed in our path? It seems there is a remarkable connection to Biblical teachings when considering things in this perspective.
I think the media on the boob tube has to come clean and tell them they lied, flat out! Otherwise those listeners aren't going to get it! Unless the info is so conflicting these people realize they must think!
The British would've used the word Foolish in place of Stupid and still manage to insult these morons with class and style.
Morons is my own personal preference.
Possibly stupidly stubborn? My mom’s favorite when I was a kid….
I agree with all that you wrote, Erik. My personal observation is that the dumb people canNOT be reasoned with. It is beyond their capacity. The people who didn't vote or who voted for Harris are, without question, dumb. The contrast between Trump and Harris could not have been wider. The choice was OBVIOUS. My theory is that the 30% or so that voted for Harris (aka dumb people) are not reachable by reason (aka dumb). They will only see things once they experience SEE (Significant Emotional Experience). For example, a post on X after the Pacific Palisades fire reported that everyone whose house burned down will now vote republican. Let's analyze that: all the shit that was happening didn't faze them from voting for Harris. It wasn't until their house burned down and the democrats did nothing that convinced them. Their fcking house had to burn down for them to wake the fck up. Dumb = Emotional = need an EMOTIONAL experience that DIRECTLY affects them before they wake the fck up. They need a SEE experience that DIRECTLY affects them to wake up. Simple reasoning is beyond their capacity as they are wholly EMOTIONAL people. They don't think, they FEEL.
Very good point.
I am very glad you bought up this topic, Erik. It's scary how many stupid people there are out there. I am stumped how to wake them up. Like I mentioned my original response, the bottom 30% or so, aka dumb, the terminally retarded, can only see if they have a SEE experience. What is your experience in waking up the dumb sheep?
Life decisions based solely upon ‘feelings’ results in much failure.
All the time. Agreed. Feelings are exceptionally fickled and ephemeral. Rational thought is necesssary to carefully evaluate issues.
I think many of these people aren't dumb as in low intelligence(IQ) or even low emotional intelligence(EQ).
I've met people who have a decent post-secondary education and are capable of reasoning things out but are "dumb" in terms of their support for the woke insanity.
However the one constant among all these "dumb" people is in fact post-secondary education!
Surveys of the educational level of MAGA supporters indicate a large proportion of them don't have collage educations whereas a large portion of the "woke" left in fact have post-secondary and even have post-graduate educations!
Collages and Universities are the strongest centers of political and ideological indoctrination in the western world, under the conditions existing within these institutions, young minds don't have a choice in resisting these literal brainwashing programs disguised as higher education.
It's well known that thoroughly brainwashed people cannot reason or think in a normal fashion without a lot of rehabilitation and cult deprogramming.
I know this because I had worked in an academic environment for 15 years and saw the process at work.
It's not obvious and it's insidious and very effective on young still developing minds but much less effective on new students over the age of 30.
I've argued with leftist PhDs and presented my points in a clear and logical manner, what I observed astonished me. These people literally "froze" as in they had a blank look on their faces when they looked any reasoning and evidence which contradicted their views and beliefs.
They went into a literal "mindlock" where their cognitive dissonance literally froze out the rest of their higher brain functions.
You literally see the "does not compute" error message on their faces.
I think many of these people are literally the products of very effective brainwashing programs put in place during the 19th century called the Prussian education system in which the modern 20th and 21st century western school systems are based.
https://www.culturalworld.org/what-is-the-prussian-education-system.htm
This system devised as a literal brainwashing program to indoctrinate the population to be obedient drones, of course it started with the Germans and spread out from there.
So it's not surprising that many Kamala supporters tend to be over educated relative to the population vs Trump's MAGA base.
In this case less is more, the less formal education you have the better your chances of actually being able to think and reason on social issues!
Well, we can love you from afar, that’s for sure. You might not feel it but please know that the love is there for you. :)
When my high school class was choosing a class motto, I suggested “whoso would be a man would be a non- conformist” Ralph Waldo Emerson. About 3/4 of the class went along with “journey of a thousand steps…”. Over the past 50 yrs I’ve found that MY motto has served me well.
Being around “stupid” people is depressing and unbelievable.
Take the other road, less traveled!!
Many fine comments from others here who bumped heads with the evolutionary challenged.
Another term could be "voluntarily ignorant."
Ignorant is interesting. At first stage it is simply someone who has not yet been informed, lack of data, and thus rather innocent.
At second stage, it is someone who has been informed of new data but now decides to IGNORE that, and here is the willfulness. A choice to not evolve.
As for your comment: " I don’t know a better word to use, and I hope it doesn’t insult or offend anyone."
I could give a flying foutard if they are insulted or offended. In fact I wish now, out of self defense and regard for the ideal of a Republic of responsible citizens, that these stupid vote-defiling cretins are both Offed and Ended!
Your reply is priceless! I love “evolutionarily challenged, and voluntarily ignorant!” I usually refers to these people as ignorant, because they choose to IGNORE the truth.
I'm voting for the 6 more weeks of winter option. Trump knows John and Jane Public and the others of us who are helping toward our goal. He also understands there are plenty of victims. The good news is the shift in visualization of Taylor Swift. The tail follows and is attached to the body. NCSWIC.
Lol to me the perfect caricature of your “lack of IQ” is AOC. The song says “oowee child things are going to get easier, oowee child things will get brighter”! My hope and trust lies with my Savior. He’s all that matters. The trying of our patience with these people works our faith.
Methinks you have a very high IQ Erik. This puts you in a small group say 2-4% making it difficult to engage with lesser mortals. IMO stupid nearly always equates with ignorance/ arrogance making it even harder to engage. Perhaps you are also a very nice person and imagine others are as smart as you. Then the reality smacks you hard. The video above posted by. GRY is good - the Dunning-Kruger effect.
Thanks Julie. I realize I’m preaching to the choir here. Basically I haven’t really engaged with a lot of people outside of our community lately and was surprised to find how unreasonable and insecure many still are today.
I really do wonder sometimes what this “great awakening” really means. Love your articles Erik.
Good points, but I was hoping you had the answer to waking these people up! 😁
A bucket of ice water. 😂
Looking forward to finding and reading your X replies you’re referencing 😄
There are people "like" Forest... we see them everywhere. They have this strange aspect to them and their ability to suspend their disbelief (pardon me while I close my eyes and say you are not here) AND cognitively remove themselves from the situation ("I'm not listening!!! I can't hear you...")... Great piece.
So true, Erik! Thanks for your insight!!
Excellent! Exactly what I was mulling over this morning but wasn’t able to put it into words! Thank you!🙏 Have