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News Gathering vs. Confirmation Bias
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[S]cience is more than a body of knowledge; it is a way of thinking. I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time – when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the key manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness.
The dumbing down of America is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media, the 30-second sound bites (now down to 10 seconds or less), lowest common denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudoscience and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance.
— Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark (New York: Ballantine Books, 1996) at p.32.
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[S]cience is more than a body of knowledge; it is a way of thinking. I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time – when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the key manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness.
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Tag Archives: education
The Best Way to Spot an Idiot: Kindness as a Signifier of Intelligence
Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker’s commencement speech at Northwestern on 12 June 2023 (excerpted by John Gruber of Daring Fireball): The best way to spot an idiot? Look for the person who is cruel. When we see someone who doesn’t look like us, or sound like us, or act like us, or love like us, or […]
Also tagged quotes, rational thought / critical thinking, society
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Wake Up, Parents! Christian Nationalists Are Trying To Take Away Your Child’s Right To Read At School
Americans United: Most parents want their children to be readers. Parents are urged to set a good example by reading to their children and letting their kids see them read. Public libraries sponsor summer reading programs with prizes for kids who read the most books. Public schools extol reading. Celebrities and sports figures often join […]
God Damn It !!!
Jumpin’ Jesus! It’s International Blasphemy Day!
Also tagged constitution, freedom, freethought, law/legal, rational thought / critical thinking, religion
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Some States Could Tax Recipients of Student Loan Relief
Danielle Douglas-Gabriel reporting for the Washington Post: People in line to benefit from President Biden’s plan to cancel up to $20,000 in student loans could be taxed on the one-time relief depending on where they live. Mississippi, North Carolina and Indiana plan to levy state taxes on federal student loan forgiveness, while decisions in Wisconsin, […]
Also tagged bullshit, government, politics
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Oh God Damn It!
It’s International Blasphemy Day! I make jokes and all, but Blasphemy Day is is actually a very serious day, which: educates individuals and groups about blasphemy laws and defends freedom of expression, especially the open criticism of religion which is criminalized in many countries. Exercise your rights people, lest they wither away.
Also tagged constitution, freedom, law/legal, religion
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Being Non-Racist vs Begin Anti-Racist
Emmanuel Acho in his truly wonderful YouTube series, Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man: Being non-racist is still tolerating racism, but not volunteering yourself as a racist. Being anti-racist is speaking out against racism whenever you see it. — Emmanuel Acho, Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man, E10 with Chelsea Handler @ 10:16.
Also tagged commentary, race/racism
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Finally, Harvard Professor Slammed for Saying Atheists “Can’t Be Trusted” to Hold Office
Charles M. Silver, a law professor at the University of Texas at Austin and a visiting professor at Harvard Law School in 2011, has written a piece for the Harvard Crimson responding to Vermeule’s comment. Among other things, he notes the lack of public outrage over what Vermeule said. That’s in part due to how […]
Bill Nye Saves the World
Netflix: Emmy-winning host Bill Nye brings experts and famous guests to his lab for a talk show exploring scientific issues that touch our lives. Wow. Great show! Even better than I was hoping.
Also tagged entertainment, reason, science, skepticism
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Neil deGrasse Tyson on America
Neil deGrasse Tyson on Twitter: Let’s Make America Smart Again.
Also tagged society
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Reason Roundup: Kansans Reject Anti-Abortion Ballot Measure—and It’s Not Even Close
Elizabeth Nolan Brown reporting for Reason.com: Voters overwhelmingly voted against a measure that would have allowed abortion to be banned in Kansas in the first post-Roe test of abortion’s legality put directly to the people. Yeah, that’s the kind of crazy thing about the Dobbs decision — the people of our fair nation are overwhelmingly […]
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