I really enjoyed this article by Daniel Loxton on the efforts, both current and historical, of many in the skeptic community to tone down the confrontational aspects of skepticism. Too many of us treat skepticism as a way to ego-boost. Instead of trying to instruct, they try to make themselves the winner of the debate, and show everyone how much smarter they are then the other guy. Maybe this works to make them feel superior, but it never actually wins arguments, it just makes the other side more entrenched.
The issue with skepticism is that we're really arguing against ignorance. It's hard to be tolerant of ignorance, especially the willful ignorance of many true believers out there. Most of the time, it's best to either not get involved, or to make sure and reply unemotionally. As the article points out, it is all too easy for skeptics to go too far, and wind up saying things that are either unsupported or flat-out wrong.
In debates, our duty must be to the truth. Not to winning the debate, and not to making ourselves feel better. The truth is what matters, and the skeptics should be able to see that the clearest of all.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
Stoicism expressed in a flowchart
I loved this simple flowchart, from the great blog Boing Boing, that expresses a key aspect of Stoicism:
http://www.boingboing.net/2011/06/17/do-you-have-a-proble.html
http://www.boingboing.net/2011/06/17/do-you-have-a-proble.html
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Weiner
The latest U.S. political scandal is Antony Weiner's sexting / phone sex with various women, including evidently coaching women to lie about it. And not understanding that things posted to Twitter are public. This scandal really hits home. I live in Rep. Weiner's district, and I've been very happy to have him as my representative.
I felt that way about former Governor Spitzer, who was a really great Attorney General for New York. His governorship didn't turn out so well, when it was revealed he visited prostitutes on the side, and split up payments to avoid detection. The story is almost exactly the same, and I'm tired of having my political heroes brought down so easily, thanks to their own lust.
These guys are fighting the good fight, but for them it's not enough. They have to pursue their every desire. How do they figure they can get away with this behavior, when we've seen the same situation played out in politics over and over? Why do they lie when they know their lie cannot possibly hold up? They doom themselves; are they not politically savvy enough to see it? Or are they just incapable of restraint?
The stupidity on display here infuriates me.
Still, we shouldn't let this sort of thing become more than it is. Yes, they can't restrain themselves. Neither could notorious womanizer Martin Luther King. Neither could Clinton. These are great guys, though, and we're better off for having their careers be intact. Let's not fall victim to the fundamental attribution error. Just because Weiner is a not trustworthy around women, and just because he'll lie and coach others to lie, doesn't prove that he'll be unethical in political situations.
This isn't just about Weiner and other politicians. As an observer, I have a moral duty too. I must be careful to judge everyone the same way. If a Republican or anyone else I disagree with has a similar problem, I have to make sure I apply the same standards to them. Politicians are highly social creatures, and highly social creatures are probably much more likely to have affairs. This sort of thing just comes with the territory. Maybe we should just look at it like a Stoic would, and accept this as a fact of nature.
I felt that way about former Governor Spitzer, who was a really great Attorney General for New York. His governorship didn't turn out so well, when it was revealed he visited prostitutes on the side, and split up payments to avoid detection. The story is almost exactly the same, and I'm tired of having my political heroes brought down so easily, thanks to their own lust.
These guys are fighting the good fight, but for them it's not enough. They have to pursue their every desire. How do they figure they can get away with this behavior, when we've seen the same situation played out in politics over and over? Why do they lie when they know their lie cannot possibly hold up? They doom themselves; are they not politically savvy enough to see it? Or are they just incapable of restraint?
The stupidity on display here infuriates me.
Still, we shouldn't let this sort of thing become more than it is. Yes, they can't restrain themselves. Neither could notorious womanizer Martin Luther King. Neither could Clinton. These are great guys, though, and we're better off for having their careers be intact. Let's not fall victim to the fundamental attribution error. Just because Weiner is a not trustworthy around women, and just because he'll lie and coach others to lie, doesn't prove that he'll be unethical in political situations.
This isn't just about Weiner and other politicians. As an observer, I have a moral duty too. I must be careful to judge everyone the same way. If a Republican or anyone else I disagree with has a similar problem, I have to make sure I apply the same standards to them. Politicians are highly social creatures, and highly social creatures are probably much more likely to have affairs. This sort of thing just comes with the territory. Maybe we should just look at it like a Stoic would, and accept this as a fact of nature.
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