A Hitherto Unheeded Level Of Tact

[Blog of Reason]

Discussion thread for the blog entry "A Hitherto Unheeded Level Of Tact" by Th1sWasATriumph.

Permalink: http://blog.leagueofreason.org.uk/reason/a-hitherto-unheeded-level-of-tact/

 

[rabbitpirate]

I think some woo beliefs are inherently more dangerous than others. Beliefs like astrology and that you will one day see your dead grandfather again are basically harmless and as such I am more than happy to leave them be.

I think as skeptics you need to realise that there are some battles that are just not worth it. As you said trying to convince someone that they will never see a dead loved one again is likely to be an uphill slog, but even if you manage it what is the point? Their belief harmed no one and probably brought them a lot of comfort, what exactly have you accomplished?

On the other hand if you fail to convince them on this they are more likely to be less receptive to you when you try to address a belief they hold that is actually harmful.

Pick your battles, it really isn't worth the effort to fight every bit of woo that comes along...so I guess that is a selfish reason after all.

 

[Aught3]

I agree with RP, there are very few woo-beliefs that I would tackle in public (at least without an invitation). I might reply with something like "no, I don't believe in that" but if they want to know why they have to ask.

 

[borrofburi]

I agree with RP, there are very few woo-beliefs that I would tackle in public (at least without an invitation). I might reply with something like "no, I don't believe in that" but if they want to know why they have to ask.

I get more direct as time goes on and less and less of the people I rely on are woo-believers; in the past even if asked I would have mumbled something about how I don't know if I agreed and thought I probably disagreed, now days I tend to say something like "too bad astrology fails any and all rigorous studies and is indistinguishable from confirmation bias", even if only in passing.

 

[Th1sWasATriumph]

I think some woo beliefs are inherently more dangerous than others. Beliefs like astrology and that you will one day see your dead grandfather again are basically harmless and as such I am more than happy to leave them be.

Pick your battles, it really isn't worth the effort to fight every bit of woo that comes along...so I guess that is a selfish reason after all.

No, I would still challenge Astrology etc . . . because it's still anti-science and just generally ass. My reasons for not challenging it, when such situations arise, are entirely selfish - but the dead relative thing was one of the first times I can recall not engaging for reasons other than my own needs. I don't want anything from this guy, he can't do anything for me, but I left him to his mire anyway.

Actually maybe I should just have gone to red alert and made him see the light, now I put it like that.

 

[nasher168]

Beliefs like astrology and that you will one day see your dead grandfather again are basically harmless and as such I am more than happy to leave them be.

I go after astrology when it crops up because I just dislike the sheer arrogance of it. But belief in the afterlife doesn't really matter in my opinion as people don't tend to take advantage of believers in it. However, if someone told me they were paying a "medium" or "psychic" money to let them talk to someone dead, then I would of course weigh in as hard as I could on that belief to stop them being taken advantage of.

 

[rabbitpirate]

No, I would still challenge Astrology etc . . . because it's still anti-science and just generally ass. My reasons for not challenging it, when such situations arise, are entirely selfish - but the dead relative thing was one of the first times I can recall not engaging for reasons other than my own needs. I don't want anything from this guy, he can't do anything for me, but I left him to his mire anyway.

I know this is a long shot, specially seeing your recent confession regarding your love for sex, cake and puppy murder, but it is possible that you are developing something that I believe they call empathy. Yeah, I can hardly believe it myself.