Them's Fightin' Words--In Other Words, Foolish Ones

 

"Misunderstanding In Maternity" by Herr D. Sometimes things are not as they appear.-Shelob.

Among the instructional materials I have been given by my employer was a video reminding everyone that fighting can be avoided. Real video of real-life people saying things that are obviously argumentative.

Among the example videos was a young woman with a muddled Carolinian accent asking a nurse did she "really believe masks work?" And being told, as my recent source said, that the nurse wouldn't be working if they didn't. The young woman asked a question about testing a mask with cigarette smoke.

In another segment, she said that she believed Facebook and Twitter were "trying to silence Donald Trump" that "he had nothing to do with the riots" that the rioters were people "from Black Lives Matter and antifa" and admitted that she got some of her news from Newsmax. And declared that she had "seen videos" that backed up her beliefs.

I was appalled to realize that the woman wasn't hard to find.

Gullibility and wrongful skepticism don't just happen to less intelligent people. Some very bright people are way too naive about some things. Critical thinking is HARD WORK compared to just being spoon fed what you should think.

Shelob?

Consider your sources.

An obvious rule. Internet is convenient, but less accurate because those sources don't have to answer to the same level of scrutiny as a physical paper newspaper. Wire services and fact checker sites can help pick a good one. Bias isn't always obvious, and some people don't always know to avoid the Op Eds. Next?

Question interpretive statements.

Good. "Trying to silence" anyone is impossible in this day and age, and Zuckerberg's people are too smart to waste their time. I'm not sure I know about Twitter. I DO know that both companies have policies against hate speech and other problematic behaviors. I also know that both companies waited a little too long to suspend Trump.

I know that Trump didn't show up to walk with them. Neither did the few congressmen who seemed to be encouraging them. Anyone who actually listens to his words knows he encouraged bad behavior. 

And the contents of the crowd?

Unfortunately, one of the reasons I know that BLM wasn't behind this is that there were more black members of the Capitol Police than the crowd. People are more involved in their own problems than risking their necks for others. The reason I know it was Trump supporters is that so many of them DID NOT WEAR MASKS. Only some Trump supporters, suicidal people, uberskeptics, and really stupid people refuse to wear masks in crowds now.

Thank you, Herr D. This is a good entry.