Skeptic Project

@ Edward:

Luckily, high school isn't the real world, 99% of what people think matters while in high school doesn't matter in reality.

Unfortunately popular culture, driven by market forces, feeds this teenaged self-absorption and narcissism. Apparently the trend started in the 1950's. I watched Rebel Without a Cause (1955) on TCM the other night, which struck me as an absurd portrayal of teen life.

Imagine: White middle class teens in L.A. in the 1950's who live in a free country at peace, with employed parents and a booming economy; who can eat all the food they want; who could own automobiles; who have access to the cultural resources of the world (represented by the planetarium); and who could go on to get subsidized college educations to further improve themselves. What did they really have to complain about? Anne Frank (a teen girl who had the best case for her grievances of anyone) would have gladly traded her problems for theirs.

@ Edward
"Danny, the great thing about conspiracy theorists like yourself is there's always someone in it more deep, someone who considers himself more awake than you, someone who knows "what's really going on" even more so. Interestingly enough, the more people are like this, the more crazy they tend to be."

So....I'm crazy? I'll have to disagree with you, I'm slowly seeking the truth.

@SB
"oh no how terrible,they don't share the same interests as you well now that truely is proof of mind control... "

Not at all.They'd rather focus on nonthingness than important matters at hand.

@Danny

>> So....I'm crazy? I'll have to disagree with you, I'm slowly seeking the truth.

No, I don't think you're crazy at all. I think you're a bit alarmist and naive, based on the posts you've made so far. My point was you're involved with a movement that the higher up you go, people really do become psychotic.

Truth is backed by evidence and reality, conspiracy theories and faith aren't. That's why evolution is true, but creationism is faith.

Truth is backed by evidence and reality, conspiracy theories and faith aren't. That's why evolution is true, but creationism is faith.

So...the FBI's conspiracy theory about a dying man in a cave in Afghanistan demolishing the World Trade Center with box cutters isn't based on evidence and reality?

@ Plautus Satire

"So...the FBI's conspiracy theory about a dying man in a cave in Afghanistan demolishing the World Trade Center with box cutters isn't based on evidence and reality?"

Are you discrediting the information gathering abilities of the government? Are you suggesting they invaded Afghanistan based on a poorly supported theory?

Matt said:

What a stupid straw man. Is that how you convince yourself that you win arguments? By reducing your opponent's points to absurdly simplistic situations they never proposed in the first place?

Edward said:

Truth is backed by evidence and reality, conspiracy theories and faith aren't. That's why evolution is true, but creationism is faith.
Plautus Satire said:

So...the FBI's conspiracy theory about a dying man in a cave in Afghanistan demolishing the World Trade Center with box cutters isn't based on evidence and reality?

Do you understand what a "conspiracy theory" is, Matt? It's a theory about a conspiracy.

The great thing about a theory is that it can be proven wrong.

"The great thing about Plautus Satire is"

He only exists on the Internet.

"Communist governments are atheist so they consider their citizens as nothing but animals, with no soul, conscience, or free will. Has our government adopted the same atheistic view of its citizens?"

In some ways yes. We as people are quick to foam at the mouth over the newest gadget or reality show. But with our government, I think they manly see us as the cash cows to mislead and sell us their books and merch.

America is near downright Cynical, emotionless, narrasctic mental state. We don't value our common man like use to. It's all about iPods and dollar signs now.

We as people are quick to foam at the mouth over the newest gadget or reality show.

I'm not sure this really happens as much as you think it happens, or that these types of trivial things are really as important to people as you (Danny) seem to think they are.

I think you're probably judging this effect by looking at popular culture as reflected in the media--what's on TV, what's covered on the news, what web sites are popular, etc. But don't forget, mass media is a for-profit business. They are trying to push whatever they can sell to the broadest slice of the public, and since so much of media is marketing-driven, naturally you're going to see a lot of trivial stuff. Pop culture and media is very shallow by definition, because if they delve any deeper they're at risk of offending one segment or another of their audience/consumers.

Think of it this way. You're a TV producer. Your job is to sell ad revenue. It's much easier and safer to buy a show about Britney Spears's hairstyles and plastic surgery than it is a hard-hitting show about politics and monetary policy, even though the serious policy show is more socially responsible. The fact that a lot fewer people would watch that show instead of Britney Speares doesn't mean that society views the subjects of that show as trivial.

My experience is that out there in the real world, here are the top things that most real people care about deeply:

1. Their kids.
2. Their finances.
3. Their job.
4. Their future.

Ask a random cross section of people across the USA, "Which is more important: your kid getting an A in math, or the latest Apple gadget release?" and 99.9% of people will say their kid's grades are more important. And you know what? Probably a lot of the people who say that will ALSO be the kind of people who are really excited about the latest Apple gadget and will probably buy one.