Bummed

[drscott]

Why is that the people with the least understanding of complex legal and financial matters feel they must shout their uninformed opinions to the world? Do they think outrage about things that are none of their business will produce wise, intelligent action? Why do they buy their opinions wholesale from web sites that reinforce their prejudices and then try to pass them off as their own? And why do I try to correct/explain/educate? "tis a puzzlement. The memes rule.

Comments

[cowboygreg.livejournal.com]

Because prepackaged political thought that caters to people's unexamined prejudices is as a quick burger obtained at the drive-thru compared to the far more nutritious -- but time-consuming and laborious -- home-cooked meal of thinking one's positions out for one's self.

Yes, it's lunch time down here. ;)

Sure, in the past you could always get a pre-fab opinion from the op-ed pages -- but you had to actually take the trouble to read them, and people who read op-ed pages also have a tendency to do at least some of their own political thinking. But now that we have multiple channels of yammering pundits, it's easy to check your brain at the door and go along with whichever pundit's view gives you the warm fuzzies. Easy, fast, fun, and none of that tedious researching of background issues yourself!

You try to educate because it pains you to hear claptrap passed off as serious, thoughtful commentary. Unfortunately, these days trying to refute said claptrap quickly becomes a daunting task. King Canute would understand.

[dr-scott.livejournal.com]

I wonder how much of this is due to what I think of as the Piety Gene. This innate human tendency is developed to a greater or lesser extent in most people and causes you to enforce conformity of thought, seek out scapegoats, and otherwise follow groupthink to put yourself above those who don't conform.