That we can build a sane, rational society.
this post was submitted on 18 Mar 2025
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That people are fundamentally benevolent to one another. Obviously it can be trained out of you by circumstance, overcome by self-interest, and mental illness is a thing, but I think people innately care for one another. It's why dehumanization is the first step to committing atrocities.
But if someone offered proof that I'm wrong that might be the least surprising thing that happened all week. And if I'm wrong, the evil-doers are sub-human and should be culled without mercy until I am right.
The evil-doers are sub-human and should be culled without mercy until I'm right.
I know what you mean but that sentence is really funny when 1.5 sentences earlier you said "it's why dehumanization is the first step to commiting atrocities" haha
It's the intolerance paradox in action. It's like tolerating cancer. Cancer is a living thing, it doesn't mean you respect it and let it have its way with you without interference. Same principle.
It was intentional irony.
I can't think of any that I'd be particularly surprised by at this point.
That people are not wilfully stupid. The last 10 years have proved people will act against their own benefit if TV tells them to do it.
That people can change through conversations. It’s tough to accept, but most people only change when forced to.
I've noticed 2 types on this, stick-in-the-muds and peak-hunters.
Stick in the muds latch on to the first version of a belief they encounter properly. They will stubbornly hang on to that for as long as possible.
Peak hunters are the opposite, they will rapidly change beliefs to maximise the results/find truth.
Interestingly, after some time, the 2 groups look almost identical. The peak hunters tend to find the 'best' version of their belief, based on their existing memeplex. To budge them, you need to show a different belief is better, on their rankings (not yours). This is hard when they have already maximised it. Without knowing how they are weighing things, they can look like stick in the muds.
The biggest tell is to question why they believe what they do. If they have a reasonably comprehensive answer, they are likely peak hunters. Stick in the muds generally can't articulate why their belief is better, outside of common sound bites.
I understood this and think it’s accurate.
People or beliefs?
I've changed my mind many times based on online discussions.
Beliefs. I’ve changed my mind too, but it seems to be the exception.
I don't think it could be anything I expect. Most of the things I have consciously evaluated about myself I've come to a conclusion based on rational or empirical evidence, so I am certain either in my knowledge or ignorance about a topic. Most of the time when I've been proven wrong it's about a belief I imbibed as a child and never questioned or considered until then.
The way I landed on all my current beliefs was taking in information from as many places as I could and I decided on what I think is right.
There are a ton of topics that can't have an objectively correct answer which makes things fairly complicated.
That all living things are worthy of my compassion. If the millions of conservatives out there somehow prove me wrong... then all attempts at civilization are doomed to collapse and we're reverting back to feudal times.
Would be interested in a list of past facts that turned out to be wrong.
Government of the people, for the people, by the people.
The earth is flat.
My deepest core belief is that there is a non-zero likelihood (which may be quite high) that everything I think I know about the world is wrong.
If it was proven to me beyond a doubt that something I know is undoubtedly correct, I would probably think that there was a possibility that the proof was wrong and go on with my day.
The world is a simulation. Everyone you see is just an AI construct. WAKE UP
~/s~
Why try waking them? The system's just going to repair itself. They go on believing the TRUTH is false.
Why, oh why didn’t I take the blue pill?
Relevant user name?
For me it would be that while lies are in many cases morally justifiable.
My current belief on this is that lying is never right unless you're literally using it as a form of self defence as an alternative to physical violence. However, I also tend to believe that absolute beliefs are virtually always wrong, and these two are conflicting beliefs. I can atleast think of a few extreme scenarios where a white lie seems justifiable even when you're not in danger. For example: a dying person showing their painting and you complimenting it despite not liking it.