Online anti-intellectualism and bullying

[BellaBellucci]

What's with the anti-intellectualism on this board lately?! Anytime anybody speaks intelligently, someone has to accuse them of using their intellectual ability to somehow 'trick' others into 'improper' modes of thinking (those that contradict their own).

There's something wrong when intelligent people are being argued with, flamed, and subjugated by those using the simplest terms because they insist on reducing everything to their own self-serving terms and can't and/or won't understand any other arguments (cognitive dissonance). They claim that those of us who are more articulate, eloquent, and technical in talking about about complex issues must be attempting to confuse other members by dazzling them with their words - and always in order to compensate for 'hollow' arguments.

In not addressing said arguments, but the people and verbiage involved, it's these simpler people (as well as those who are actually just trolls) who are attempting to distract from the important discussions using sensationalism, hyperbole, red herrings, ad hominems, and other logical fallacies because they lack the intellectual capacity for proper discussion and debate. And somehow that's the fault of intelligent people?! How convenient.

Every highly intelligent person is not trying to 'get one over' on those who are not, and frankly, in the age of the internet, anybody can pretty much become educated on any topic they choose. If you don't understand something, then look it up. You might just learn something and stop belittling those who learned it before you simply because it better helps you better come to terms with your own intellectual insecurities.

And don't even get me started on the men here telling us what it's like (or should be like) to be trans. They're just bullies. In their case, they incessantly run their mouths about that which they know nothing, and never will. Seriously, some of you guys need to just shut the fuck up and listen to what we ladies are trying to tell you. Don't tell us what we need to do to get laid - we're going to tell you. We have the boobs. We make the rules.

You make statements like 'no man will ever love you if...,' but the fact is that you have no idea what you're talking about. You're doing nothing more than attempting to break down the self-esteem of others in the hopes that it will make them vulnerable enough to give you want you want.

Seriously. Get educated. Do us all a favor.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uMZ7r4JTAOM/UCDpvEp-ZvI/AAAAAAAACrM/fm6Cha3pOVU/s1600/The+thing+about+smart+mother+fuckers+is+they+sound +like+crazy+mother+fuckers+to+dumb+mother+fuckers. jpg

~BB~

[broncofan]

It's funny Bella, but I've seen a lot of the same types of arguments about why people don't post on the political forums. They claim that political discussion is useless because everyone is inevitably preaching to the converted and merely trying to one-up each other. But I see much more of the one-upsmanship on the general discussion board. I think what is actually at work is a serious case of projection from many fragile egos.

Some people use larger words because they think that's the best way to express themselves. Some people like political discussion because they think they can converse civilly and intelligently without it devolving into a flame war. If you try to engage people in intelligent discussion on the general discussion board you will inevitably run into a lot of people who resent the effort. This may sound like a self-serving analysis, but I am often surprised by the pettiness on this side and the open-mindedness we see in the politics section.

[Wendy Summers]

Quit drinking the Drama flavored Kool-Aid and all the BS goes away from the boards #justsaying

[BellaBellucci]

Quit drinking the Drama flavored Kool-Aid and all the BS goes away from the boards #justsaying

So your suggestion is to just let stupid be what stupid does? What happens when the intelligent are so greatly outnumbered by the simple that society goes right down with them? :lol:

~BB~

[broncofan]

So your suggestion is to just let stupid be what stupid does? What happens when the intelligent are so greatly outnumbered by the simple that society goes right down with them? :lol:

~BB~
There's no prescription for it. But I have noticed that if you try to engage someone over here in an objective discussion they immediately assume it's adversarial. This is the anti-intellectual attitude you are talking about. Before you know it random people are quoting you and posting pictures that make no sense and including all sorts of witless and parasitic quips in their posts. It turns out you weren't talking to them and they haven't tried to address anything you've said. I think the solution is to compliment them before offering a rebuttal.

And before anyone thinks I'm calling them stupid I'm not. Anti-intellectualism is an attitude and a frame of mind. It says that protecting their ego is more important than the discussion.

[Chaos]

The problem lies with society and technology.
As society demands more safety and technology gives it to us, stupidity is protected.
Stupidity used to be weeded out by accidents and doing stupid things....now it's easier to be stupid because it's not as dangerous to be dumb as it used to be.
And stupid people have LOTS of kids....

[BellaBellucci]

And before anyone thinks I'm calling them stupid I'm not. Anti-intellectualism is an attitude and a frame of mind. It says that protecting their ego is more important than the discussion.

I'm not sure if I agree with that. I think it's a combination of both. It's the fear of what one doesn't understand and of having been wrong about it - but it may very well be rooted in stupidity - the inability to understand versus the lack of desire.


The problem lies with society and technology

... brought to them by intelligent people (scientists). Talk about irony.

~BB~

[fivekatz]

So your suggestion is to just let stupid be what stupid does? What happens when the intelligent are so greatly outnumbered by the simple that society goes right down with them? :lol:

~BB~George Walker Bush gets re-elected?

[BellaBellucci]

George Walker Bush gets re-elected?

Aren't we already in his fourth term? :?

~BB~

[broncofan]

I'm not sure if I agree with that. I think it's a combination of both. It's the fear of what one doesn't understand and of having been wrong about it - but it may very well be rooted in stupidity - the inability to understand versus the lack of desire.

~BB~
It's that inherent ambiguity. If someone is the butt of a funny joke and they don't laugh, it's because they have too big an ego, they don't get the joke, or the in between option. This is that they understand the joke but make the stupid choice of bristling at it rather than accepting that the humor is sort of universal. They've chosen not to be objective about it and see what's funny.

Is it ego that makes someone appear stupid or stupidity that makes someone appear egotistical? As you say, it's hard to separate the two.

[Silcc69]

What on earth have I missed out on?

[fivekatz]

Aren't we already in his fourth term? :?

~BB~
Touche! But don't tell the crew over at Fox.:Bowdown:

[thx1138]

Idiocracy - Trailer - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBvIweCIgwk)

[Ecstatic]

So your suggestion is to just let stupid be what stupid does? What happens when the intelligent are so greatly outnumbered by the simple that society goes right down with them? :lol:

~BB~

Democracy happens. :whistle:

[rodinuk]

It's that inherent ambiguity. If someone is the butt of a funny joke and they don't laugh, it's because they have too big an ego, they don't get the joke, or the in between option. This is that they understand the joke but make the stupid choice of bristling at it rather than accepting that the humor is sort of universal. They've chosen not to be objective about it and see what's funny.

Perhaps it's because they've heard the joke a thousand times and it just isn't funny anymore?

Since the person is the butt of the joke perhaps they find it hard to laugh because they're being bullied/subjugated by the telling of it?

Perhaps the joke is so inane that it doesn't stimulate their intellect/sense of humour?

Perhaps they had a bad day, they're ill etc.?

[rodinuk]

There's something wrong when intelligent people are being argued with, flamed, and subjugated by those using the simplest terms because they insist on reducing everything to their own self-serving terms and can't and/or won't understand any other arguments (cognitive dissonance). They claim that those of us who are more articulate, eloquent, and technical in talking about about complex issues must be attempting to confuse other members by dazzling them with their words - and always in order to compensate for 'hollow' arguments.


My sincerest contrafibularities to you ;) :kiss:

[muh_muh]

not sure what sparked this thread but in my experience with figuring out if someone else (eg students you work with) understands complex concepts unless theyre able to explain it in a short sentence using only simple everyday words chances are they dont actually understand what theyre talking about

[Rusty Eldora]

I think what Bella is bringing up is if you don't have something constructive to add to a discussion, why don't you just pass on commenting.

It seems like this board has several different types of members and a range from newbie to experienced to jaded. There is the Tporn industry, the TS escort scene, Tgirls in real life, and the sexually curious with both guy and girl participants. I think threads go off the rails mostly on the real life and sexual curious posts.

We all probably think what we say is brilliant, but many of the other posters we think are just middling or just idiots. There is no need to point out the idiots.

[Prospero]

Totally agree with you Bella. But the anti-intellectualism on this board is deep seated and permanent. There are a few people who try to hold intelligent discussions - but most are just here for the leer (play on words from British advert). It's a porno site and for most its nothing more. I suspect you can have a more intelligent chat with your peers in the women only section. But then I have no idea what goes on in there.

[Jericho]

not sure what sparked this thread but in my experience with figuring out if someone else (eg students you work with) understands complex concepts unless theyre able to explain it in a short sentence using only simple everyday words chances are they dont actually understand what theyre talking about

Whut? :confused:






























:ignore:

[martin48]

Totally agree with you Bella. But the anti-intellectualism on this board is deep seated and permanent. There are a few people who try to hold intelligent discussions - but most are just here for the leer (play on words from British advert). It's a porno site and for most its nothing more. I suspect you can have a more intelligent chat with your peers in the women only section. But then I have no idea what goes on in there.

Sympathy about relationships and personal grooming tips - are my guesses

[martin48]

As Janis Joplin remarked “Being an intellectual creates a lot of questions and no answers.” It certainly creates questions but it can produce the best-possible and most robust answers. To blame technology for the survival of the stupid, which in previous generations Darwinian concepts would have prevented from getting to breeding age, is not fair. We owe the benefits of current world through technology, what we have not done is advance our political structures and our educational approach.

[speedking59]

my older sister, who taught me to read at 3 1/2 had me reading a page from the dictionary daily so i have a fair to middlin' vocabulary. methinks smart is sexy as hell. i'll take a brainy gal over drop-dead gorgeous any time.

[giovanni_hotel]

Bella IMO is referring most recently to a post made my Jamie to someone else whose post, for a native english speaker, came off as overly academic and somewhat pretentious.

I don't think there's an anti-inllectualism agenda by certain posters on HA, just a few lowbrow members. So what??
People discuss any and everything on this board.

It's nice to find a thought provoking discussion on this board, but why would you even expect to encounter one here with regularity??

TBH, this thread is kinda pretentious.

[broncofan]

Perhaps it's because they've heard the joke a thousand times and it just isn't funny anymore?

Since the person is the butt of the joke perhaps they find it hard to laugh because they're being bullied/subjugated by the telling of it?

Perhaps the joke is so inane that it doesn't stimulate their intellect/sense of humour?

Perhaps they had a bad day, they're ill etc.?
Fair enough. You've got to make some assumptions in the hypo. All of this assumes the joke is actually funny and not mean-spirited, which if you're the joke-teller might be wishful thinking.

I couldn't think of anything more relevant than the fellow who can only laugh at jokes directed at others. Not a deficit of intelligence imo, but a major ego. This gets in the way of discussion more than anything else because you spend half the time trying to placate their ego.