It's one thing to have a dissenting opinion. It's another to pursue that opinion to the point that you become obnoxious and dismissive of any information that contradicts that opinion. Many conspiracy theorists cross that threshold when they argue so passionately about their favorite conspiracy ideas.
Oh, and skeptics aren't guilty of being closed minded and very self-righteous in the same way? Objective truth is a tough thing to have, and to assume that you're in the right on either side most if not all the time is ignorance and arrogance. Any reasonable person should accept that there's a chance that they're wrong and not be a dick about it, and its easy to see that neither side is like that.
Fact that many skeptics have to resort to name calling is childish, bullying, and does nothing to help discussion and only further polarizes subjects more, and even shuts people up for having different thoughts/opinions, which isn't right.
Subjects from 9/11, to UFOs, to really any other conspiracy show that both sides are almost completely immature and rude, and analyzing of either sides thought processes show aliments.
Its best to keep an open mind but a thoughtful, critical one at that, and to not resort to name calling when someone brings up a dissenting opinion, among many things. At the end of the day, if you have to resort to name calling to deal with passionate opinions, you need to reevaluate yourself and how you go about things.
Oh, and skeptics aren't guilty of being closed minded and very self-righteous in the same way?
Some can be. Being skeptical doesn't necessarily make someone better, just...skeptical. But skepticism isn't about making up your mind that you don't believe in something. A skeptic keeps an open mind at all times and is always willing to accept evidence that's commensurate with the claim. The key is that a skeptic isn't so open-minded that they'll accept any evidence claimed just because it conforms to their bias, which is the primary sin of conspiracy theorists.
Being a good skeptic is hard work.
At the end of the day, if you have to resort to name calling to deal with passionate opinions, you need to reevaluate yourself.
Sometimes people resort to name calling because the people being called names have made themselves so obnoxious and have dismissed rational discourse for so long that they've earned the name. After a while, it just doesn't pay to keep banging your head against the wall and you have to fall back on other tactics to get your point across.
The word truther needs to die and people that use it need to reevaluate their objectivity and attitude.
Using it is a great way to out yourself as an asshole who doesn't want to hear dissenting opinions.
It's one thing to have a dissenting opinion. It's another to pursue that opinion to the point that you become obnoxious and dismissive of any information that contradicts that opinion. Many conspiracy theorists cross that threshold when they argue so passionately about their favorite conspiracy ideas.
Oh, and skeptics aren't guilty of being closed minded and very self-righteous in the same way? Objective truth is a tough thing to have, and to assume that you're in the right on either side most if not all the time is ignorance and arrogance. Any reasonable person should accept that there's a chance that they're wrong and not be a dick about it, and its easy to see that neither side is like that.
Fact that many skeptics have to resort to name calling is childish, bullying, and does nothing to help discussion and only further polarizes subjects more, and even shuts people up for having different thoughts/opinions, which isn't right.
Subjects from 9/11, to UFOs, to really any other conspiracy show that both sides are almost completely immature and rude, and analyzing of either sides thought processes show aliments.
Its best to keep an open mind but a thoughtful, critical one at that, and to not resort to name calling when someone brings up a dissenting opinion, among many things. At the end of the day, if you have to resort to name calling to deal with passionate opinions, you need to reevaluate yourself and how you go about things.
Some can be. Being skeptical doesn't necessarily make someone better, just...skeptical. But skepticism isn't about making up your mind that you don't believe in something. A skeptic keeps an open mind at all times and is always willing to accept evidence that's commensurate with the claim. The key is that a skeptic isn't so open-minded that they'll accept any evidence claimed just because it conforms to their bias, which is the primary sin of conspiracy theorists.
Being a good skeptic is hard work.
Sometimes people resort to name calling because the people being called names have made themselves so obnoxious and have dismissed rational discourse for so long that they've earned the name. After a while, it just doesn't pay to keep banging your head against the wall and you have to fall back on other tactics to get your point across.