Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The fake news problem

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  • Farmer Green, in reply to andin,

    It seemed to be less advocacy; more acceptance that superstition is alive and well in the third millennium.
    Some say that the propensity , if not compulsion, for superstitious behaviour will prevent Homo sapiens from becoming too dominant over other species.
    Surely not a bad thing for all.

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report Reply

  • andin, in reply to Farmer Green,

    Some say that the propensity , if not compulsion, for superstitious behaviour will prevent Homo sapiens from becoming too dominant over other species.

    Bit late for that dont you think unless you mean cockroaches, rats, crocodiles and snakes.

    Apropo of nothing
    That didnt take long. If enough people believe it, its fact, is not superstition at work its a form of mental imbalance

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    Is some middle class tosser using"sponsored content” to making sweeping generalisations in a sponsored fake news advertorial about the common mans drinking habits fake news?

    http://thespinoff.co.nz/featured/03-12-2016/drink-yourself-for-bliss-the-rise-and-fall-of-beer-in-new-zealand/

    This sort of article is EXACTLY the sort of mercenary, constant thrumming drumfire of middle class cultural appropriation and casual disempowerment that fuels the cultural resentment of the inhabitants of Trumpistan and enables the claims of equivalence of the fake news of the alt-right.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Farmer Green, in reply to andin,

    Evolution always operates. If Homo sapiens bites the dust , then Homo sapiens ssp. rationalis will have a day (or two) in the sun :-)

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report Reply

  • andin,

    Homo sapiens ssp. rationalis

    you misunderstand evolution.
    it doesnt follow any living beings intent
    theres another word for that, and it may come to pass.
    But not in my lifetime.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Farmer Green, in reply to andin,

    My thesis was that superstition will prove to be a brake on the proliferation of H. sapiens ; the Achilles heel, so to speak.
    If H. sapiens spp rationalis is more "fit" in a new changed environment , then it will dominate.
    Intent doesn't come in to it.

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report Reply

  • andin,

    Superstition has never been or will it ever be a "brake". And the time scales in the sort of differences you speak of are so short, evolution just wouldnt have kicked in.
    The "environment" means just that, not some kind of social organisation.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • David Hood,

    Certainly, I would get no pleasure from saying "I told you so" in a sixth mass extinction event.

    Also given rationality is learned, and unlearned, I'm not sure it works in a survival of the fittest inherited traits kind of way.

    Dunedin • Since May 2007 • 1445 posts Report Reply

  • linger,

    Yep, “rationality” is definitely far less an inherited trait than culturally transmitted, and both at individual and societal level it’s subject to widespread and marked fluctuations in response to events, hence not genetically transmitted. On the contrary, there is some evidence that long-term traumatic stress, reducing rationality, can be [heritably] (epi)genetically as well as culturally transmitted. Individual and cultural “rationality” is thus in part a product of long-term stability; it can easily be disrupted by temporary instability, and hence cannot itself represent any inherently stable genetic state.
    It is, for example, difficult to imagine that the USA would have sunk to its present level of collective irrationality without the 9/11 attack or some event of similar identity-shattering magnitude.
    It is even harder to believe that rationality would be the most prevalent human trait in the face of planetary-scale turmoil.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Farmer Green,

    So the propensity to superstition does not exist?
    Or if it does it is not hard- wired into H. sapiens?

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report Reply

  • linger, in reply to Farmer Green,

    Not sure how you get to that conclusion from anything said above.
    The propensity for humans to find overly simple solutions to complex problems is hard-wired (driven by economy of effort for likely benefit, which is a recognised environmental selective pressure). Superstition is one possible outcome. And instability and trauma will make people more likely to seek quick solutions, and to believe superstitions.
    The thing is, in many cases, the simple solution works in practice … until it meets a problem for which it is catastrophically wrong.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Farmer Green, in reply to linger,

    I made the assumption that rationality and superstition are polar opposites.
    http://innovation.cc/book-reviews/morrison.htm

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report Reply

  • linger, in reply to Farmer Green,

    To some extent they are, but the mistake is to see either as a long-term transferrable trait.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Farmer Green,

    Sorry that I am "all over the shop". I find an i-pad to be quite cumbersome sometimes.

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report Reply

  • Farmer Green, in reply to linger,

    Well I would be happy to be wrong about that :-)
    The question is about which human behaviours are innate.

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov, in reply to Farmer Green,

    The question is about which human behaviours are innate.

    http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20151012-feral-the-children-raised-by-wolves

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/24/gender-toys-children-toy-preferences-hormones_n_1827727.html

    Which human behviours are innate to individuals? society? species? genus? family? order? phylum? kingdom? domain?

    How much has society evolved?

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,


    John Key to resign as New Zealand Prime Minister and National party leader

    False news... . . . .

    I thought he sounded groggy after his mauling at the hands of Kim Hill this morning, she was in fine form, gonna miss her in the mornings.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • mark taslov, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Well thank fucking Christ ;) For a moment I thought you were pulling my ponytail.

    Te Ika-a-Māui • Since Mar 2008 • 2281 posts Report Reply

  • andin, in reply to mark taslov,

    He gives one weeks notice and is gone from the top? job in govt, jeez how does that work? Hope he doesnt get any accrued holiday pay

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Farmer Green, in reply to andin,

    accrued holiday pay

    That was paid in advance wasn’t it?
    $50 million “bonus” from Merrill-Lynch. Heh!

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report Reply

  • Farmer Green,

    Who will be next to "head for the hills"?
    Turnbull methinks.

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report Reply

  • Farmer Green,

    Here is a cool piece of “fake news” . Or is it " gospel truth”? I get confused :-)

    “There are 3,141 counties in the United States.

    Trump won 3,084 of them.

    Clinton won 57.

    There are 62 counties in New York State.

    Trump won 46 of them.

    Clinton won 16.

    Clinton won the popular vote by approx. 1.5 million votes.

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report Reply

  • David Hood, in reply to Farmer Green,

    It is false, http://www.snopes.com/trump-won-3084-of-3141-counties-clinton-won-57/

    It is true that Trump won the countryside and Clinton won the cities, but anywhere promulgating stories like that as fact is spreading known falsehoods and should not be trusted as a source.

    Dunedin • Since May 2007 • 1445 posts Report Reply

  • Farmer Green, in reply to David Hood,

    Based on what Snopes offers , the true ratio of counties wins looks to be Trump : Clinton= 80:20

    Lower North Island • Since Nov 2012 • 778 posts Report Reply

  • Bruce Ward, in reply to Farmer Green,

    Based on what Snopes offers , the true ratio of counties wins looks to be Trump : Clinton= 80:20

    So what do counties wins indicate?
    I suppose it could be (intentionally?) misleading as it takes no account of the fact that counties have widely differing population counts. Perhaps it could become the start of a 'fake news' story.
    Other than that, I doubt that it tells anyone anything useful.

    Nelson • Since Jul 2011 • 33 posts Report Reply

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