You Can Lead A Conk To Facts But You Cant Make Him Think

[Skjellyfetti]

This paragraph really hit home for me.

Anyone who has ever attempted to debate a Republican using graphs, charts, data, statistics, research, reputable sources of information etc… has experienced the mind numbing reality of it. Facts don’t matter. Regardless of how much information conflicts with their beliefs, regardless of how well documented an opposing view is, they dismiss every bit of it in favor of the voices in their heads. While the results of the study are depressing to the say the least, at least people on the left now have evidence to support what we already knew – you can lead a Republican to facts, but you can’t make him think.

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/09/20 ... nfirms-it/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Studies cited in article:
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~nyhan/opening ... l-mind.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm? ... id=2319992" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[GannonFan]

Super philosophy - the other side is not even worth the time to deal and interact with so we won't even bother. It's no wonder why we have the political disfunction we have today when both sides (Dems are not alone in thinking the other side is brainless, the GOP is just as guilty of that semtiment too) when the two major opposing sides view the other side as immaterial.

In related news, the construction industry has reported that the building of echo chambers continue to rise to new levels as Americans seek ways to insulate themselves from views and opinions that do not exactly match their own.

[Skjellyfetti]

A joke. Fucking relax.

[Ibanez]

This paragraph really hit home for me.

Anyone who has ever attempted to debate a Republican using graphs, charts, data, statistics, research, reputable sources of information etc… has experienced the mind numbing reality of it. Facts don’t matter. Regardless of how much information conflicts with their beliefs, regardless of how well documented an opposing view is, they dismiss every bit of it in favor of the voices in their heads. While the results of the study are depressing to the say the least, at least people on the left now have evidence to support what we already knew – you can lead a Republican to facts, but you can’t make him think.

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/09/20 ... nfirms-it/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Studies cited in article:
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~nyhan/opening ... l-mind.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm? ... id=2319992" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The same exact thing can be said for Democrats. You are whats wrong with this country.

[ASUG8]

"Lies, damned lies, and statistics" - Mark Twain

So do we have 7.6% unemployment, or are we 92.4% employed?

[CitadelGrad]

"Lies, damned lies, and statistics" - Mark Twain

So do we have 7.6% unemployment, or are we 92.4% employed?

Neither.

[GannonFan]

A joke. **** relax.

If it was a joke, then yeah, sure, ha ha. However, people on both sides of the aisle really, honestly do feel this way about people on the other side. Why do you think Bill Maher even has a show? How to explain FOX and MSNBC?

[AZGrizFan]

Why do you think Bill Maher even has a show? How to explain FOX and MSNBC?

Well, Bill Maher and MSNBC are where those people without a brainstem go to watch mindless drivel.
FOX News is where everyone else goes.

[Skjellyfetti]

It was a (somewhat self depricating) joke for people like IvyTalk that give me so much shit for posting charts and graphs.

[AZGrizFan]

It was a (somewhat self depricating) joke for people like IvyTalk that give me so much shit for posting charts and graphs.

I was looking for a head and shoulders graph...

[Skjellyfetti]

haha. i'm pretty sure citgrad still stands by that head and shoulder pattern as predicting something.

[JohnStOnge]

I'm not seeing either of those studies as supporting the contention that conservatives are any worse about being resistant to changing their beliefs in the face of data suggesting something contrary than are "Liberal" or "Progressives" are.

Also, there is a bias to the subject matter. For example: Try doing one on the data on the effect of the Head Start program. "Liberals" or "Progressives" would probably be biased towards thinking that program has lasting benefits for the children involved in it. But the data do not support that belief. In such a case, one might expect "Liberals" or "Progressives" to be more likely to be "resistant" to what the data suggest.

[JohnStOnge]

BTW, I'll go ahead and be ad hominem" We all know that if we had to bet we'd bet that these researchers are biased towards the "Liberal" or "Progressive" point of view. That's one of the problems we have nowadays. We really can't depend on objectivity from the people who were...in this case...studying the extent to which people can be objective.