Is there a place to put comments like this? Some kind of “how to lose an argument” community?
If you disagree with the numbers you can argue them coherently. Like, that’s how facts work. If there are issues with the data you make a compelling argument by pointing them out. Data doesn’t give a fuck about your feelings, refusing to contribute meaningfully to the argument doesn’t make you superior, it makes you look like an idiot, and doubling down on your refusal to engage meaningfully with the content makes you look even dumber.
You have time to hand wave away shit you don’t agree with but don’t have time to make.a cogent argument? You’re too good for.it.all when you’re called out for it? Is it maybe because.you don’t understand economics?
Because I sure as fuck don’t. But I do understand that its a real academic.discipline that involves lots of real math that I also.don’t understand. And while I take most.of what I read on the internet with a grain of salt people in this thread that do appear to understand some of those things are indicating this Dara is likely correct. And those arguing that it isnt don’t appear to be able to articulate why.
So my own conclusion is that there’s probably.something to this. But it doesnt really matter if there is or isnt, really, because I’ll never do anything with the info. Still, I choose to see this as a glimmer of.hope in troubling times.
Although if you are able to articulate your “all economics.is bullshit” theory, I’m pretty sure the many many doctorate holders in economics would love to have you destroy their field of study. You could usher in a revolution in economics. You could create whole new academic.disciplines, and do to.economics.what the scientific method did to natural.philosophy. In that case, don’t you have an intellectual duty to lay out.your argument?
Unless of course its just hand waving bullshit.
There’s a way to call it out. And it isnt inciting a pitchfork waving mob.or.publicly shaming someone.
This doesn’t change peoples.opinions. it entrenches them. You know how to actually.create change in people with abhorrent opinions?
Exposure. Education (and not in a patronizing way). There’s a guy that’s been de-racisting KKK members for years, and he does it by just kind of hanging out with them.
The way people call things out gives people ammunition for their persecution complexes and makes them double down on their beliefs. It may feel good to scream “you’re a fucking homophobe” from the rafters but it makes the problem worse.
It doesnt mean someone isnt homophobic. But the aggregate of this approach is to create communities of people that cling to these ideologies like life rafts.
Like. There is no better way to ensure they never have a real interaction with a gay person than trying to have the entire internet shame them for being homophobic.
Even if this dude wakes up tomorrow and sees the error of his ways would be ever be allowed to forget the public and humiliating fashion in which it was called out?
I’ve no doubt this dude deserves to be called out for being ignorant but it also doesn’t work. Its hard to listen to opinions you know are wrong, especially when they’re based on ignorance, but the only way this guys opinion changes if he sees firsthand that gay people are just like him in every way that counts.
So if you want to call him out and publicly shame him go ahead, because he no doubt deserves it, but don’t be surprised when he just doubles down on it all.