gullibility

[arely staircase]

i have noticed a distinct trend among acquaintances and coworkers. the same people who forward innacurate right wing e-mails also send easily debunked ones of the non-political variety - that take two seconds to debunk if one has access to the internet (as they clearly do.) sometimes it will even be quack medical advice that is easily refuted if they would take those two seconds to check it out before sending potentially harmful information to their friends and coworkers. almost to a person, they belong to fundamentalist churches that interpret the bible literally and one was recently ripped off for several thousand dollars in some sort of scam.

[russspeakeasy]

1. "My mind is made up. Don't confuse me with facts".

[arely staircase]

2. i think sometimes they believe stuff because they really want it to be true

like the one who fell for this: http://snopes.com/fraud/employment/shopper.asp

i have also been told to use butter on burns
http://lifehacker.com/5310451/first-aid-myths-that-do-no-good

and of course they will believe anything about obama, in which case i think they are highly vulnerable to any kind of craziness that confirms beliefs they already hold.

[saras]

3. I think they believe stuff because they really want to believe...

to some people, it seems to feel REALLY GOOD to be ABSOLUTELY SURE about things. It doesn't seem to matter much what things.

[2ndAmForComputers]

4. Some people -- idiots -- don't have any regard for the external reality.

They think they can choose what to believe like they choose at a salad bar, and pick the belief that tastes better.

Again: idiots.

[EFerrari]

5. I will always be grateful

for the people who helped me get to college where other patient people did their best to help me try to learn how to think.

[arely staircase]

6. memorizing facts has its place but logic and critical thinking skills

Or learning how to think as you say prepares one to make decisions.

[Arkansas Granny]

7. When I get those I answer them with the facts, including links, and hit reply all.

I don't know if it does any good, but at least it's not on my conscience that I left someone to wallow in their own ignorance. Who knows, it might open some eyes.