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Buying Into BS

JustSheila

Crusader
I think the hippie movement was really kinda Marxist without admitting to it.

But having said that, parts of it were okay, but there was a line in the 'okay' sand too.
Yes, it was. It paralleled many of the Marxist slogans and beliefs we see now. Same ol stuff. The hippie movement didn't just protest wars, it supported Maoism, had strong pro-Marxist and pro-communism elements in it and a lot of books written and distributed supporting exactly the same ideologies.

It's weird to see this stuff happening all over again and kids thinking they've come up with something new.
 

Operating DB

Truman Show Dropout
Yes, I've heard a lot of stories about Edison's big ego and how he liked to crush people with differing views.
There's also some stories gathering about the Wright Brothers as to whether they were actually the first to fly, Kiwi Richard Pearse:
https://www.bing.com/search?q=richa...s=n&sk=&cvid=2e040b0578ea4da9e033ebafa3653523

was claimed to have flown about 9 months earlier. There are other even earlier claims. But it is all so close, I doubt that whoever did really would make a difference now. The debate is still ongoing. But another point is that Mr Wright became quite nasty with people who might have proven other people's involvement.

Another one. General Douglas MacArthur. "Dougout Doug" his troops called him. Only saw him when the action was over.

http://rethinkinghistory.blogspot.com/2010/11/rating-general-douglas-macarthur.html

Rommel was another example. Brilliant general? Not really. He created more problems that he solved according to many accounts. He had some brilliance, but his human failings also got in the way as well.

And so on. Ghandi was a wife beater, apparently. Churchill and Roosevelt were high functioning alcoholics. Hitler loved animals a was a vegetarian.

Everyone has flaws. Surprising what a great public relations machine will do.
Oh, that's nothing. I created all those inventions and was all those beingnesses 3 trillion years ago in a guh-laxie in a parallel universe. The reads on my e-meter told me so.
 

Operating DB

Truman Show Dropout
It would also be pretty convincing if lovely Rita the e-meter maid (who is demonstrating that advanced scientific diagnostic device) ran the parlor trick this way. . .


LOVELY RITA THE E-METER MAID
That's right just hold the cans in your hands
without moving, okay? Great! Now we are going
to prove to you that the Hubbard electropsychometer
can conclusively evidence that pain causes the meter
to react because it your reactive mind stores the harmful
energy in something we call "charge".

WOG
Wow, really? So what happens to me if I have any of that "charge"?

LOVELY RITA THE E-METER MAID
Well! You've asked the million dollar question! LOL

WOG
Wuttttt? Why did you laugh? What's this meter have to do
with a million dollars?

LOVELY RITA THE E-METER MAID
Oh, never mind that, the point is that we can
scientifically demonstrate that you do have "charge"
from the past that is ruining your life today.

WOG
Wow, awesome. I'm ready!

LOVELY RITA THE E-METER MAID
Okay, now, I want you to recall the pinch.

WOG
What pinch?

LOVELY RITA THE E-METER MAID
Oh my, I forgot to do that part. Well, no problem.
Okay scratch that command. Here is the new command.
I want you to recall 341 trillion years ago when you were
kidnapped by aliens and thrown into a Gorilla Goal Implant.
(Rita instantly looks down, studying the e-meter and
eventually the needle moves a little bit twice)
THERE!!!! THERE!!! DID DID YOU SEE IT READ TWICE???!!!

WOG
What? You mean when the needle moved? Yeah I saw that.
But what does all that prove?

LOVELY RITA THE E-METER MAID
Well, my friend, it proves that you have a lot of charge
from trillions of years ago that is still affecting you!

WOG
Whatttttt? You said gorillas? I don't get it.

LOVELY RITA THE E-METER MAID
Dear your reactive mind reacted when I asked you
to recall that Gorilla Goal Implant.

WOG
I don't even know that that means, I don't recall anything
I was just thinking WTF is this stupid gorilla shit?!

LOVELY RITA THE E-METER MAID
So! You can see now that the e-meter is so precise! You recall that
that the needle reacted not once but twice! That not only confirmed your
charge from wholetrack gorilla implants, it also registered the second time on
on the fact that you had a misunderstood on the term "gorilla goal implant"!

.
Anyone up for rewriting the lyrics to"Lovely Rita Meter Maid"? (Credit Lennon/McCartney) I'm coming up with little. lol

Lovely Rita, meter maid (E-meter maid, of course)
Nothing can come between us
When it gets dark I tow your heart away
Standing by a parking meter
When I caught a glimpse of Rita
Filling in a ticket in her little white book
In a cap she looked much older
And the bag across her shoulder
Made her look a little like a military man
Lovely Rita, meter maid
May I inquire discreetly
When are you free to take some tea with me?
Rita!
Took her out and tried to win her
Had a laugh and over dinner
Told her I would really like to see her again
Got the bill and Rita paid it
Took her home, I nearly made it
Sitting on the sofa with a sister or two
Oh, lovely Rita, meter maid
Where would I be without you
Give us a wink and make me think of you
 

HelluvaHoax!

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Mine bold.

That's why IMHO:
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;)
HellYeah! How easy is that?!! LOL

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guanoloco

As-Wased
Mine bold.

That's why IMHO:
To find the fast one easy package to counter human suffering...

;)
This is gotta be it.

A form of "cheating" where you don't have to be a swami for decades swearing off everything in order to become enlightened and transcend.

The other promise is that you get a vainglorious "you" as yourself. It's an ego boost.

I often wonder how exactly I got snookered because any time that I've been taken advantage of it was when the con was playing into my own greed.

Scientology must do this as well but I don't know if I've ever pulled the string down to the actual how and why of it.

This just may be the answer. The one thing...the fast and easy package to counter human suffering. You get to be the obermensch.

No hard work of struggling to transcend. Grab the cans and zip through the Grades and you're there.
 

DagwoodGum

Squirreling Dervish
I think we're wired to believe stupid shit.
Eventually some stop believing or exchange it for different stupid stuff.
But anyone who throws spilled salt over their shoulder, avoids walking under ladders or the 13th floor or bows down in front of wooden mannequins or spins a prayer wheel is just being human.
The blind faith would seem to stem from Occam's Razor as it's much simpler to perpetuate errors in one's judgement than to unravel the big ball of bullshit and identify the individual components of the bigger overall lie that one has fallen for.
Then of course when one begins to look at the individual sources of the misinformation package one might find oneself labeled a "conspiracy theorist" for even suggesting that the lie package was put together by a team of sordid souls and of course one must avoid being labeled a conspiracy theorist at all costs because George Bush told us so.
Or was that just to keep us from looking at what shit sandwich's his group think tank was really dishing out to us?
But then aren't people just plain fools at heart anyway?
 

Peter Soderqvist

Patron with Honors
The blind faith would seem to stem from Occam's Razor as it's much simpler to perpetuate errors in one's judgement than to unravel the big ball of bullshit and identify the individual components of the bigger overall lie that one has fallen for.
Then of course when one begins to look at the individual sources of the misinformation package one might find oneself labeled a "conspiracy theorist" for even suggesting that the lie package was put together by a team of sordid souls and of course one must avoid being labeled a conspiracy theorist at all costs because George Bush told us so.
Or was that just to keep us from looking at what shit sandwich's his group think tank was really dishing out to us?
But then aren't people just plain fools at heart anyway?

bullshit.png


A frequent comment I see on Scientology blogs is, “How does anyone fall for that crap?” I have an answer to that which occasionally gets an angry reaction. My answer is, “So what crap have you fallen for?” You see, I contend that everybody, at one time or another, will foolishly buy into some bogus pile of BS. They may not know it. They may never know it. But one thing I know is that even smart people fall for stupid ideas.

The world overflows with ideologues, true believers, and followers of whatever dogma happens to be popular for the moment. And such devotion isn’t limited to religious beliefs and practices. Political and social movements too, abound with ardent supporters who profess and promote their particular causes.

With all of these ideologies flying around, it’s a wonder that people manage to get along. Actually, they often don’t. Consider the overwhelming proliferation of mass media, social media, and camera phones, and you’ll see a society perpetually engaged in one loud, ongoing squabble about anything and everything.

Maybe it’s just human nature. We always seem to be willing to mock the other guy’s crap. But our own crap? Why, that’s the real deal—unquestionable truths to live by. One man’s BS is another man’s gospel.

Sometimes these ideological devotees turn into ideological zealots. This is the home turf of the fanatic and true believer. Whether it’s a religious zealot, a political radical, or social revolutionary, these are the extremists in society, militant ideologues driven by some grand philosophical theory. It doesn’t matter what the ideology is. If you have to consult your philosophy before you can make an observation, opinion, evaluation, or decision, you can miss the immediate situation in front of you. Reality doesn’t always conform to ideological precepts.

As a former true believer, I like to think that I’ve since shed the rigid mindset that once ruled my life for so many years. And in the process of this change of thinking, I’ve become aware of the inflexible thought constructs of others. It’s like looking in a mirror of my former self.

Perhaps someday I may have this dialogue:

“How did you ever fall for that crap?”

“How did you ever fall for your crap?”

“I haven’t fallen for any crap.”

“Yeah, famous last words. That’s what they all say.”

bullshit.png


A frequent comment I see on Scientology blogs is, “How does anyone fall for that crap?” I have an answer to that which occasionally gets an angry reaction. My answer is, “So what crap have you fallen for?” You see, I contend that everybody, at one time or another, will foolishly buy into some bogus pile of BS. They may not know it. They may never know it. But one thing I know is that even smart people fall for stupid ideas.

The world overflows with ideologues, true believers, and followers of whatever dogma happens to be popular for the moment. And such devotion isn’t limited to religious beliefs and practices. Political and social movements too, abound with ardent supporters who profess and promote their particular causes.

With all of these ideologies flying around, it’s a wonder that people manage to get along. Actually, they often don’t. Consider the overwhelming proliferation of mass media, social media, and camera phones, and you’ll see a society perpetually engaged in one loud, ongoing squabble about anything and everything.

Maybe it’s just human nature. We always seem to be willing to mock the other guy’s crap. But our own crap? Why, that’s the real deal—unquestionable truths to live by. One man’s BS is another man’s gospel.

Sometimes these ideological devotees turn into ideological zealots. This is the home turf of the fanatic and true believer. Whether it’s a religious zealot, a political radical, or social revolutionary, these are the extremists in society, militant ideologues driven by some grand philosophical theory. It doesn’t matter what the ideology is. If you have to consult your philosophy before you can make an observation, opinion, evaluation, or decision, you can miss the immediate situation in front of you. Reality doesn’t always conform to ideological precepts.

As a former true believer, I like to think that I’ve since shed the rigid mindset that once ruled my life for so many years. And in the process of this change of thinking, I’ve become aware of the inflexible thought constructs of others. It’s like looking in a mirror of my former self.

Perhaps someday I may have this dialogue:

“How did you ever fall for that crap?”

“How did you ever fall for your crap?”

“I haven’t fallen for any crap.”

“Yeah, famous last words. That’s what they all say.”
 

Peter Soderqvist

Patron with Honors
Its very simple!
normal people don't join cults or sects because they are governed by common sense!
Here in Sweden only 1% are members in sects or cults!
So my statement it truth to 99%!
Why did you join when people who know you didn't?
 
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Peter Soderqvist

Patron with Honors
“How did you ever fall for that crap?”

Because I was lacking in common sense!
Its one thing to fall for minor craps like ordinary people do!
quite another thing to join organisations who bankrupts and destroy families with Fare Game, etc!
I was close to bankrupt but my family was not involved in Scientology!
Nowadays my finances are good!
 
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F.Bullbait

Oh, a wise guy,eh?
We have concurrent levels of thought that run the gamut from baby-like naivety to the extremely analytical and critical. Too much naivety and we get undesirable results. Too much analysis and we don’t act at all. Finding the right blend is often difficult to do.

Scientology lures one with processes such as Self Analysis and Objectives that obtain interesting results. One’s interest is maintained with the mystery of confidential levels and intimations of something stupendous down the road.

It doesn’t help that Scientology attracts kooks who truly believe they are riding bikes on Venus or are zipping around the universe.

The rumor mill of OT feats and abilities adds leavening to the mix.

In order to find out more, one follows along with a certain amount of naivety but sooner or later critical functions ascertain that there is too high a percentage of balderdash in the mix and one leaves.
 

kitkat

New Member
Its very simple!
normal people don't join cults or sects because they are governed by common sense!
Here in Sweden only 1% are members in sects or cults!
So my statement it truth to 99%!
Why did you join when people who know you didn't?
I have met a disturbing number who are either conspiracy theorists, don't believe in science (anti-vaxxers, climate change deniers) and/or do believe in magic vitamins/water/juice - as long as its expensive and sold through a multi level scheme. These are also not things normal people do, I assume because they are governed by common sense! Possibly there's some connection?
 

Type4_PTS

Diamond Invictus SP
I have met a disturbing number who are either conspiracy theorists, don't believe in science (anti-vaxxers, climate change deniers) and/or do believe in magic vitamins/water/juice - as long as its expensive and sold through a multi level scheme. These are also not things normal people do, I assume because they are governed by common sense! Possibly there's some connection?


Some comments with regards to your post:

1) The prosecutors in Cook County, IL recently charged Jussie Smollett with 16 felony's based upon the police work of the Chicago PD. Formulating conspiracy theories based upon the evidence presented is standard operating procedure for police detectives.

2) With regards to your comment about people who "don't believe in science", questioning scientific hypotheses and theories, and designing experiments to verify or disprove them is a standard part of the scientific method.

Many reputable scientists have questioned the safety and efficacy of particular vaccines, and published peer-reviewed papers on the subject. Most reasonable people who have actually read this literature do have legitimate concerns about the safety and/or efficacy of particular vaccines.

Also, this:
excerpt of an article(below)

"... the “anti-vaxx” and “pro-vaxx” terminology creates a logical fallacy called a “false dichotomy” because the vast majority of medical doctors today would probably categorize their position as somewhere in between.

Many doctors who consider themselves “pro-vaccine,” for example, do not believe that every single vaccine is appropriate for every single individual. Many doctors recommend a “delayed” vaccine schedule for some patients, and not always the recommended one-size-fits-all CDC childhood schedule. Other doctors choose to recommend vaccines based on the actual science and merit of each vaccine, recommending some vaccines, while determining that others are not worth the risk for children."

3) The climate's been changing for billions of years; I've not encountered anyone who denies that. There are some great scientists though who have questioned the official narrative about climate change and poked massive holes in the research showing we're in grave danger. You can read about and/or discuss some of them on the climate change thread.
(EDIT: I had forgotten, this thread may be off limits to you for now til you post more)

If one wants to avoid buying into BS it is important IMO not to accept ANY information passed along by the media at face value without cross-checking that information from other varied sources. Most all the news channels have financial and/or political conflicts of interest.
 
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freethinker

Sponsor
I have met a disturbing number who are either conspiracy theorists, don't believe in science (anti-vaxxers, climate change deniers) and/or do believe in magic vitamins/water/juice - as long as its expensive and sold through a multi level scheme. These are also not things normal people do, I assume because they are governed by common sense! Possibly there's some connection?
Wait till you hit fifty post then you will meet even more.:cool:
 

freethinker

Sponsor
Its very simple!
normal people don't join cults or sects because they are governed by common sense!
Here in Sweden only 1% are members in sects or cults!
So my statement it truth to 99%!
Why did you join when people who know you didn't?
I don't know, why did I buy a pick up truck when everyone else around me bought sedans?

I can tell you, we know a lot more about cults now than when we joined.

Some people who think they know all about cults think they avoided them because they are smart.

It could also be they never ran into one.

Maybe because we didn't like what we saw as normal, we tried something different rather than join the "Normal" cult.

Most people who made contributions to society were considered eccentric while they lived but were revered afterwards as exceptional people.

Normal is an opinion. Normal people rarely make great contributions because they don't like the risk of being considered abnormal. they play it safe all the time so they can tell people that being normal means you never make a mistake. I'd rather live life than keep other people happy with my normalism.
 

HelluvaHoax!

Platinum Meritorious Sponsor with bells on
Its very simple!
normal people don't join cults or sects because they are governed by common sense!
Here in Sweden only 1% are members in sects or cults!
So my statement it truth to 99%!
Why did you join when people who know you didn't?
You are right to a point.

But like all people, you too have blind spots that you are not fully unaware of.

You happily boast that 99% of Swedes are "governed by common sense" and thus would never fall under the non-sensical behavior of supporting a cult.

But that is precisely what 99% of Swedes did during World War II when they declared their "neutrality" to the most fascistically bloodthirsty, murderous cult of the 20th century. The cult of Nazis, hellbent on enslaving the world.

Swedes watched as all of Europe was consumed, conquered, enslaved or murdered by Hitler's cult. Yet they continued to provide resources and logistical support to the Nazi war machine, profiting from it greatly.

This does not say that Swedes are bad. It says that Swedes are human and thus susceptible to cults just like any other people.

You brag about Sweden's shameful acquiescence and empowerment of a murderous cult? Why? Just because they didn't wear the uniform? That's a big nasty blind spot.

Just because Swedes were fully apathetic during World War II does not mean they didn't have direct involvement in the Nazi cult.

If a key battle here or there had gone badly for the fighting ALLIES, Sweden would have been obliterated by Hitler's armies and all Swedes would today be wearing Nazi uniforms and saluting wall portraits of Adolph Hitler.

Just say "thank you" to all that DID SOMETHING about Hitler's cult. Unlike the Swedish cult called "disbelief". That's a cult too, when one is blind to the evil that is about to engulf and devour them. Sweden had their own special kind of "neutral" cult of "let's pretend if we are nice to Hitler, he won't later enslave and murder all of us".

Don't beg for people to look any more into all the cults that Swedes have stupidly bought into. We can easily talk about another cult, the radical Islamic cult that has begun to take over Sweden, creating no-go zones of violent crime, rape and murder. Wanna talk about how much "common sense" Swedes have to allow that cult to perniciously and insidiously begin conquering Sweden from within?

Common sense? Did you really want to talk more how far superior the Swede's common sense is?
 
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freethinker

Sponsor
I don't know if answering the question, "How did you fall for this BS?" with "Because you fell for the BS you fell for.", is being honest with yourself.

I think maybe answering, "Because I was not using critical thinking at the time I fell into this.", might show a little more self awareness.
And how did you wind up here George?
 

The_Fixer

Class Clown
Its very simple!
normal people don't join cults or sects because they are governed by common sense!
Here in Sweden only 1% are members in sects or cults!
So my statement it truth to 99%!
Why did you join when people who know you didn't?
Hasn't Sweden been taken over by the feminist and SJW cults?

Now everyone thinks the same, all is good!

BTW Sweden, meet Canada.....
 

JustSheila

Crusader
Its very simple!
normal people don't join cults or sects because they are governed by common sense!
Here in Sweden only 1% are members in sects or cults!
So my statement it truth to 99%!
Why did you join when people who know you didn't?
Peter, you can't be serious. It looks to me like you're trying to wind people up here. I've seen you post inflammatory statements on other sites on a regular basis, too. You seem to enjoy insulting and upsetting others.

If you are serious, it is possible you are still lacking in common sense and logic.

You stated that since only 1% of people in Sweden are (admittedly) in (officially classified religious) cults, then 99% of Swedes have common sense.

Where did the 99% figure come from? Do you have a link to an actual study or did you just make that up?

There are less religious people in Sweden than anywhere else in the world. That doesn't keep Swedes from joining all sorts of cults, from sexual cults to political cults to technical cults. I just read an article about how the latest fad in Sweden is to get implants in their skin with their identity and personal information. Thousands of Swedes are doing this. Would you follow the crowd and do the same?

Some people consider entire countries to be a sort of cult in themselves. There are countries in Africa that are very culty and still capture and enslave people from other countries. Their country is their religion, so they don't join cults, either.
 
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