tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526479.post4891404517562321769..comments2023-10-21T11:07:31.849-04:00Comments on Silly Humans: Disbelieve It or Don'tMichael Bainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13734972725056899460noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526479.post-45930551677711848292007-05-23T19:09:00.000-04:002007-05-23T19:09:00.000-04:00Hmmm... Unfortunately, and regardless of what I th...Hmmm... Unfortunately, and regardless of what I think of Trivers politics (what you've writ is all I've read,) I do think the public puts Way too much weight on personality and disposition for ALL whom they look to for authority. <BR/><BR/>For that, the greater part of the blame must go to underfunded and ill-equipped primary schools and, of course, to the reticence of the "public" itself to let go of comfortable delusions even when they are empirically and demonstrably countered by Empirical facts. <BR/><BR/>As to Huey, well, I hate that his tactics worked so well. But they sure did at least as much to sway the public <I>towards</I> Civil Rights as did the more civil and peaceful efforts of Martin Luther King's cadres. <BR/><BR/>Most folks, such as all those who voted for W the 2nd time, just hate admitting it.<BR/><BR/>Especially to themselves...Michael Bainshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13734972725056899460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526479.post-54001277129217636302007-05-23T18:32:00.000-04:002007-05-23T18:32:00.000-04:00Trivers needs to be on meds of some kind.He won th...Trivers needs to be on meds of some kind.<BR/><BR/>He won the big Craaford prize, then soils it by writing this uncollegial screed in the WSJ actually threatening another academic:<BR/><BR/>Wall Street Journal<BR/>Letters to the Editor<BR/>Wednesday, May 23, 2007<BR/><BR/> In regard to Alan Dershowitz’s commentary “Finkelstein’s Bigotry” (editorial page, May 4): In it he asserts that “He [Norman Finkelstein] has encouraged radical goons to email threatening messages; ‘Look forward to a visit from me,’ reads one. “Nazis like [you] need to be confronted directly.”<BR/><BR/> But all of this is untrue. I wrote the letter in question (April 15, 2007), but without Prof. Finkelstein’s knowledge, interest or approval. The key sentences had nothing to do with Prof. Finkelstein: ‘Regarding your rationalization of Israeli attacks on Lebanese civilians, let me just say that if there is a repeat of Israeli butchery toward Lebanon and if you decide once again to rationalize it publicly, <B>look forward to a visit from me. Nazis – and Nazi-like apologists such as yourself – need to be confronted directly</B>.<BR/><BR/> <B>As for being an academic goon</B>: I am late responding because I was in Europe lecturing after receiving the Crafoord Prize from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.<BR/><BR/>Robert Trivers<BR/>Professor of Anthropology and Biological Sciences<BR/>Rutgers University<BR/>Somerset, NJ<BR/><BR/>According to Wikipedia:<BR/><BR/>Robert L. Trivers, (born 19 February 1943) is an American evolutionary biologist and sociobiologist...Trivers originally went to Harvard to study mathematics, but wound up studying U.S. history in preparation to become a lawyer. He took a psychology class <B>after suffering a breakdown</B>, and was very unimpressed with the state of psychology. <B>He was prevented from getting into Yale law school by his breakdown</B>, and wound up with a job writing social science textbooks for children (never published, due in part to presenting evolution by natural selection as fact). This exposure to evolutionary theory led him to graduate work with Ernst Mayr at Harvard 1968-1972 (he never got a bachelor's degree anywhere). He was on faculty at Harvard 1973-1978, then moved to UC Santa Cruz.<BR/><BR/><B>He met Huey P. Newton, Chairman of the Black Panther Party, in 1978 when Newton applied (while in prison) to do a reading course with him as part of a graduate degree in History of Consciousness at UC Santa Cruz. Trivers and Newton became close friends, Newton was godfather to one of Trivers' daughters. Trivers joined the Black Panther Party in 1979. Trivers and Newton published an analysis of the role of self-deception by the flight crew in the crash of Air Florida Flight 90 (Trivers, R.L. & Newton, H.P. Science Digest 'The crash of flight 90: doomed by self-deception?' November 1982, pp 66,67,111).</B><BR/><BR/>The Black Panthers bit show really bad judgment. The failure to get into Yale law makes me wonder if the guy is jealous of Dershowitz, the famous Harvard lawyer.<BR/><BR/>In any case, with scientists conducting themselves like this, it's no wonder the public has lost its trust in scientists.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526479.post-17074786452771990862007-05-02T10:03:00.000-04:002007-05-02T10:03:00.000-04:00Great post, MB.I suppose that in this day and age ...Great post, MB.<BR/><BR/>I suppose that in this day and age where spin doctoring rules, it's nice to know that people are still able to spot bullshit when they see it.<BR/><BR/>I just wish that it was more people.Dikkiihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07897381809885423712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526479.post-19638765726761720652007-05-02T06:56:00.000-04:002007-05-02T06:56:00.000-04:00This is one of the best posts I've read, by you or...This is one of the best posts I've read, by you or anybody else. You've really hit something on the head that a lot of people are too busy not talking about, for obvious reasons!<BR/><BR/>MMMando Mamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08086172912612587749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526479.post-4784018227856113742007-05-02T05:26:00.000-04:002007-05-02T05:26:00.000-04:00Good post Michael...thoughtful like only you can b...Good post Michael...thoughtful like only you can be.sumohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03668836906276970398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526479.post-36557188607457566902007-05-01T21:37:00.000-04:002007-05-01T21:37:00.000-04:00I would agree with BG's assessment. We all have o...I would agree with BG's assessment. We all have our delusions and coping mechanisms.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526479.post-44989786843923388982007-05-01T12:33:00.000-04:002007-05-01T12:33:00.000-04:00Socks in pants seems to be a theme this week... Hm...Socks in pants <A HREF="https://www2.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=12562069&postID=7113807913765359908" REL="nofollow">seems to be a theme this week...</A> Hmmm... {-;<BR/><BR/>"big Big ticket" eh, Larry? You aren't sellin' WMDs, now are ya bro? On 2nd thought, let's just maintain the "deception". <BR/><BR/>Thanks, Ed! The topic is def one of interest. <BR/><BR/>BG, I tend to over-excuse people for whatever reason(s) but I think the Cold approach is just easier on the confronters cuz it keeps 'em from feeling anything that might keep 'em from the confronting. <BR/><BR/>But I'd say you're right and that such often means they've not THOUGHT enough to understand the reasons behind whatever it is they're confronting. <BR/><BR/>Whoever said life was easy? Oh yah. Shrub's Nannies... <BR/><BR/><B><I>If I look around and there is a trail of sick or dead bodies in my wake, then I am a deceiver and not a leader. If I look around and there are healthy people in my wake, then I am a leader.</I></B><BR/><BR/>Exactly! I like the way you said it, Mary. <I>"what's left in my wake"</I> Results/Consequences speak louder than <I><B>Anything</I></B> else! <BR/><BR/>Thanks Pop! :)))<BR/><BR/>Dig it, Brando. I'll be postin' today's Think Progress 'toon later showing Shrub diggin' up the old version as well. <BR/><BR/>Indeed, Kevin. It's like we'll really buy anything if someone can convince us, against even a cursory investigation, that it'll make us smarter/happier/more-popular/etc... <BR/><BR/>Honestly, I blame it on our species history (and PRE-history!) of warfare and Authoritarian leaders. We may or may not <I>consciously</I> want people to tell us what to do or how to live, but that is precisely what so very many end up doing. Like it or acknowledge it or not. <BR/><BR/>While I think such a phenomenon may quite likely have been an inevitable part of us surviving in the past, I can't disavowal of empirical truths doing us much good going into the technological future. <BR/><BR/>I'm really glad y'all liked this topic. It's my contention that self-delusion - more than any other facet of human experience - is the biggest trouble-maker in our species' evolution. <BR/><BR/>L8!Michael Bainshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13734972725056899460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526479.post-38186695901934830072007-05-01T12:18:00.000-04:002007-05-01T12:18:00.000-04:00"Culture of Gullibility" pretty much summed it up...."Culture of Gullibility" pretty much summed it up. Unfortunately.Kevin Wolfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17490345765638949916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526479.post-84466855757688217142007-05-01T09:46:00.000-04:002007-05-01T09:46:00.000-04:00Remember what George Costanza said: It's not a lie...Remember what George Costanza said: It's not a lie if you believe it's true.<BR/><BR/>Mission Accomplished is the "light at the end of the tunnel" of our time.Brandohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10484284471046027179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526479.post-15025099195196775792007-05-01T08:54:00.000-04:002007-05-01T08:54:00.000-04:00This is truly a heart and soul post. Here's a bun...This is truly a heart and soul post. Here's a bunch of "attaboys" for you.pissed off patriciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08854364015577541981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526479.post-59726185954074531782007-05-01T07:43:00.000-04:002007-05-01T07:43:00.000-04:00People who can trigger a "can do" attitude in the ...People who can trigger a "can do" attitude in the face of difficulty can find out if they are the real leader very quickly. If I look around and there is a trail of sick or dead bodies in my wake, then I am a deceiver and not a leader. If I look around and there are healthy people in my wake, then I am a leader. I have been both. One has to be very careful when to implement the "can do" force.<BR/><BR/>Great post, Michael.Peacechick Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16808832340636218022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526479.post-14836108574581283302007-05-01T07:14:00.000-04:002007-05-01T07:14:00.000-04:00Yeah, I agree. Great post. Very interesting topi...Yeah, I agree. Great post. Very interesting topic, this self deception thing. So many different levels to it that could be discussed. Since I first read this post a few hours ago, I've been thinking about self deception as a coping mechanism that just comes naturally to us. And how others are compelled (more often than not, in my opinion) to confront (your, mine) self deception in a cold way. And when they do, they are practicing their own form of self deception, being fooled into thinking that they don't do the very same thing -- or something very similiar -- themselves.<BR/><BR/>Like I'm doing now! Turning it outward, instead of inward.<BR/><BR/>It's always been a topic that interested me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526479.post-27887058163511626952007-05-01T06:16:00.000-04:002007-05-01T06:16:00.000-04:00Michael,Great post!Michael,<BR/>Great post!Eddiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07155999413862242756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526479.post-15606256123052121102007-05-01T02:02:00.000-04:002007-05-01T02:02:00.000-04:00Fascinating post, Michael. I work with a lot of sa...Fascinating post, Michael. I work with a lot of salespeople. The product is big, big ticket. The best ones deceive their customers from start to finish (and I think they both believe the bullsh*t), but <I>all</I> of them are deluded to some extent, i.e., they think they're going to get rich, they think they are "helping" their customers, etc.Larry Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13425250800667058263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526479.post-73750305198083625412007-05-01T02:00:00.000-04:002007-05-01T02:00:00.000-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Larry Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13425250800667058263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10526479.post-60682870849274845342007-05-01T01:19:00.000-04:002007-05-01T01:19:00.000-04:00The image of george in the flight suit left me wit...The image of george in the flight suit left me with a lasting impression. The lasting impression was that he should have added a sock to his undies that day.beepbeepitsmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12931640447011071849noreply@blogger.com