A Confession: I'm Starting To "Write Off" Stupid People As Incorrigible

I love them. 
They are God's children every bit as much as I am. 
But they are stupid people.
And politically they are toxic to the survival of American democracy.

Idiots And Cultists Exist. Currently, They're Concentrated Among American "Conservatives"

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/12/idiots-and-cultists-exist-currently.html

A confession...

I am starting to "write off" stupid people as incorrigible.

Arguing with "the functionally decerebrate" is still marginally useful, but not because stupid people will "see the light."

Rather, argument is useful because "bystanders on the edge of the conversation" will learn something.

Thomas Paine was right: “To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.”

Yes, the Dunning-Kruger Hypothesis is "only" a hypothesis, but it is my "working hypothesis," and a quite good one I think. 

In essence, Dunning and Kruger hold that "stupid people are too stupid to know they're stupid."  

"Mark Twain, Adolf Hitler And The Dunning-Kruger Effect"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2016/01/mark-twain-and-dunning-kruger-effect.html

"New York Times Interviews David Dunning, Co-Author Of The Dunning-Kruger Effect"

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/20/the-anosognosics-dilemma-1/?hp&_r=0 

McArthur Wheeler: Patron Saint Of American "Conservatism"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2016/01/mcarthur-wheeler-patron-saint-of.html

"Stupidity For Dummies: The Study Of Ignorance Helps Understand How Intelligence Works"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2016/01/stupidity-for-dummies-study-of.html

"The Death Of Epistemology"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/09/are-polls-skewed-death-of-epistemology.html  

"Are Republicans Insane?" Best Pax Posts 

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/12/are-republicans-insane-best-pax-posts.html

"Most Stupid People Are Conservative"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/11/stupidity-starts-when-conservatives.html

Alan: Since stupid people are too stupid to know they're stupid, they believe that when they are accurately described, they're being vilified.

John Stuart Mill's intent -- and my intent -- is not to vilify but to taxonomize.

Only when honest nomenclature is in place is progress possible.

Stupid people exist.

No one argues this. 

It's just that stupid people are incapable of conceiving themselves as stupid and so they persist in their stupidity as if it were "God's Truth."

Not surprisingly, because they feel so closely bound to "God's Truth," many of the stupidest people are "conservative" "Christians" (who, in fact, are neither).

Compendium Of Best Pax Posts: What I Think About Christianity

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2020/01/compendium-of-best-pax-posts-what-i.html

Everything Wrong With "Conservative" "Christianity"

(Best compilation of "ignorance and stupidity" links)

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/11/everything-wrong-with-conservative.html

"Lord Of The Lizard People"
http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2017/12/leader-of-lizard-people.html

Fran Lebowitz: "People Love Their Hatred More Than They Care About Their Own Actual Lives"

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/08/annie-liebowitz-people-love-their.html

Fran Lebowitz On Trump: His Stupidity And His Followers' Hatred

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/11/fran-lebowitz-on-trump-his-stupidity.html

Jefferson On Education's Indispensable Role In "Penetrating And Dissipating The Darkness"

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/12/jefferson-on-educations-indispensable.html  

H.L. Mencken Prophesied The Flabbergasting Stupidity Of Americans

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/12/hl-mencken-prophesies-flabbergasting.html

Reprise: "The Flabbergasting Stupidity Of Americans"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2016/07/reprise-flabbergasting-stupidity-of.html

Trumpism: The Rebellion Of Know-Nothing Twits

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/10/trumpism-rebellion-by-dimwit-know.html

That Big Brother Is Watching You Is Nothing: The Horror Is His Redefinition Of Trumpery As Truth

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/11/that-big-brother-is-watching-you-is.html

Orwell: A Brief, Image-Rich Introduction To A Prophetic Genius

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/11/george-orwell-brief-image-rich.html

"The Coalition Of The Stupid"
https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/10/trumpism-rebellion-of-know-nothing.html

Anti-Intellectualism In The United States Of Barbaria: Wellspring Of Ignorance-Falsehood-Stupidity

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2016/09/anti-intellectualism-in-united-states.html

"My Gripe With Christianity"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2017/01/my-gripe-with-christianity.html

"Are Highly Religous People Less Compassonate?"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/08/are-highly-religious-people-less.html

Bible Gives Two Accounts Of "Sodom's Sin." The One You Favor Reveals You

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2015/05/bible-gives-two-accounts-of-sodoms-sin.html

An Open Question: Could Satan Himself Destroy As Many Souls As Biblical "Literalism"

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/12/an-open-question-could-satan-himself.html

"Evangelical Support Of Trump Will Be An Indictment Against Its Validity," Fr. Richard Rohr

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/07/evangelical-support-of-trump-will-be.html

"The Sermon On The Mount" As Envisioned By "Christian" "Conservatives"

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-sermon-on-mount-as-envisioned-by.html

Why "Christian" "Conservatives" Are Losing Their Souls
https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/09/christian-conservatives-are-losing.html
"Christian" "Conservatives" Are Neither Christian Nor Conservative
https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/08/christian-conservatives-are-neither.html
"The Deepening Crisis In Evangelical Christianity"
Support For Trump Degrades Christian Witness 
https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/07/the-deepening-crisis-in-evangelical.html
Evangelicals' Lack Of Faith Is The Greatest Threat To The Church
https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/07/evangelicals-lack-of-faith-is-single.html

Cartoon: American Evangelicals Join The Last Supper

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2018/05/cartoon-american-evangelicals-join-last.html

Corrupted By Grifters And Charlatans, Evangelicalism Has Devolved Into A Hate Group

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2018/01/corrupted-by-grifters-and-charlatans.html

Absolutism As A Last Ditch Defense Against The Challenge (Threat?) Of Kindness

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/04/absolutism-as-defense-against-challenge.html

The Obsolescence Of God

Good Religion And Bad

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2011/11/obsolescence-of-god-good-religion-and.html

Bill McKibben "The Christian Paradox: How A Faithful Nation Gets Jesus Wrong"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/06/bill-mckibben-christian-paradox-how.html

James' Epistle: "Judgment Without Mercy Will Be Shown To Anyone Who Has Not Shown Mercy"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2016/03/james-epistle-judgment-without-mercy.html

Peter The Apostle's Prime Directive: It Is Love That Forgives Sins

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2015/07/the-apostle-peters-prime-directive-love.html

Facebook Exchange With Christian Fundamentalist Over "Wickedness" And "Hell"

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/08/facebook-exchange-with-christian_29.html

Christians Ignore Jesus' "Commandments" But Are Punctilious About Things He Never Said

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2016/05/christians-ignore-jesus-commandments.html

Hey Christian! How Many Of Jesus' Moral Stands Do You Approve? Take The Test!

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/12/how-many-of-jesus-moral-exhortations.html

How Do American Christians Direct Their Moral Umbrage?
https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2016/04/how-do-american-christians-direct-their.html?m=0

Yeshua Excoriates Fellow Pharisees: "The Woe Passages"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/08/yeshua-excoriates-fellow-pharisees-woe.html

The Pharisees... And What Became Of The Thirty Pieces Of Silver
https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-pharisees-and-what-became-of-thirty.html

"Love Your Enemies. Do Good To Those Who Hate You," Luke 6: 27-42

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/02/love-your-enemies-do-good-to-those-who.html

"Do You Know What You're Doing To Me?"

Jesus of Nazareth

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/12/do-you-know-what-youre-doing-to-me.html

Jesus Rails Against Human Traditions Of "Our Great Leaders Who Lived Long Ago" 

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/08/jesus-rails-againt-human-traditions-of.html

Everything Jesus And The Apostles Had To Say About "The Rich" And "The Poor"

What's Wrong With Christian Bigots?

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2016/04/whats-wrong-with-contemporary-christian.html

"Any Religion That Needs Fear To Thrive Is Bad Religion"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/02/any-religion-that-needs-fear-to-thrive.html

Images Of Yeshua, A Nazarene Carpenter

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/09/images-of-yeshua-nazarene-carpenter.html

"From Jesus To Christ, The First Christians"
Frontline

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/03/from-jesus-to-christ-first-christians.html

"Bad Religion: A Compendium"
http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/04/bad-religion-compendium.html

Hey Christian! How Many Of Jesus' Moral Stands Do You Approve? Take The Test!

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/12/how-many-of-jesus-moral-exhortations.html

Plank In Eye Disease: Humankind's Most Common Affliction

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2016/05/plank-in-eye-disease-humankinds-most.html

"Has America Lost Its Mind?" 1A's Brilliant Interview With "Fantasyland's" Kurt Andersen
http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2017/09/has-america-lost-its-mind-1as-brilliant.html

Televangelist Jim Bakker Resurrected: If This Doesn't Scare The Bejesus Out Of You, Repent For Your End Is Near!
http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2017/09/televangelist-jim-bakker-resurrected-if.html

P.J. O'Rourke On Trump, Trumpistas And The Futility Of Drug Tests: Test For Stupidity, Ignorance, Greed And The Love Of Power

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/10/pj-orourke-on-trump-trumpistas-and.html

Trump Supporter's Anguished Question: "Why Do Liberals Think We're Stupid?"

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/10/anguished-question-from-trump-supporter.html

Think About How Stupid The Average Person Is...

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/11/george-carlin-think-about-how-stupid.html

Peanuts Gets A Library Card! 

The Flabbergasting Stupidity Of Americans

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/09/peanuts-gets-library-card.html

Plutocracy And The Flabbergsating Stupidity Of Angry White People

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2016/04/plutocracy-and-flabbergasting-stupidity.html

Look: Idiots And Cultists Exist. Currently, They're Concentrated "On The Right Side Of The Aisle"

"Thank The Second Amendment: Texas Church Shooting Stopped In Its Tracks By Armed Hero"

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/thank-the-second-amendment-texas-church-shooting-stopped-in-its-tracks-by-armed-hero

"More Americans Have Died From Gun Violence Since 1968 Than The Total Number Of Americans Who Have Died In All American Wars. (Yes, This Fact Checks)"

https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2019/11/more-americans-have-died-from-gun.html

"Gun Cartoons and Gun Violence Bibliography"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/07/gun-cartoons-and-gun-violence.html

Yesterday, a Texas worshipper (in the town of White Settlement) pulled a gun on a murderous congregant and shot him dead.

I understand why ignorant people applaud this "heroism."

I also understand that this entire behavioral "matrix" is a measure of America's decline.

It is incontroverticle that mmeasurably more family members are killed by firearm suicides and in-home "accidents" than the vanishingly few lives that are saved by citizens defending themselves with firearms.

That's a fact. An in-your-face, incontrovertible, plain-as-potatoes fact.

The Number Of People Who Use A Gun In Self-Defense Is Pretty Much Negligible

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-number-of-people-who-use-gun-in.html

"GunFAIL: Weekly Tabulation Of Needless Injury And Death Due To Guns"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/06/gunfail-weekly-tabulation-of-needlessly.html

Tragically, facts take second place -- a distant second place -- to the seductive power of myth.

Consequently, stupid and/or ignorant people WILL believe that the actual ravages of "being armed to the teeth" render Americans heroic when in fact we are, by far, the most murderous people in the developed world. 

And if we take into account the daily ravages of Uncle Sam's foreign policy (not to mention genocide perped on Native Americans, and the toll of slavery), I believe (as Mario Cuomo did) that we are the most persistently violent people in the history of the world.

A confession...

I am starting to "write off" stupid people as incorrigible.

Arguing with "the functionally decerebrate" is still marginally useful, but not because stupid people will "see the light."

Rather, argument is useful because "bystanders on the edge of the conversation" will learn something.

Thomas Paine was right: “To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.”

Yes, the Dunning-Kruger Hypothesis is "only" a hypothesis, but it is my "working hypothesis," and a quite good one I think. 

In essence, Dunning and Kruger hold that "stupid people are too stupid to know they're stupid."  

"Mark Twain, Adolf Hitler And The Dunning-Kruger Effect"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2016/01/mark-twain-and-dunning-kruger-effect.html

"New York Times Interviews David Dunning, Co-Author Of The Dunning-Kruger Effect"

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/20/the-anosognosics-dilemma-1/?hp&_r=0 

McArthur Wheeler: Patron Saint Of American "Conservatism"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2016/01/mcarthur-wheeler-patron-saint-of.html

"Stupidity For Dummies: The Study Of Ignorance Helps Understand How Intelligence Works"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2016/01/stupidity-for-dummies-study-of.html

"The Death Of Epistemology"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2012/09/are-polls-skewed-death-of-epistemology.html  

"Are Republicans Insane?" Best Pax Posts 

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/12/are-republicans-insane-best-pax-posts.html

There Is Lots Of Talk About Civil War. Short Circuit That Chatter With Talk Of Blue State Secession

Frank Zappa Prophesied A Fascist Theocracy. 

Barry Goldwater Agrees

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2016/11/frank-zappa-profesied-fascist-theocracy.html

"American Theocracy" By Kevin Philips

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/07/american-theocracy-by-kevin-phillips.html

Alan Archibald

There is no need for a Civil War.
If push comes to shove, I say it's time to give real thought to Blue State Secession.
"It Is Time To Make Contingency Plans For Blue States' Secession"
https://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/…/it-is-time-to-make-c…
"Why The European Union Is More Stable Than USA (And Is It Time For Blue States To Secede?)"
http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/…/why-european-union-is…
In brief....
Let the "good Christians" (and sundry cultists) turn their own country into a hellhole.
Consider.
In the absence of liberal and progressive "whipping boys-and-girls," red state conservativers will savage their own. There will always be a new litmus and a higher bar to determine who's an "infidel" and who is "saved."
These aggressively ignorant dogmatists only know how to double down on stupidity, simultaneously attacking their projected enemies.
What civilized nation would choose to have relations with "The United States Of Barbaria" when they could find kind people, replacement markets and political progressivism in "The United States Of Civilization?"
Furthermore, the collapse of "The United States of Barbaria" will be preceded by mass migration of educated, compassionate people to "The United States of Civilization."
Ask yourself this question.
Would you choose to live in an antediluvian theocracy where disguised racism and hatred of latinos and Jews is not only prevalent but legal and encouraged?
Would you choose to live in a nation whose laws are made by "conservative" "Christians" obsessed with punishment, vindictiveness, vengeance and oppression?
Just curious...
Lincoln should have let the racist assholes go when he had the chance.
They would have quickly returned, tails between their legs, begging for re-admittance to The Union.

The most fanatical right-wing followers of Donald Trump have been warning for some time that any attempt to impeach the man in the Oval Office would result in a second American civil war that will ...

DAILYKOS.COM

Thanks to impeachment, 'civil war' talk is on the tip of all the far-right wingnuts' tongues

The most fanatical right-wing followers of Donald Trump have been warning for some time that any attempt to impeach the man in the Oval Office would result in a second American civil war that will ...

The most fanatical right-wing followers of Donald Trump have been warning for some time that any attempt to impeach the man in the Oval Office would result in a second American civil war that will ...