Why are some people willfully dishonest in political debate?

1. 0

   JaxsonRaineposted 12 years ago

   What is the motivation to lie?
   
   What is the motivation to misrepresent the position of someone you disagree with?
   
   What is the motivation to ignore research, data, statistics that are contrary to your preconceptions, and latch on unthinkingly to those that agree with your preconceptions?
   
   I can't understand how someone can look at something that is printed in black and white, for all to see, and say "Nope, it doesn't say that."
   
   Why are people like that?

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2. 0

   JaxsonRaineposted 12 years ago

   And yes, when people act that way, it infuriates me, because humanity should mean something to those people. The fact that they are part of the human structure should mean they have the mental capacity to see that truth is better than lie.
   
   At least two people on these forums that I can recall off the top of my head have looked at a black and white statement, and said "No, it doesn't say what it says." I believe a third has done it as well, but I'm not sure. I'd love to hear from them why they do that.

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      Silverspeederposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I suppose its all depends where the statement in black and white comes from, for instance the ONS (UK) made a statement of statistics that were in actual fact doctored to reflect the political leanings of the party politics if the ruling party, when challenged by organisations that deal with the stats every day the ONS simply lied and said the figure had to be readjusted for some reason or other.
      So not everything you believe is true and not everything political organisations an party's tell you can always be trusted.

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      1. 0

         JaxsonRaineposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I mean like this... as blatant as this:
         
         Silverspeeder said "I suppose its all depends whether or not you're a racist".
         
         I mean, that's very blatantly a lie. What you said is right there, in black and white, for everyone to see. For me to claim that you said something else is nothing more than a lie. For you to claim you didn't say what is in that quote is also a lie.
         
         And yet, there are people who will do it. I just can't understand.

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         1. 60

            Silverspeederposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            They are blinded by their conviction to what they thought you said or implied, it more likely to happen if your point of view differs greatly to theirs and is much more pronounced over political or religious discussion or debate.

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3. 77

   wildernessposted 12 years ago

   Part of it is probably the vagaries of the English language; with 10 different meanings for every word it is easy to be misunderstood.  This is compounded in the forums, where actual conversation is difficult at best and sometimes impossible, and no body language is possible.
   
   Part of it is because most people don't want to hear anything that disagrees with their opinion.  Again, it's easy to change a statement just slightly to make it say something else, and they often do.  Even when they don't, though they will often attack any disagreeable statement as a lie simply because they don't want it to be true. 
   
   Finally, the internet is a place to blow off steam, to start flame wars, and to insult people in a manner that the writer would never to do their friends.  Trolls, in other words, although few people would consider themselves a troll even as they throw out a hook baited with an outright lie.

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