Denying Science and History - Why do smart people do that?

1. 80

   ptosisposted 8 years ago

   
   
   So my best buddy thinks the Earth is flat and that  the Holocaust never happened.
   I asked him, Do you believe in Armenian? yes
   Dafur? yes
   Pol pot? yes
   He believes in all of them except the Holocaust.
   
   
   Then I found out yesterday that the 'Flat Earthers' is a code word for white supremists and that Globalists is a code word for Jews.
   
   Sheesh. And This guy is smart in every other way, Calculus,Chemistry, he's a lot more educated than I am. I just can't figure out this denial of certain facts. I thought he was shamming but now I know he really believes this stupid shit.
   
   So Why? Well he says he's not a strong Republican but I think he is because of this article:
   https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/won … f6afa0f3b9
   
   
   He's a Holocaust Denier and I'm bummed about this. Makes me feel sad. But Just like my Dad is also one - I'm not going to disown him. So somebody please tell me how to deal with this.  At this point I just say "Change  the subject before getting into an heated argument and Hey! How bout them Knicks?"
   
   common denominator among the deniers: they are not really scholars with academic motives; they are anti-Semites and conspiracists.  And yes he is a conspiracist.  Notice you can't spell conspiracists without racists
   
   
   He actually thinks there is a freakin' dome over the Earth. No shit. Shows me a video of a rocket mounted camera and says "see it stops!", I'm looking at him and said, the first booster rocket just ran out of fuel, can't you see the first booster rocket disengage at the end of the video?
   
   Another video he shows me has a guy 'proving' that the sun is very close to the Earth, This guy take a piece of cardboard with holes punched in it and moves it up and down to demonstrate that the light shining through is splayed out when cardboard is close.
   
   I look at him incredulously and said, " the guy is not moving the sun, he is moving the cardboard clouds and of course when clouds hang real low the light is going to be splayed out.
   
   Sheesh....
   
   I can't believe I have to point the obvious to him like that. I don't think he believes me tho'
   
   

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   1. 71

      Live to Learnposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Sounds like a pretty interesting (if not demented) fellow. I don't know anyone who is a Holocaust denier but I do know a lot of people who demand that their particular groups be recognized as having been mistreated by the Nazi's also. I'm sure they were but I also think that it minimizes the massive horror of what happened to the Jews, in particular.

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      1. 80

         ptosisposted 8 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks for the answers everybody.

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2. 79

   colorfuloneposted 8 years ago

   Ptosis, here is a short video worth listening with Cliff High's top 5 human reasons we don't live on a flat earth. 
   *  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz-SvNlsrOw
   
   "In this discussion there are presented my top 5/five human reasons to think we do not live on a flat earth. Each and every one is presented as a challenge....you tell me why each item proves we don't live on a flat earth. A few easy ones at the beginning to get your brain warmed up.
   
   Not a big deal but I am getting annoyed at having to constantly fight with people about flat earth, so now I have a video where I can point them, asking, “can you answer my 5 questions first?”"
   
   I was surprised when I saw Cliff putting this out there, well, he had fun with it.
   
   As for the Holocaust deniers...Sheesh!

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3. 69

   Kathleen Cochranposted 8 years ago

   The Post article is interesting but confirms the fact that there is an exception to every rule.  In this instance: me.  From the deep South.  Southern Baptist.  Military family.  Live in the county that produced Newt Gingrich and Bob Barr. Liberal Democrat.  It happens.  There are those on HP who continually try to brush me with a broad stroke.  Some of us just don't fit into a box.
   
   I feel your frustration and love the poster!

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   1. 79

      colorfuloneposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      No you don't fit in a box. No one should try to put anyone in a box. But, what happens is that people compartmentalize and categorize and even apply word labels, that is a part of being able to communicate in any language.  Then, there are filters in which we process through, some are clogged by personal issues because of life's experiences, judgments, indoctrination, biases, or beliefs, etc., some aren't to different degrees. What people say is mostly a reflection on themselves, right or wrong, good or bad.  I tend to look at things form a spiritual view, that's just how I am.  We are all unique.

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4. 75

   wildernessposted 8 years ago

   Haven't met a holocaust denier, but have talked to a man who claims no one has walked on the moon.  And many who deny that species can evolve, or that we share a common ancestor with apes.  Have seen a couple right here on HP forums that claim 911 was a government hoax, with government agents mining the towers and blowing them up just as the planes provided and flown by government agents crashed into them, empty of passengers.
   
   Not really a denier (more "believer") but had a young man tell me how to get rid of warts once: I must cut a fresh potato in half and rub both halves on the wart.  At this point, I'm OK with it - potatoes are acidic and have other chemicals that might make life hard for a virus), but he continued on.  Seems it won't work unless the halves are tied back together...and buried under the full moon.  Absolutely necessary to do that.

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