I've certainly never seen an umbrella repair man before, so don't have a photo of a similar activity.
Finally, I found a gas pump in a sepia photograph...though everyone has wet feet. But apparently the riders think they can get to higher ground if they just had some "petrol."
Today's quote:
Reasoning with a conspiracy theorist
"We can perhaps best approach those who embrace harmful conspiracy theories by not immediately telling them that we know more than they do. It’s a conversation that requires some intellectual humility and acknowledgement that change is hard and it feels really scary not to know what’s going on. Below, see an abridged version of MIT Technology Review’s ten tips for reasoning with a conspiracy theorist, and read Basu’s full article here.
- Always, always speak respectfully: “Without respect, compassion, and empathy, no one will open their mind or heart to you. No one will listen.”
- Go private: Using direct messages when online “prevents discussion from getting embarrassing for the poster, and it implies a genuine compassion and interest in conversation rather than a desire for public shaming.”
- Test the waters first: “You can ask what it would take to change their mind, and if they say they will never change their mind, then you should take them at their word and not bother engaging.”
- Agree: “Conspiracy theories often feature elements that everyone can agree on.”
- Try the “truth sandwich”: “Use the fact-fallacy-fact approach, a method first proposed by linguist George Lakoff.”
- Or use the Socratic method: This “challenges people to come up with sources and defend their position themselves.”
- Be very careful with loved ones: “Biting your tongue and picking your battles can help your mental health.”
- Realize that some people don’t want to change, no matter the facts.
- If it gets bad, stop: “One r/ChangeMyView moderator suggested ‘IRL calming down’: shutting off your phone or computer and going for a walk.”
- Every little bit helps. “One conversation will probably not change a person’s mind, and that’s okay.”
Tanya Basu in MIT Technology Review
I think about this. Reasoning with the conspiracists would be difficult and probably futile.
ReplyDeleteI guess their conspiracy beliefs are fairly recent, and I might like to have the relationships we had before they began following tRump. Perhaps sometime down the road.
DeleteHello, Barbara
ReplyDeleteI like the teapots, they are neat! I think there are some people's minds can never be changed. They want to believe their alternative facts. Take care, enjoy your day!
I don't plan on changing the minds of my relatives who were (probably still are) tRump followers, and one who I know was involved with Q-Anon. Actually she's always had an attitude problem. But I am glad that someone thought up these approaches to change their minds. For now I'm not pushing communication.
DeleteI hope they will come to their senses on their own. Some will and some won't. It will depend on how much propaganda that they continue to listen to. I couldn't get past the paywall on the Truth Sandwich but I'll google it.
ReplyDeleteI like the Truth Sandwich idea, of using something we can agree upon with the silly idea sort of within the same topic...but it would be hard for me to devise such. So far now, I'll just let the sleeping dogs lie there (or lie as the case may be.)
DeleteI'm curious about that stack of birdhouses? by the teapot gas station in the first photo. And what about the motorcyclists in the last one? Thanks for the links in the last part of your post. It is a serious problem we encounter far too often among our family and acquaintances.
ReplyDeleteMe too, but I don't know where either photo originally came from. Sorry about that.
Delete...building that I would expect to see along Route 66!
ReplyDeleteYes, they might well have been part of an album which I just hit "save to my downloads" and forgot to go give details to later.
DeleteNeat pictures. And good advice re trying to change people's minds.
ReplyDeleteIf the events of Jan. 6 had not happened, I might never consider changing people's minds at all. Now, I think how dangerous those lies have reached.
DeleteAll your shared pictures are great. I agree with Tom - only along highway 99 through the valley in Calif. I have a sister who is deep into the conspiracy propaganda. I've told her since she and I are not on the same wavelength we simply must agree to disagree since both of us are strong-minded people and will each continue to believe what we do and don't believe. Disappointing, but luckily, we are free to believe what we will. :)
ReplyDeleteI think I was more of your frame of mind until Jan 6, when I saw just how dangerous the lies have become to cause an insurrection. Hopefully those who have been brainwashed will have some interest now in the opposite views...but I doubt that they'll willingly change their minds.
DeleteWho knew that there were umbrella repairmen, I sure didn't.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad I don't know any conspiracy theory folks. These would be good if I did.
ReplyDeleteThese teapot houses remind me of they nursery rhyme "There was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe" but perhaps she really lived in teapot?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if businesses still create buildings resembling their product. Seems it might be quite expensive.
ReplyDeleteLove the teapot building, and I would definitely have trouble dieting if I had to drive by the Donut Hole on a regular basis!
ReplyDeleteIf talking in person, I ask questions. On Facebook, it's usually not worth engaging in any sort of argument.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a long time since I've seen diner\coffee shops like your teapot\donut filling stations. The few that survive are probably on an historic register. They come from a time before franchises when entrepreneurs could be novel and inventive.
ReplyDeleteAs for your excellent list of tips, I'm reminded of The Monty Python sketch about the Argument Clinic where no matter the logic, you can never win against stupidity.
Love the rules! Especially good if both sides of the discussion understand the word "theory"... ;) On the photos, though (which are awesome!), we used to have a hotdog stand in the mountains of Colorado (around Conifer, if I remember correctly) that was shaped like a hotdog. A big treat to take the kids there! Apparently, too, there was an airplane shaped bar/diner around the corner from where we live now in western Iowa -- that was hit by a tornado. When they rebuilt it, though, they didn't spend the extra money to recapture the original flare, so it's just a standard looking old American-style neighborhood pub on the side of the road -- but still called "The Aeroplane." (I wish they'd rebuilt it to original specs!)
ReplyDelete