186 thoughts on “That Time The Stupidsphere Showed Up”

1. Thanks, Wil. You are appreciated.

2. As someone who has both agreed and disagreed with Wil on various platforms, I can’t understand these idiots. Like, they want him to shut up, in the land of the free. That’s weird. Just disagree and move on. Unless you’re wanting to engage in conversation, open minded enough to see both sides of the arguments provided.

   1. They believe in freedom of speech, as long as you go with what they’re saying.

3. Two points: One – pretty much agree with all of your political points. Luckily as Brit we have not quite reached the point where being a liberal person with a brain is a terrible sin (sadly I think we are heading that way).

   Two – Great Cthulhu, you have a far greater patience for the Stupidsphere than I ever would. Seriously these people make me regret that we are members of the same species.

   Keep up the good fight, the Stupidsphere HQ might be out there and they have definitely set their sights on you, that just means that they are scared people might actually listen to what you are saying. This means the rational message is getting through.

4. Your first line made me laugh, thank you. I don’t do politics or religion always gets me into trouble. lol have a great evening 🙂

5. Very nicely said. I can’t believe the crap that you have to put up with. Good job on not being a dick back to them.

   As for Cruz, I’m also concerned. I’m slightly hopeful that NASA’s presence in Texas will help stave off cuts, but I’m not holding my breath.

6. (sniff) I love you, man.

7. I’m from Fresno, CA (in my opinion the bible belt of CA). I’m a huge science geek and I’m an engineer. One of my many aspirations in life is to eventually work for NASA. So this was one of my biggest issues with the republican’s taking control of the senate. They made it clear that at the 114th congress Ted Cruz was going to be in charge of that committee. THIS IS THE WORST THING FOR US AS HUMANS let alone America. I hate that you can’t talk to anyone who identifies as a republican without being called a sheep or a libartard. Anything that remotely benefits the human race is port of the libartard agenda. You can’t talk vaccinations to them and provide them factual evidence. It’s just completely frustrating. Your post and sharing your twitter replies reflects exactly the amount of frustration I feel when I try to talk science in Fresno. Wil you are an awesome human being you produce some of the best and most genuinely passionate content. Please just continue to be you.

8. Some people can’t handle civility and public discourse. Freedom of speech is everyone’s right, but people really need to learn to deal with the ‘other people’s speech’ part of that. Just like freedom of religion. Other people’s beliefs are protected as well. Certain people seem to miss that part. Civility overall is sorely missing these days. I avoid cable news like the plague because of this.

9. I posted this the other day: http://www.skepticink.com/smilodonsretreat/2015/01/13/muslims-football-and-gun-nuts/

   But I wanted you to see this bit (someone teach me how to quote twitter from the twitter website).

   I had a brief twitter conversation about this yesterday as well.
   A-leprechaunist ‏@aleprechaunist Jan 12

   Freedom of speech allows an ecosystem of ideas where good ones win out over bad. Without it, there is stagnation.

   I replied

   People don’t want good ideas to win. They want THEIR ideas to win.

   A-leprechaunist replied
   Many people want their ideas declared the winner without others having a chance to compete.

   And that’s the stupidsphere. They don’t want to talk. They want to win… at any cost.

   Wil has more followers than all of them combined and they can’t stand that.

10. Thank you Wil.

    I respect you are willing to come out and say what you believe in- day in and day out. I honestly struggle every day with the desire to point out the stupidity and the complete idiocy of some people (the media and the general public). I shake my head at the number of uneducated opinions that fly around about things that aren’t supposed to be based on opinion. (You know things that are supposed to rely on things like science and facts?) But I usually refrain from explaining the issue with these people’s opinions for fear of the backlash negatively affecting my business, my acting career, and/or my family relationships. It feels stifling at times to not just say what I think and point out the stupidity of those who think that all you need is to have an opinion – not facts to back up one’s “feelings” on certain topics. So thank you for being willing to stand up and say these things.

    I am not American, but as a person on earth I applaud your interest in the study of climate change and man’s impact on the environment.

    I am a huge fan of NASA and what they stand for (stood for?). However I will also admit, that I am under an impression (and I don’t really know where I heard this) that launches of NASA spacecraft (well any spacecraft) were actually damaging the ozone layer with the huge amount of fossil fuel used for the launch and deposited in the upper layers of the atmosphere/stratosphere. If that’s true then they also need to study the effects of launch practices – BUT – I don’t really know where I heard this ‘information’ (I will not say fact) – as I mentioned above. So… I’m going to do some more research myself to ensure I have it correct before I continue harboring that ill-informed opinion or telling people about it.

    I get so busy sometimes that I just don’t have time to check these things out and then they become entrenched ideas that I think I know. I wonder if this doesn’t happen to a lot of people (reasonable or unreasonable ones). It’s certainly no excuse for them to be abusive.

    So, thank you for also making me think about something I thought I KNEW – but now I realize I only THOUGHT I knew it… I need to confirm it first. Right now it’s just hearsay. Thanks for the research reminder. 🙂

    Keep up the good work… never shut up Wil.

11. Your eloquence and reason are far greater than the Stupidsphere deserves, Wil. Thank you.

12. It actually makes perfect sense. Cruz wants NASA to hurry up and find a new planet to colonize, because the climate change they’re denying is going to destroy earth, and they have to ramp up industrial production to pay for the exodus. It’s good, sound policy.

13. You address this point in your footnote, but it bears repeating: NASA is much more than space exploration (and within that mission, it’s much more than manned space exploration). Their role in climate studies is unparalleled, and that’s a role I’m sure Cruz would be happy to see diminished.

14. The thing that makes me crazy (well, one of them) is that they’re so obviously spewing talking points that they don’t understand. How can they bitch about the deficit AND an underfunded NASA in the same sentence? Do they not understand that Obama & the White House propose a federal budget, but Congress must approve the federal budget, and Congress has been under Republican control for the majority of Obama’s tenure?

    And, FWIW, I had never heard the “Muslim outreach” thing. And in the first comment I read above, thought, “WTF?” Thanks for explaining that, else I was going to have to resort to Mr. Google myself.

15. Because I learned this recently:
    Assault Rifles and Assault Weapons are two different things.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_rifle#Assault_rifles_vs._assault_weapons
    Assault Rifles (for the most part) are illegal. Assault Weapon is a made up term with different criteria for the categorization of weapons. I think it’s kinda BS and just muddies the water of weapon definitions.

    All that said I agree with your sentiment. I just happen to have level headed conservative friends that have educated me.

16. Regardless of someone’s beliefs on political issues, if you’re going to argue or try and contradict their statements then do so in a polite and well thought out manner.

17. One thing I’ve noticed is that when these people promulgate a viewpoint that is supposed to be incontrovertible proof that the conservative worldview is accurate, they claim such information will make a liberal’s head explode. They always say that, and I don’t hear people from the left use those words in similar situations.

    What’s that about?

    1. Antagonism.
       Politics is a team sport and they’re totally winning. ‘Swhy facts don’t matter, nor actual positions and arguments.

       Honestly some of these folks are rather… bizarrely open about being evil. It’s about inflicting pain upon the other rather than helping anyone.

       1. Yes! I tried to have a conversation with someone once. He was trying to convince me that I was crazy and that the free phone program had not indeed started under Reagan. It’s quite a simple little thing to look up but he just became vicious and started calling me names. I respectfully asked why we couldn’t just have a civilized conversation. He said, “Because First Amendment, bitch.” Brilliant.

18. Great article. Though I’m not as confident as you seem to be that all the loonies are on the other side of the political spectrum.

19. Wil, I often disagree with you about things. And when I do, I say, “Gosh, I don’t agree with him at all.” And then I post ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to Twitter. Feel free to look me up next time you’re in Portland. I’ll buy you a beer and not call you names.

20. I’d like to apologize to you and all Americans on behalf of the foreign country where Senator Cruz was born. Not all Canadians are like that.

    1. You can come down here and take him back. I’ll meet you at the border, with duct tape.

       1. I said I was sorry.

          I didn’t say anything about taking him back.

21. I have so many opinions and emotions and thoughts about this. On the one hand, I know it’s VERY EASY for me to say, “Don’t let these assholes get to you,” “Don’t feed the trolls,” etc., but of course, even if they’re NOT “getting” to you per se—FSM knows you’ve had plenty of practice shrugging off this kind of ravening vitriol—they’re impossible to ignore. And I think, in your position, I’d also need some catharsis. These assclowns deserve our ridicule. Because they are ridiculous.

    But the time it took you to write this was time spent thinking about them, which is precisely what they want. You may not give a fuck what they want, and good on you if that’s the case, but, truly, I don’t think the Stupidsphere is amenable to learning the error of their ways.

    I agree they’re scared. I disagree that they’re listening.

    All they want is ammunition. They’re spoiling for a fight, ITCHING for a reason to uppercut a libtard. Right? That’s their whole thing. Lock ‘n’ load. Defend The Cause. Rape whores, stone fags. Shoot first, ask questions never. Start a fight and then end it, motherfucker. That’s what an American flag means to them. That’s what it ALL means to them. And if it doesn’t? If it’s just a facade? A pretense to cover their multitudinous niggling fears? Then that’s even worse. Because they don’t believe in it, but they’re doing it anyway.

    And fuck them. You don’t owe them an explanation. You don’t owe them reason. You don’t owe them shit. You did your time. You work your ASS off. You’re not perfect, but you try to live by your code of common fucking decency, and I think most of us would agree you succeed on the daily.

    Don’t write another blog about these shrill, small-minded, petulant little boors, Wil. Don’t give them bricks for their oubliette; trust me, they’re walling themselves in just fine.

    1. Very, very well said. Hear, hear! I hate that Wil has to waste his time blocking these poor excuses for human beings, then feels like he has to justify himself. Wil – I’m with Charlotte – don’t even bother. Those who feel they need an explanation are very likely not the ones who would actually listen, so — why bother? Sane people know what’s up.

22. Thank you, Wil. God save us from the day where Stupidsphere and its brainless sheep followers are forced to use their heads for something other than a hatrack on which they hang their asshats.

23. Yesterday, Patton Oswalt made a joke about this topic, and I replied to him, saying it was funny. The remark, if I remember correctly, was as follows: “Ted Cruz: They won’t be laughing when I bring back all that delicious cheese from the moon.” Since then, I have been ATTACKED and called a racist by at least a dozen assclowns. that’s the thing about the stupidsphere: it’s fine for them to spew hate speech, that’s their First Amendment right, but BY GOD no one can offer criticism or take a fucking joke.
    My point, Wil, is fuck’em. block them and keep doing what you do. ❤️

    1. Oh I love how the Stupidsphere decides you’re a racist because you point out how profoundly mendacious Cruz and Marco Rubio are.

       1. but don’t you dare insinuate that their hatred of Obama might be racially motivated.

24. I had a long speech to write down. But I can’t find the words.

    Suffice to say, I do not always see eye to eye with you. And you may be a lot further left (politically) than I feel I am.

    But that sure as hell would not stop me from buying you a beer and talking DND, science fiction, or how awesome it is to just enjoy life with your friends one moment at a time.

    Didn’t mean to get preachy. Sorry.

25. We don’t agree at all on politics, it seems; but I would totally love to buy you a beer (or many) and do nothing but talk geek stuff and gaming all day. People who focus on one facet of someone … well, yes, “stupidsphere” is an apt description.

26. Don’t worry, Wil. The people with brains and the capacity for rational, independent thought still love you.

    While we here in the UK generally respect and admire the values that America and Americans stand for, occasionally we do get to laugh our collective butts off at the idiotic wonks that get to spout pure drivel on live TV.

    Case in point: Steven Emerson & “Muslim Birmingham” being “a no-go area” for whites. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-30773297)
    And even when he tried to retract the obvious bullshit and misinformation he’d trotted out in front of millions, he then compounded his mistake by calling Birmingham a “beautiful city”. That’s like calling Stinking Bishop a “delightfully aromatic cheese”… I’d be firing my researchers and “sources” at this point, because they’re clearly just making shit up.

    I also worry about a governmental system that is capable of putting someone so obviously incapable of understanding the basic tenets of science in charge of one of the most valuable scientific organisations in the world. I’ve loved NASA since I was a kid – and I’m a Brit – the thought of having its budget controlled by someone who so clearly lacks the intellect or desire to take the time to understand the implications of scientific research beyond how it will affect the voting in their next election is rather terrifying.

    Unfortunately, the problem is not unique to the US – it happens over here in the UK, too. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-30744203) Our government spends millions on scientific consultations every year. And then promptly ignores the advice it has paid for, if it doesn’t suit the policy wonks currently communing with the latest focus groups…

    The Stupidsphere is the audience that short-termist politicians pander to, because science is complex and science is messy and difficult, while ignorance and the lowest common denominator is clean-cut and easy. And the Stupidsphere is too complacent and comforted by the easy lies and misrepresentations of the actual facts to be bothered to turn on their grey matter and come to their own conclusion – it’s just so much easier to be told what to think by whoever manages to shout the loudest.

    I find this intellectual intolerance and anti-thought agenda deeply worrying (though I would: I’m a teacher) – if people don’t value the funding and research of new science and knowledge for its own sake, then we truly are lost as a civilisation. Might as well make a claim for your cave-site now…

27. The stupidsphere doesn’t understand that it isn’t their point of view, but how they incessantly scream about it and can’t separate fact from opinion that makes them the stupidsphere. It’s like an argument I saw where a guy said “No matter how loud you shout, 2+2 doesn’t = 5.” The response he got was of course the variant on “For large values of 2 it does.” He responded “Then it’s not 2. 2.5 is not 2, it’s 2.5” then of course the shout down begins of he is just making up facts to support himself. ~sigh~ I remember when Republicans were the supporters of math, science, logic…… which have suddenly become liberal ideas. Keop on keeping on Wil. Have a nice day.

28. Speaking of civility and public discourse, NPR had an interesting program today on hunting. While I generally lean towards your views, they pointed out that hunting for food allows any given animal to lead a much more normal life than on a feed lot, and to be a healthy part of an ecosystem during that life. It of course takes some wisdom and responsibility to do well, but it made me start to think of it as potentially being much less barbaric than factory meat.

    Sadly there’s also a stupidsphere on our side, too, which will attack the right in the same way you were attacked. I hope to FSM they are far fewer and less rude than their right side counterparts, but I don’t follow the right (ha!) people on twitter to observe properly.

    1. I don’t have a problem with hunting… if we lived in harmony with nature and hadn’t covered the planet with our offspring. Right now, wild animals are under too much pressure from us lot already, not to mention the sort of idiots who go out hunting and mean that other folks have to hide inside or wear bright orange to hang up their washing during hunting season. However, factory farming sucks, so you’re right there.

29. Very well said. I agree with everything you said! I don’t trust Cruz and this will surely end poorly for all of us.

    I have one question for you (and your readers):

    “Sure, I think denying climate change is stupid. Yes, I believe that clinging to debunked lies to prop up a narrative or worldview that is inconsistent with reality is stupid.”

    Consumption of animal products (like dairy) and meat (of which I know you and many are big fans) is one of the main contributors to our climate problems. The belief that consuming animals is necessary for human health has been debunked and inconsistent with science. There is no need for humans to raise animals for sustenance, yet so many people cling to it as a necessity from outdated ideas about nutrition.

    I’d like to challenge you to eat a plant-based diet for a month – see how you feel and at the same time know that you are helping fight against climate change AND cruelty to animals that aren’t just cats and dogs.

    (And now I’ll probably get hate comments as I always do when I bring this topic up anywhere on the internet… I know how you feel!)

    1. i agree that meat animals are a big problem. I for one, cannot eat just veggies.

       Personally, I’m waiting for vat grown meat. I’ll happily go that route.

    2. I agree with you. I was vegetarian for almost 12 years, primarily because of the reasons you cite.

       It didn’t work for me, ultimately, and now that I’m back to being an Omnivore, I do my very best to eat meat that is from sustainable, humane sources.

       I’m far more concerned about fossil fuels, and an outright refusal by the ruling class in America to start moving to renewable energy sources, because they want more money.

30. What it is is that these actors (I know of at least two) seem to have a serious hard-on for you. At some point you blocked them and they mention you like every second or third tweet. They cannot stand that you disagree with them and that you totally don’t care what they think. And I know this because they make a part-time career of mentioning you every chance they get. They insult you personally, saying you’re still young yet and you’ll grow out of your liberalism. They are so caustic and disgusting it’s actually deliciously hysterical. Because they spend so much of their brain space thinking of you and writing about you, that you actually win. Based on that alone….you win. All the time! Boom!

    1. One of these people (who inexplicably is obsessed with me) once told me, “all the people who follow me are idiots who do whatever I tell them. I just tweet provocative things because it gets me attention, and all attention is good.”

31. It is easy, when I disagree with you I simply close that browser tab. Arguing with a celebrity on the internet is like shaking your cane at the clouds, but half as effective.

32. I can only sigh very loudly.

33. Rumor is that Cruz is a moon landing denier.

34. This might be besides the point, but Cruz actually tried to cut funding to NASA in 2013 (source: http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2342/1)

35. Just block and move on. You receive far more stupidshere shit than any of us can imagine. I get that it’s much harder to deal with than anything we receive. But the response to it has to be the same. Block & delete. Logic & can never be defeated by stupidity. They can’t win a verbal battle, so they focus on getting under your skin. By reposting their shit, your showing that they are succeeding in their goal. And the cycle repeats. I wish their was a better way to handle the stupidshere on a larger scale. But for now, block & delete robs them of their prize. As for the rest of us, don’t engage, report! Help the people who run these sites identify & eliminate those who spew hate.

    1. I tend to just mute and move on, because much of the Stupidsphere is obsessed with getting themselves blocked by libtards like me who are so irrelevant they desperately want our attention. Muting accomplishes the same thing, while allowing them to continue to yell at clouds.

       1. These people are not important in your life. Don’t let them mess with your calm. You will never have real world relationships with them, so they are not worth the stress. Civility lives on as long as one does not reply in kind. Logic and facts do not need belief to be true. They just are. I take comfort in that everyday.

36. I once had to block someone on a post on a site because they were trying to make a fight out of a discussion. That is, in my personal opinion, a basic flaw in communications in politics these days. No one wants to listen to both sides of an issue and make a thoughtful decision based on information that is presented. They come in with a preconcieved notion (the party line) and stick to it come hell or high water. There is no room for compromise at that point and no progress or work gets done and certainly nothing actually gets changed.

37. “… their fantasy world where immigrants are sneaking babies filled with bombs into America to take our jobs and then kill us in our sleep after forcing us all into having gay abortions for Kenya.”

    Wil Wheaton, Master Word Smith.

    I’m just very glad that I was not drinking anything when I read that turn of phrase. My monitors are also in better shape than they would have been, otherwise, as well.

38. Wil,

    Native Texan, and I sincerely apologize. We are trying to change things down here. It’s a long road. Remember that we were colonized by folks who couldn’t make it in ARKANSAS.

    No offense to Arkansas.

39. I find it better to just not engage. Half the time, they get a hard on over the fact that someone responds. They’re like that drunk redneck that sits at the end of the bar. No life. Opinions are stated as fact and any time you refute them, he gets pissed and moves on or just tries to reiterate the point at a higher volume.

    They don’t want to open their minds and wake up. The Matrix has them and that’s pretty much that.

    I’m not liberal. I consider myself a conservative moderate. But even then I use the label because I don’t really fall into any real category to be honest. I believe women, homosexuals, blacks, asians, Jews, whoever should have the same rights across the board as everyone else. I also believe we’re wasting a lot of space on prisons and a lot of money on executions with expensive chemicals (I think a Spartan death pit is good enough 🙂 ). I believe in a strong military but I also believe in using it wisely. I believe in science, not God, but I have absolutely no problem with people believing in God or whatever they want.

    That all said, I also have a brain and a teeny tiny brake for my ego. I know the difference between an opinion–which is fine to have because I have one too–and fact. I’m more than happy to discuss and argue (in a healthy way) just about any point because I think that’s what helps us form our opinions and more importantly change them.

    When I run into people so devoted to a particular point of view who can’t even listen to an opposing opinion, I realize who they are…they aren’t happy or normal. They’re scared. They can’t stand the idea of variety. They can’t understand gray areas. They need binary to live their lives. And, sticking to my usual theme, that’s fine if that’s what makes them comfortable enough to live their lives. I just expect them to realize I don’t have to believe what they believe in. And if they try to do otherwise, since I prefer to stay out of jail, I just walk away.

    Wil, I hate that you have to deal with so much vitriol but I’m glad (assuming I’m reading into this right) that you have a place like this to talk it out and ideally find all those people like me who balance out all those people you quoted in the universe.

40. Wow…

    I guess a quote from “Guardians of the Galaxy” sums up the proud self-declared ‘dittoheads:’

    “What a bunch of A-holes.”

41. So I’ve been reading about cults for a thing (although cults, as we think of them, and not just harmless hippie communes, are an expression of what’s called a totalist belief system) and I’m reasonably sure the Stupidsphere fits the behaviours, which is worrying because one of the behaviours is ‘stop seeing people who don’t agree with us as people’.

    One of the key pieces is having a “milieu” that can be controlled. Fox News and their ilk encourage their watchers not to get information from outsiders, and the American cultural tendency to let people be so long as they’re not hurting anyone keeps outsiders out.

    That’s when you start the talk about how it’s imperative that they participate, because they’ll save America from the enemy (defined as: anyone who disagrees with them). They start redefining the world to conform to their ideology (that of outsiders who are simultaneously dangerously effective and incompetent fools). They invite people to share in that ideology, and thereby become heroes fighting the forces of darkness, who are everywhere! Without ever having to leave the couch other than the moments where they blindly vote Republican.

    A lot of the techniques that we make fun of Fox News for – their brazen willingness to blend fact and fiction, their use of ‘liberal’ as an epithet, their insistence on impossible standards of ethics – are all techniques to maintain control over their viewership, who are seeing a country their identity is wrapped up in perpetually sliding into the abyss. They’re made vulnerable by their powerlessness, by the Stupidsphere convincing them of their powerlessness.

    Fox News is willing to stop here, because all they want is a captive audience, but there’s one further step: when individual experience is superseded by doctrine, you start to encourage erasure of the self, and at that point control is complete. The idea of people, with all their needs and flaws, starts to fall away, replaced by the doctrine, and defending it from outsiders who wish to kill the idea. They are not real; they are flawed, broken, otherwise they would see the perfect truth of the doctrine for themselves. They can not be convinced. They can only be marginalised or destroyed.

    Most exit counselling (they don’t do deprogramming any more) starts with teaching the client about methods of control. It’s the same principle as mindfulness – if you can name what’s going on, it’s easier to rise above it.

    1. This is deeply insightful, and terrifying.

42. After reading the vitriol you have had to endure, I feel embarrassed to be a member of the same species.. You, on the other hand, always make me happy to be a rational human being. Thank you for representing rational human beings so articulately.

43. When I replace the bag in my garbage can I usually have to ‘burp’ it and let the excess air out, before the garbage can is able to be used properly and to peak capacity. Posts like these, I feel, are Wil doing his own little burp — settling his mind so he can tackle even more trash. Needless to say, this can be a thankless job.

    (I didn’t want to compare you to a garbage can, Wil, but I just couldn’t let this analogy go!)

    Keep up with the level-headed thought processes. Nicely done, sir.

44. The fact is, the core of the structure is failing.

    One election at a time.

    We notice the roads that have been ignored in our infrastructure, but what is less obvious is the fact that education was probably the first to face the tourniquet. Little less funding here, little less there. Change the wording of this version of history, delete that part of history, and make people teach to and study for a test designed to make those who take it intelligent enough to be productive, but still easily lead.

    Loud noises! Ahh.. rattle the cages and gnash your teeth!

    Reason and logic I can’t grasp! Ahh! Quick, to the devil box to recite the words that sooth the thinking pain, and hurl the same repetitive insults!

    To a degree I pity people who can’t think for themselves, but then again what small grasp of wisdom I’ve gained from logic, reason, and questioning the bleating of the sheeple has garnered me nothing more than headaches and frustration.

    So in that, I can relate to your plight, if only in a small measure, and I’m genuinely sorry that you become a target for wanting to make the world better. You deserve better, as do we all.

45. I will never understand that in a day and age where we can fact check every statement anyone says in seconds with a device that is never off the person of most people, that there is still so much misinformation. Then again you have to want to see both sides of an argument. I guess that’s the problem with being open minded, you never can relate to single minded people.

46. Thank you, sir.

47. Being neither conservative nor liberal (in fact, being absolutely, overtly opposed to the point of being offended by the mere notion of a single-axis political sorter) puts me in a slightly different position than many. Some say it allows me greater objectivity, while others feel it invalidates my opinions within the US paradigm. Either, or neither, may be correct, but since you’re touching on so many of my pet peeves and advocacy issues I wanted to chime in.

    I fully agree that we can have differing beliefs and desires and remain civil and respectful. If I didn’t wholly embrace that notion either I, or nearly everyone else on the planet, would be dead now because there are very few who share my outlooks on – well, anything. I not only agree everyone can have different beliefs, I want them to, will protect their right to those beliefs with my very life, and will encourage in all the fundamental concept of never accepting what anyone else tells you and instead learning for yourself and then sticking steadfastly to your ideology no matter the cost. Bravo.

    One thing I’ve discovered about this philosophy though is that while we can support everyone having their own beliefs that doesn’t mean everyone can coexist under the same political dynamic while holding them. For instance: person A has the absolute right to believe in strictly secular governance, while person B has the absolute right to believe in a firmly religious governance. However, person A and B cannot then live under the same government. The end result can only be negative. Instead we need a system that allows all beliefs and preferences to establish a government and system which adequately represents their needs and wants (so much as is possible at least). Unless/until we have such a dynamically adaptive system in place we remain subjects, not citizens, and all the terrible forms of aggression, corruption, and abuse will certainly continue.

    It is also true that not all beliefs and preferences can be equally valid from a neutral perspective. For instance: if belief A is predicated/warranted on rationality and logic, and belief B is predicated/warranted on personal emotions and egoism then by what 3rd party standards can their validity be equally determined? The answer is none. This means that while it’s true that a belief or preference may be shown more or less valid based on specific criteria, those criteria themselves are not necessarily valid for all. This leaves us unable to apply any form of normative judgment outside of our own underlying philosophic and ideological principles, which reaffirms the necessity of allowing political, social, and cultural subdivision of a populace based on agreed upon definitions and warrants rather than arbitrary factors or traditions. In essence it denies the value of compromise or diversity when such cross important ideological foundations, definitions, or warrants.

    Having arrived at these ‘truths’ I find myself in the interesting position of being treated by both traditional ‘sides’ the way you espouse being treated by just the one (because you occupy the other). I too have faced the wrath of the stupidshpere…but I’ve seen it from gop conservatives and I’ve seen it equally from democratic liberals. I’ve seen tea partiers rally to a cause in the same way socialists have.

    In other words, it is my understanding now (and I’m not unintelligent or uneducated in these matters) that the way left views right, is the way right views left; and BOTH view those refusing to be one or the other even worse than they do each other. What’s going to probably upset you (and any who cling desperately to such a false dichotomy) is that there are FAR more who see R and D as two sides of the same corrupted, useless, abusive coin than there are mainstream adherents fighting with all they possess to prevent their power stranglehold to be dislodged by the rest of us. In other words, it is democrats and republicans, liberals and conservatives, which are the minority in America. Oddly enough, however, they maintain control due to an entrenched system of inequality.

    So yes Wil, we all have different beliefs and ideologies, and we SHOULD all be able to live in a system which represents them so that all attain true equality and unity with like-minded people. However we are all equally guilty of what you only see in your direct opposition, and so should be careful never to single out just one side. Moreover, we have to come to the point where we need to stop trying to compromise or find universal truths in values (as there are none) and instead develop a way for us to just live happily among our own kind (ie those who share the warrants and philosophies necessary to form a society/culture).

    The answer to mankind isn’t to punish those who feel differently (by criminalization, ostricization, or war), but to help them establish their own place in the world which functions according to their own guidelines such that all may find true peace and contentment.

48. I find it so sad to say that after the extremist governor took office in Wisconsin, some of the biggest budget cuts were made to the University of Wisconsin system. Many fine Professors left the system because of the drastic cuts to pay and benefits. courses had to be cut in some disciplines and some fields cut back.

    Why are conservatives targeting education when there is (by their own admission) such a need for improvement in science, math and related fields?

    Anti-intellectualism, Anyone? Except in the area of that oh so far reaching Bible-based science. The Earth is only 6,000 years old, ya know.

    Thoughts, Wil?

49. Good evening, Wil,
    The problem, from my perspective, is two-fold:
    1. It would be a damned boring world if we all agreed on everything. Conversations could be reduced to, “You know what?”
    “Yeah.”
    2. We’ve lost the ability to discuss things in a civilized manner. If I were cynical, I’d blame it on cable news networks, but I won’t.

    You and I probably disagree on a number of issues, but in most cases I’m willing to bet that it’s not so much the conclusion that separates us, but how that conclusion is supported. Global warming. There’s a “consensus.” As I recall, a consensus worked against Galileo and Copernicus because all they had was data, not popular support. On the other hand, I love peer reviewed data, analysis, and hypotheses.
    – What s the effect of industrial carbon emissions?
    – How does this compare to the average volcano eruption?
    – When we focused n reducing smog, did the clearer air add to the greenhouse effect? Was smog protecting us? (cough! cough!)
    – If the developed nations make a major effort, will this be sufficient to offset the carbon production of emerging nations (or should we just relegate them to remain forever in the 16th century?)
    – What can actually be done? What if everyone planted two trees? What if all future

    Nevertheless, (with regard to global warming) one should never foul one’s nest – or for those who need it put more plainly, “You don’t shit where you eat.”

    So, my recommendations for your readers and trolls are:
    1. Keep an open mind. If they can’t prove it, it doesn’t matter who “they” are.
    2. Be open to those opinions and ideas that are not mirror images of your own. Diplomats or spies who talk with friendly nations learn very little; they need to know what the bad guys are up to. In our lives, listening to radio commentators who reinforce our preconception are not helpful; those who challenge us make us think.

    So, Wil, continue to stir it up. The bad news is there will be ninety-five trolls. The good news is that if you get five people thinking, well, it’s a wonderful thing.

    All the best.

50. Don’t shut up Wesley.

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