Space Exploration Deniers

[tasty9]

For the last few years, space exploration has been the main thing giving me hope for our future. So of course these fools want to fuck that up too. No one will respond to the OP to defend science denialism, because they can't defend it outside of their flat earth echo chamber. I think they are all just bitter that some people want to build a better world, while they want to make a world that feels better by silencing the people who point out that there is room for progress.

You can't have a rational argument with a fool. The best you can do is make fun of them until they go away.

 

[T_Lurch]

My favorite line from them is, "Satan placed dinosaur bones here to test our faith."

 

[woodshed775]

For the last few years, space exploration has been the main thing giving me hope for our future. So of course these fools want to fuck that up too. No one will respond to the OP to defend science denialism, because they can't defend it outside of their flat earth echo chamber. I think they are all just bitter that some people want to build a better world, while they want to make a world that feels better by silencing the people who point out that there is room for progress.

You can't have a rational argument with a fool. The best you can do is make fun of them until they go away.

And perhaps get the last laugh by leaving the "left behind" types looking up bewildered as we leave Earth to colonize other worlds.

 

[wallyj84]

And perhaps get the last laugh by leaving the "left behind" types looking up bewildered as we leave Earth to colonize other worlds.

They'll just try to bring their BS to the stars. Ruining everything again.

 

[Barbarian73]

Someone mentioned flat-Earthers. Why?! Even a single reference to them can cause them to emerge like hornets from a struck nest if they are around. If even one of them is here on LPSG finds this thread we'll have to deal with a Mons Olympus sized avalanche of babbling incoherently without end, LOL!

 

[Scarletbegonia]

My experiences show Floridians have a similar penchant for bizarre, inexplicable behavior. Local newspapers would seem to back this assertion.

It did seem an inordinate amount of what the Associated Press (then?) called “Water Cooler” (weird, typically non violent “people are strange” sorts of small stories) originated in Florida. Followed by Wisconsin.

 

[Scarletbegonia]

We actually get more sun here in NM, and we stay at the highest exposure to solar radiation year round (11)

That's not an argument against too much sun making people stupid, this is the land of Breaking Bad and The Hills Have Eyes for good reason... Meth heads and radiation

here in the neighbor state, we have oft pointed out the high number of sunny days, including between snow storms. (For example, it was 60 to 65F yesterday and snow today, but the sun is out right now)
My guess has been for tourism: ski in the sun sort of thing...as if that isn’t how it works at elevation anywhere else. Like Everest.

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

A failure of the public education system. That’s it. That’s all there is to it. The problem begins and ends there. A member of a well educated populace would never come to this conclusion.

Watch falls back on the hands of our political "leaders". Law makers and regulators who consistently ignore education while focusing almost *SOLELY* on what makes money are at fault. They seem to encourage media illiteracy and undereducating average people. Because it makes it that much easier for them to keep their place of power.

 

[T_Lurch]

It did seem an inordinate amount of what the Associated Press (then?) called “Water Cooler” (weird, typically non violent “people are strange” sorts of small stories) originated in Florida. Followed by Wisconsin.

There's strange behavior everywhere of course; all kidding aside I know Florida doesn't have a monopoly on it. Humans are bizarre creatures in general.

It does seem like a disproportionate amount of it occurs here though. It could also be because of the high number of transplants to the state. I'd say roughly half of Floridians are locals born and raised and the rest emigrated here. It could be we attract a large number of restless and eccentric types.

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

Why Florida Man should be America Man:

 

[T_Lurch]

Watch falls back on the hands of our political "leaders". Law makers and regulators who consistently ignore education while focusing almost *SOLELY* on what makes money are at fault. They seem to encourage media illiteracy and undereducating average people. Because it makes it that much easier for them to keep their place of power.

THIS. ^^

So very true. I've come to believe it's that way by design. George Carlin once said that the system wants people who are just smart enough to turn the knobs and flip switches, but not smart enough to think deeply and realize how badly they're being screwed. Ignorance by design. He was really on to something.

Of course, it's now coming back to bite them in the ass; when stupidity proliferates and thrives it creates new problems.

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

here in the neighbor state, we have oft pointed out the high number of sunny days, including between snow storms. (For example, it was 60 to 65F yesterday and snow today, but the sun is out right now)
My guess has been for tourism: ski in the sun sort of thing...as if that isn’t how it works at elevation anywhere else. Like Everest.

Yup. My mom and uncle laugh at it, they knows how wonky mountain weather is having grown up north of Denver..

Our mountains aren't as tall, and we do get significantly less precipitation throughout the state. On average we see over 300 days of sunshine every year. And I believe (based on reading we were doing because of my skin) we're the only state that never fluctuates on the solar radiation scale. Tis why even though I don't burn particularly easily I don't stay out too long when giving my skin some sun to treat my psoriasis.

It's amazing at night though, you can actually *see* the stars! No clouds, or city lights to keep them invisible.

 

[Scarletbegonia]

Yup. My mom and uncle laugh at it, they knows how wonky mountain weather is having grown up north of Denver..

Our mountains aren't as tall, and we do get significantly less precipitation throughout the state. On average we see over 300 days of sunshine every year. And I believe (based on reading we were doing because of my skin) we're the only state that never fluctuates on the solar radiation scale. Tis why even though I don't burn particularly easily I don't stay out too long when giving my skin some sun to treat my psoriasis.

It's amazing at night though, you can actually *see* the stars! No clouds, or city lights to keep them invisible.

I have to drive out from light pollution to see stars. One reason I’ve donated to the International Dark Sky Foundation is their work on reducing light pollution.
There’s a place out I-70, State Bridge, where I’m guaranteed to see open sky. I need to get the camera out and go shoot some long exposures.

 

[Scarletbegonia]

There's strange behavior everywhere of course; all kidding aside I know Florida doesn't have a monopoly on it. Humans are bizarre creatures in general.

It does seem like a disproportionate amount of it occurs here though. It could also be because of the high number of transplants to the state. I'd say roughly half of Floridians are locals born and raised and the rest emigrated here. It could be we attract a large number of restless and eccentric types.

A friend has a line in a song about Homer, Alaska
Sometimes you have to go to the edge of the earth / just to turn yourself around.

I saw this in Northern California, too. (Coast and mountains)
Any coast is the edge.
Florida gets three, Atlantic, Gulf and the keys.
It’s the southern end of the nation. It sits on the eastern edge and has its own west coast.
It is at once both landing and jumping off point.

 

[T_Lurch]

A friend has a line in a song about Homer, Alaska
Sometimes you have to go to the edge of the earth / just to turn yourself around.

I saw this in Northern California, too. (Coast and mountains)
Any coast is the edge.
Florida gets three, Atlantic, Gulf and the keys.
It’s the southern end of the nation. It sits on the eastern edge and has its own west coast.
It is at once both landing and jumping off point.

It's an interesting and intriguing way of looking at it. Never really occurred to me.

Peninsulas, land's end points, and other auspicious geographical points. Like they attract a certain type of people.

 

[T_Lurch]

For the last few years, space exploration has been the main thing giving me hope for our future. So of course these fools want to fuck that up too. No one will respond to the OP to defend science denialism, because they can't defend it outside of their flat earth echo chamber. I think they are all just bitter that some people want to build a better world, while they want to make a world that feels better by silencing the people who point out that there is room for progress.

You can't have a rational argument with a fool. The best you can do is make fun of them until they go away.

More than you know.

I firmly believe space travel and colonization of extraplanetary worlds are the only hope humanity has. The population is approaching a Malthusian collapse; there will come a point where there's not enough room for everyone on this world and not enough resources and food. At that point nature may step in and intervene with severe plagues. When you factor in rising tensions and political conflict, it makes spreading out the species much more essential.

 

[STWW]

Watch falls back on the hands of our political "leaders". Law makers and regulators who consistently ignore education while focusing almost *SOLELY* on what makes money are at fault. They seem to encourage media illiteracy and undereducating average people. Because it makes it that much easier for them to keep their place of power.

I don’t know if I necessarily hold politicians responsible... well, partially, perhaps. At best, the average politician is capable of maintaining the status quo and at most, nudging their agenda in one way or another...that is of course excluding lobbyists who have private interests as well. Funneling money down the system doesn’t seem very effective.

I simply can’t expect any politicians at any level to promote a culture of science literacy, especially, as it has been mentioned before... they benefit from precisely the opposite.

What’s even more terrifying is that there is a huge number of people that can never become science-literate at all, regardless of how much money you throw at them... those people are essentially fair game for whatever charismatic charlatan that comes their way.

I remain optimistic, though, the fact remains that such beliefs are still ridiculed outside of online echo-chambers and have hardly gained any mainstream traction.

 

[Calboner]

Someone mentioned flat-Earthers. Why?! Even a single reference to them can cause them to emerge like hornets from a struck nest if they are around. If even one of them is here on LPSG finds this thread we'll have to deal with a Mons Olympus sized avalanche of babbling incoherently without end, LOL!

Interesting observations in the first 37 minutes of this video. (The remainder concerns QAnon followers; see the second quotation below for the connection.)

29:23 "Most people don't actually believe Flat Earth because they were persuaded by shoddy evidence or they found other evidence to be less persuasive about the nature of the physical world. They do so because it says something they already believe about the nature of the social world. Flat Earth is a thing people want to believe because if it were true, it would be irrefutable proof of everything else they believe."

37:30 "The bottom line is that Flat Earth has been slowly bleeding support for the last several years---because they're all going to QAnon!"

 

[T_Lurch]

Interesting observations in the first 37 minutes of this video. (The remainder concerns QAnon followers; see the second quotation below for the connection.)

29:23 "Most people don't actually believe Flat Earth because they were persuaded by shoddy evidence or they found other evidence to be less persuasive about the nature of the physical world. They do so because it says something they already believe about the nature of the social world. Flat Earth is a thing people want to believe because if it were true, it would be irrefutable proof of everything else they believe."

37:30 "The bottom line is that Flat Earth has been slowly bleeding support for the last several years---because they're all going to QAnon!"

I still have no idea what QAnon is. I've heard of it, I've looked it up and never really got a consistent answer.

 

[woodshed775]

Watch falls back on the hands of our political "leaders". Law makers and regulators who consistently ignore education while focusing almost *SOLELY* on what makes money are at fault. They seem to encourage media illiteracy and undereducating average people. Because it makes it that much easier for them to keep their place of power.

Political leaders are almost powerless in the face of the power of social media to destroy traditional journalism and distort public opinion. The unbridled juggernaut of rising social media automatons that profit while they mindlessly lead people off cliffs of irrational thought, heedless racism and selfish xenophobia serve to ruin the centuries of progress gained around the world through representative democracy. Meanwhile the tyrants, dictators and oligarchs gather all the power and wealth.

just my opinion