‘I don’t want to be pedantic, but that isn’t what happened.’
‘It was, I heard it with my own ears.’
‘Right, but factually, that isn’t what happened. Who did you hear it from?’
‘A guy I know that was there.’
‘Could he maybe have made it up, or not got the full story? Because, again, the facts are a little more complex.’
‘But loads of people on Twitter said the same thing.’
‘Right, but they could be just repeating the same incorrect information. Shouldn’t you look at it in more detail before you join in spreading falsehoods?’
‘Look, I know what happened, I don’t need you to try and tell me otherwise.’
‘I’m just asking you to look at the facts of what happened. There are plenty of other sources that paint a different picture from what your friend says.’
‘I don’t believe those sources. All those mainstream media types and the corrupt judges.’
‘But you believe your friend?’
‘Right, because he was there and saw it.’
‘You don’t think that’s a dangerous way to view the world?’
‘You really are being a pedagogue.’
‘A what?’
‘A pediatric… Whatever it was you said a minute ago.’
‘A pedant?’
‘Yeah, that.’
Written for #FOWC, hosted by Fandango Today’s prompt word was: Pedantic. Click on the link to read more responses to the prompt.
Suffering disillusionment and disappointment with some fellow bloggers from stories and comments written yesterday. A case of people making broad assumptions and sweeping statements without explaining complex facts situations or thinking beyond their own interests. I really do worry about what sort of world we are going to end up in, and that at a time when the end of Trump should be making things seem better! Anyway, it’s a little bit of therapy writing today.
That last line made me laugh but I also realize that it is far too true what that was about. We live in a world where facts are unimportant. Whoever says something the loudest and longest must be right. A sad statement for people who profess to think.
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Thanks. It’s the idea that people become so entrenched and defensive that they will not listen to anything that doesn’t conform to their ideology. And so nothing can ever change and reason is lost. Depressing times.
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If only everyone stuck to the facts. Perhaps we would be a much better world. So many lies and false truths spread like fire.
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The trouble is people take facts, or find the facts they like, to confirm their own prejudice, no matter what evidence is presented to them the the contrary. I do feel like giving up, but then I wonder what sort of a world we are going to end up living in.
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Gosh, that’s a whole essay, never mind a simple response. I think the days of “fact” are over, if they ever existed. We choose which facts we want to believe based on our world view, when surely it should be the other way around?
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It really should, and of course the real frustration is once someone has found a ‘fact’ (or tweet) that fits their world view, they become impossible to convince otherwise, to the point of irrationality and ignorance.
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fully agree. But it’s difficult not to fall into that trap. We’re more likely to take note of (or follow) what we agree with, than disagree with.
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I have far too many of those types of conversations, like throwing a match into an airless tunnel.
I, too, hope for a change toward more critical thinking, but that takes time. We will get better!
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I admire your optimism, Liz. I hope I can share it one day again.
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I, too, have had those types of conversations — all my life, but much more so lately. You have done a wonderful job of making us see the empty arguments that drive some people’s “opinions”.
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Thanks Eugenia. It just gets so wearing!
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Next time I have a conversation like this I am going to call the person a pediatric pendant. 😀
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Lol! 🙂
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Oh come on, Iain. He was just passing along “alternative facts.” 🙄
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Oh, tell me we are done with the alternative facts, please!
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I really hope so!
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