Misconceptions/Ignorance

[Dastardly]

Severe misconceptions:

- Exhibiting slight signs of a handful of the vague symptoms of various psychological/emotional/behavioral disorders means we can just diagnose themselves, without concrete medical tests done by a medical professional to established alleged chemical imbalances.

- Having these disorders (or just claiming to) absolves us of guilt for anything we do wrong, or that it entitles us to win any game of "who has it worst" that comes up.

- People with those disorders who choose not to take their medications can still expect lenience or pity from the rest of the world regarding their behavior while going unmedicated.

- Anyone who mentions that some people are self-diagnosed (and thus lying) must mean that all cases everywhere are that way, and is directly attacking the existence of the disorder itself.

 

[SoranMBane]

That Libertarians and Objectivists are all just greedy, old, rich dudes who hate poor people and love corporations. I can understand us perhaps being accused of being naive or over-optimistic about human nature, but that stereotype of us being callous and greedy just isn't true. It's not that we don't want poor people to get help, it's that we feel it's immoral for the government to force others to help them be taking their money, and that the majority of people would gladly give to charities on their own without any need for the government to step in. It's not that we want to give more power to corporations, it's actually the opposite; if the government can regulate businesses, those same businesses can rig the system in their favour, which hurts everyone else. And it's not about celebrating greed, it's about celebrating freedom.

So, go ahead, call us naive; I can accept that, and admit that it might even be slightly true. Just don't call us evil or uncaring. Also, I think these videos (featuring Penn Jillette) are somewhat relevant, since he pretty much bring up my points and argues them better than I ever could:

Spoiler

 

[DANEgerous]

That natural selection and evolution are the same thing. Also related the misuse of the concept of "survival of the fittest".

Natural selection is one of several mechanisms that can result in evolution. Survival of the fittest is an outdated term that doesn't accurately describe natural selection (to which it is meant to). Ironically it was originally used to try and prevent another misconception; that natural selection implies something is being explicitly selected.

On that note it is also directly tied to abiogenesis, Racism, is a religion, has not advanced since Darwin, i related to "Social Darwinism", and is "just a theory" meaning it is false.

 

[SmegInThePants]

My pet peeve is not ignorant people, its people who are ignorant but who *think* they know what they are talking about.

Like management where i work, who are not doctors but who are scared to have reported injuries, so they tell employees who are trying to report an injury that they are 'fine', its just a such and such, just go home and sleep it off, as if they have an M.D. Telling people hit in the head to just go home and sleep it off? Are they crazy? You don't need that insulin you left in your car right now, it can wait till after work, now get back to work!

Or people who claim that the law says this or that, having never read the law in question, nor any understanding of how the law works.

Or, as an atheist, when arguing (in a friendly manner) w/a christian, who brings up the bible to defend their position and they get their facts way wrong (I can't tell you how many christians there are in my neck of the woods who never read the bible. Fine, don't read it, believe completely based on faith, fine, just say so, but don't go pretending to be an expert on something you haven't read.)

I mean when i claim something i am unsure about, i say so. I say something like 'I could be wrong, but its my impression that such and such is the case'. I make it clear up front that this is what I believe and why, but that I'm not entirely certain that my info is right or that I have all the right info, and i accomplish all that w/that one simple addition to my statement. Then i get my info confirmed or i get enlightened as to where i'm wrong and come out knowing more than I came in with.

I think its about ego. People just can't admit, even to themselves, that their knowledge has limits (even though for all of us, our knowledge has limits, none of us are all-knowing). Its the old saying, 'a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing'. The people who know a little, who then go around thinking they are an expert, unintentionally misleading others into following their advice.

 

[DugMachine]

As a fellow who's damn near perpetually stoned, I'm often branded with the assumption that I must be either be completely braindead, or your typical no motivation, hippy-dippy stoner.

It's rather frustrating trying to justify casual marijuana usage to those who are all too eager to demonize the stuff without experiencing it for themselves.

Agreed, I can't let anyone know that I partake in the smoking of illegal cannibus every now and then without being judged or labeled a "stoner" or lazy when I have a very good job that has me working 8 hours a day just like everyone else.

Uh, I guess living in super mega south texas (bottom tip of texas) and people automatically think i'm getting shot by drug cartels on a daily basis and that it's "basically northern mexico" no stfu its not AT ALL.

 

[Gordon Freemonty]

People who think Scottish people are racist, whiskey swigging, ginger haired, skirt (Its actually called a kilt...) wearers who hate the English for killing our god, Mel Gibson.

People who think all Ireland is good for is Guinness, mass drunkenness and U2.

(almost tempted to say next annoying are those who seem determined to reinforce said stereotype)

Is your avatar Barry Shitpeas btw?

You are correct. That man in my avatar is indeed Barry Shitpeas.

 

[The Funslinger]

The fact that im british i immediatley like tea.

The fact that i do and i make a fine brew is neither here nor there

It is statistically, a fair enough assumption, although they should maybe ask you to confirm their prejudices first xP.
I know very few people who don't drink tea here, and the look of horror on many peoples faces when they say they don't is pretty hilarious xP

I'm British. I'm a gentleman. I'm sarcastic and cynical. BUT I do not like tea, or crumpets.

OT: when I tell people I have sociopathic amorality, they either take that to mean full blown sociopath unable to understand emotion, with no morals, or they think I'm a school shooting waiting to happen. It's quite tiring, really.

The fact is I do adhere to a stringent moral compass, and I feel my emotions very strongly.

 

[ElPatron]

That all Americans are stupid gun toting rednecks. Just because I live on a farm and have more guns than the marines doesn't mean I'm stupid!

I hate the misconception that rednecks are bad people. And I am European and spend more time in the city than the country and I think they are generally good people if you exclude the hicks who think gay people are evil.

Shit, now you got me thinking about guns. I'd make a list of a thousand misconceptions I hate, so I'll keep it short.

- only the military and police should own guns
- that gun registration means that a killer with be immediately found with 100% accuracy
- that the term "silencer" is only used by hollywood and videogames
- that certain features on guns make them actually deadlier ("shoulder thing that goes up").

It's like saying a "tuned" Fiat Punto will outrun a Lancer Evo because it has flame decals and neon lights.

 

[Gordon Freemonty]

My pet peeve is not ignorant people, its people who are ignorant but who *think* they know what they are talking about.

Like management where i work, who are not doctors but who are scared to have reported injuries, so they tell employees who are trying to report an injury that they are 'fine', its just a such and such, just go home and sleep it off, as if they have an M.D. Telling people hit in the head to just go home and sleep it off? Are they crazy? You don't need that insulin you left in your car right now, it can wait till after work, now get back to work!

Jesus Christ, I've had this before. I usually keep my anger to myself until I turn slightly unwell, Then I can (justifiably) be a right fucking ****.

 

[Sarah Frazier]

My fear is that people see how very skinny I am and assume it's because I'm starving or purging to "look pretty". I'm not starving on purpose because I'm afraid of being fat... I'm starving because I have a medical disorder known as Crohn's Colitis. This means that my body simply isn't absorbing nutrients as effectively because some parts of the intestines are damaged. Not only that, but most foods I used to eat any chance I got now cause pain similar to being kicked in the balls every minute or two. Not a pleasant experience to go through, let me tell you.

If someone comes up to me and starts going on about how I should eat a sandwich and not puke like some pussy, they're going to be lucky if I don't go Hannibal Lecter on them.

 

[Gordon Freemonty]

I got now cause pain similar to being kicked in the balls every minute or two. Not a pleasant experience to go through, let me tell you

>Sarah
>Feels like getting kicked in the balls

Spoiler

I jest of course.

 

[Popadoo]

Anything involving black holes. Sci-Fi have made them out as planet munching monsters that go around the universe eating stuff up. Also that they're some sort of rip in space-time.
If our sun was to turn into a black hole (It wouldn't, but follow me on this...) we would orbit in the same way we do now. We'd all die from the cold of space, but we'd still orbit it. It wouldn't suck in the solar system because IT HAS THE SAME MASS AS THE SUN. Gravity is caused by mass, and you can't create mass, so a black hole is only as heavy and powerful in terms of gravity as the star (Or core of the star...) it came from! And they aren't rips in space or whatever badly written TV shows have you believe. The event horizon, the black part you see (Or don't see, whatever way you look at it...) is just the radius at which the gravity is so strong light can't escape. It isn't a surface, but it definitely isn't some sort of inter-dimensional rift.
Also, that they 'eat up' time. No, time (Like energy and matter...) can't be destroyed or cast into some sort of void, it's just that according to the laws of general relativity the singularity at the center of the black hole has a gravity so strong that time essentially stops at that point. If you were somehow magically unaffected by gravity and you were somehow magically inside a singularity, if you somehow magically managed to GET OUT of the singularity, you'd be an infinite number of years into the future. Considering the universe itself is finite, you can understand the impossibility of exiting a singularity or even the radius at which light can't get out of a black hole.

 

[Sarah Frazier]

I got now cause pain similar to being kicked in the balls every minute or two. Not a pleasant experience to go through, let me tell you

>Sarah
>Feels like getting kicked in the balls

Spoiler

I jest of course.

Hehehe. With all the tabletop gaming I do there have been plenty of chances to ask guys what it feels like, usually by starting a debate about what feels worse: a guy being nutted or a girl on her period? I used to say the latter was worse, but now I've changed my mind.

 

[Darknacht]

People think that Canadians are all ultra nice, but the reality is we're all dicks who just feel really bad if we're mean or impolite to others, so we act nice, it's all just a lie.

Wait, people think Canadians are nice? Where I live most people think Canadians are ass holes and if they are being nice its because they want something. I've never believed that they are any worse than Americans but that seems like its backwards from what people think.

 

[That Guy Ya Know]

4: Guns are bad/guns kill people/other assorted anti-gun rhetoric. This is just ignorant bullshit spewed forth by people who dislike them and think nobody should be allowed to like something they don't like. I rather like them, I enjoy shooting them at random cola cans and dead VCRs in my back yard, and they come in handy for vermin control.


Wanna take a wild guess as to how many people my .22 rifle has killed?


Go on. I'm waiting.


BZZZT! Wrong. It's killed 0 people. It's 30 years old, and it's killed 0 people. Hasn't even hurt any people. It's killed vermin and plenty of malfunctioning electronics, but it's never wounded or killed a person.

Well since there's a prime example right here, how about people who think anecdotal evidence is worth anything.

Always annoying when you're in a debate and someone thinks they can say "Well I did X and Y never happened to me so obviously X will never ever lead to Y."

 

[DANEgerous]

Let's see what is some other stupid stuff i have got from more than one person. Our sun is not a star because a star will kill us
You can not store an acid it will destroy the container
Alcohol is the only thing that ferments
21 is the global drinking age
Turning the heater up to a higher temperature will make it heat up quicker
Everything freezes at the freezing point of water that is why it is called freezing
(Insert element or compound here)can not be a gas/liquid/solid it is gas/liquid/solid at room temperature
Gas is not a form of alcohol! only things like beer are.
Medications (all of them) are not toxic
We can not survive any level of toxin
You can not OD on Advil/Water/Oxygen

 

[EternalFacepalm]

"So, you're kind of good with computers, right? ... Does that mean you can hack peoples' Facebook accounts for me?"

You're endangering kittens, people.

 

[Dogstile]

I'm just curious to how anyone decided milking a cow was a good idea. I mean i'm glad, but damn. It must have been really disturbing to watch one of your fellow tribesmen do that.

Also, I hate it when people on the forums say "this is being misused" without explaining it. Its' like... well done dickhead, you've contributed nothing at all.

 

[artanis_neravar]

"You're depressed? You should learn to face your problems."


"You have ADHD and have a hard time paying attention? A lot of kids have trouble paying attention. You just need to try harder."


"You have Tourette syndrome? I've never heard you say random swear words or anything though..."



The last one is easy to explain. The first two make me want to punch kittens.

Considering the first two are some of the most over diagnosed conditions in the US people have stopped believing the people who actually suffer from these conditions.