Arguing with Social Justice Activists and Conspiracy Theorists: You Can't Win
June 27, 2017Categories: Uncomfortable Ideas,
The Dr. Bo Show with Bo Bennett, PhD
The Dr. Bo Show is a critical thinking-, reason-, and science-based approach to issues that matter. It is the podcast of social psychologist Bo Bennett. As of 2020, this podcast is a collection of topics related to all of his books.
A few years ago, for some odd reason, I decided to engage a flat-earther in an online debate regarding the fact that the earth is not flat. Hopefully, you will agree that the facts were on my side. But when it comes to conspiracy theories, facts don't matter. With conspiracy theorists, the more you argue, the more "proof" that is to them that it is a conspiracy and your incessant arguing and unyielding determination to prove them wrong confirms that you are part of the cover up—for your own nefarious reasons.
I am seeing a troubling similarity with many social justice activists. I enjoy reading comments on posts where social justice activists propose radical (extremist) ideas. Just some these include
- All sex is rape
- All police are evil
- Everyone is racist
- All men hate women
- You are transphobic if prefer dating men with penises over women with penises, or dating women with vaginas over men with vaginas
Inevitably, someone will post a reasonable, well-articulated, and often polite and diplomatic response as to why the extreme idea proposed is total lunacy. This comment will inevitably be followed by a slew of responses suggesting, if not directly stating, that this comment just "proves the point" of the article. For example, a person who explained why "everyone" is not racist was swamped with comments such as "this is exactly the kind of thing a racist would say!" A bitter diatribe against men will undoubtedly illicit comments from angry men who resent the accusation that they are "women haters." Again, these comments are interpreted as more support for that fact that all men are women-haters. In other words, evidence against the proposition is interpreted as evidence for the proposition.
Remember, when you are dealing with commenters or arguing with another person, you have a grossly inadequate sample size (many times a sample size of one). The comments, actions, or behavior of commenters cannot possibly justify a conclusion beyond a conclusion made about the commenters. Put your passions and radical ideas aside, and listen to what others have to say. You may not like it, but you may need to hear it.
Uncomfortable Idea: Interpreting feedback or an argument that refutes your ideas as evidence for your ideas, is a flaw in reasoning similar to that of conspiracy theorists.