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I usually read Dilbert[^] each morning. As is not uncommon in such cartoons, there is a flavor of current events and politics.
These last two (May 12 & 13, 2020) are introduce a new type of character, a Scienesplainer. Basically, his purpose and what he says are ridiculed. On the face of it, yeah - sure.
But - let's look into reality - and this is obviously targeting Covid19 and variations on data interpretation, PR, and such. Unfortunately, the job for this character, which is being mocked, is far too necessary. It seems every damn day people keep doing what they always do, which is, simply put, far too many people are ready to listen and learn as long it's what they want to hear and believe.
Meanwhile, conspiracy theories and name calling are substituting for common sense, reason, and the ![Elephant | [mastadon]](https://codeproject.global.ssl.fastly.net/script/Forums/Images/elephant.gif) ing evidence in front of their own eyes. Scott Adams has often used his platform (and it is his right) to undermine common sense to bolster his political views.
So - before I slip into soapbox territory, I'll offer a rhetorical question: "Were people always this stupid or has the gene pool utterly failed?"
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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Always.
We just have better tools today.
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Jörgen Andersson wrote: better tools
I don't know if your mastery of English is at the level of realizing the pun you made by your choice of words (double entendre).
One can refer to a person as "a real tool" and it's not a description that implies a sharp edge.
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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W∴ Balboos, GHB wrote: Were people always this stupid or has the gene pool utterly failed?
Chlorine. We need lots of Chlorine in the gene pool. 
"I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Indeed, more and more of the population seems to have been spawned in the shallow end of the gene pool.OriginalGriff wrote: We need lots of Chlorine in the gene pool
Hmmm. I'll defer to you expertise, but I have always leaned in favor of boiling.
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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Two things:
1. Stupidity is often inherited (either by genes or teachings)
2. Stupid people breed faster than intelligent people
Result: Stupid is winning... and it ain't slowing down!
(it also helps that social media brings stupid right to your front door now)
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But they also tend to die faster, so in the best of worlds it would balance out.
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Jörgen Andersson wrote: But they also tend to die faster, so in the best of worlds it would balance out.
I have to disagree with you on this point.
So long as they live long enough to breed they keep increasing. Like any parasite, if they kill the host after releasing the next generation it doesn't matter much. If they kill the host before then they become extinct.
Balance out? Ha! Hogwash!
And most of all, remember: There's no cure for stupid.
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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Which part is it you disagree with? That they also tend to die faster or that in the best of worlds it would balance out?
I take it that you're not a believer in Darwin.
Or would you say the stupid are better adapted? 
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Actually, my reply is very much Darwin-ish.
They don't have to live a long time to succeed in swamping the population - just long enough to reproduce. Unlike the brighter amongst us, they don't gain any advantage in passing down their knowledge to future generations - it is thus, as it turns out, an advantage for them to die off soon after reproduction and thus freeing up resources for the next generation.
Because that is indeed what they do, reproduce early and often, they have nothing to lose by not shriveling to a ripe old age in terms of natural selection.
Adaption for survival and intelligent are not closely linked - think in terms of vermin: prolific, abundant, and not that smart. Think even more so, about shellfish. It's not that far a step down from there to morons that are part of universal suffrage in most western countries.
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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W∴ Balboos, GHB wrote: They don't have to live a long time to succeed in swamping the population - just long enough to reproduce
No, traditionally they need to live long enough to make sure their offspring survives to adult age.
Which of course might not be true today.
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Most of nature, particularly the swarming things, do not care for there young. They just have lots of them.
The lower the rate of reproduction the more likely it is that the adults care for the young.
At lest on planet earth.
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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musefan wrote: Stupid is winning... and it ain't slowing down!
See The Marching Morons 
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.
-- 6079 Smith W.
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I read that years ago. And ever since I have met at least one every week.
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musefan wrote: (it also helps that social media brings stupid right to your front door now)
At least a good firewall can help to be your first line of defense. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram...all of that crap is blocked right in my router, so no device on my LAN could follow a link and end up there even if it tried to.
But yeah, "social media" is still a rather broad definition...
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Ia not the CP Lounge a form of soc . . .
Oh dear - I'm about to have my account cancelled.
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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Always, it's just a lot easier to see it with the explosion of social media and "news" channels. Unfortunately, the idiots get more of the press ... although it has always been the case that the sensational is highlighted over the ordinary.
Be wary of strong drink. It can make you shoot at tax collectors - and miss.
Lazarus Long, "Time Enough For Love" by Robert A. Heinlein
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W∴ Balboos, GHB wrote: "Were people always this stupid or has the gene pool utterly failed?"
People seem to be getting much dumber but I don't think I'm on the same side as you on this one. But since you didn't really make a stance, it's hard to tell.
W∴ Balboos, GHB wrote: far too many people are ready to listen and learn as long it's what they want to hear and believe.
Nobody changes until they change. It's true for everyone.
Social Media - A platform that makes it easier for the crazies to find each other.
Everyone is born right handed. Only the strongest overcome it.
Fight for left-handed rights and hand equality.
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W∴ Balboos, GHB wrote: I'll offer a rhetorical question: "Were people always this stupid or has the gene pool utterly failed?"
I'll answer that like it isn't;
Yes, we were always this stupid. Evolution does not work towards intelligence, nor does it particularly reward that. You can't eat intelligence during a famine. It doesn't make you immune. And it doesn't guarantee a next generation of your genes.
Bastard Programmer from Hell 
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
"If you just follow the bacon Eddy, wherever it leads you, then you won't have to think about politics." -- Some Bell.
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Two things. Firstly, although we all assume it's innate, I'm not sure people are born with common sense. Most acquire decent quantities fairly quickly, but it goes on being accumulated, silently and effortlessly, throughout life. Thus as we get older, we look at others and think "where is their common sense" because they've not yet learnt things that to us are just common sense.
But secondly, common sense is these days being "taught out" of people. For example, in my youth, it was "common sense" not to cross the road without looking carefully. If you didn't, you'd likely get hit by a car and you would die - or at least be maimed for life. But then we made cars "better" so that these days when you're hit by a car, you don't get spiked on a mascot, the bonnet is a crumple zone, the tires so wide that they can drive over you without breaking bones. You get pain relief within minutes (in the "old days" if you survived, you were thrown unceremoniously in the back of an ambulance by a "driver" (not a medic) and taken to hospital a.s.a.p - which in itself was often enough to kill you off). Then modern surgery "fixes" you, you get time off work, and you sue the driver, or the Council, or anybody else who might have been around (or absent) at the time, and benefit from your good fortune. That sort of experience can undo "common sense" pretty effectively. We have so much "Health and Safety" and so many social, financial and other "safety nets" around us that common sense is either un-learned or not learnt in the first place. Without (visible) consequences to our actions, we remain in a state of ignorant bliss.
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LMMO: Laugh my mask off.
Get me coffee and no one gets hurt!
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What the he** have you got to laugh about these days? 
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
Anonymous
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The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
Winston Churchill, 1944
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Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.
Mark Twain
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