Jordan Peterson: "Capable of assessing data", or gullibly misled?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JEN6XgG1d0

 

Kelly Weill on Flat-Earthers and Why People Will Believe Anything (Jim Underdown; Point of Inquiry podcast)

In this week’s episode, we are diving into the flat-earth conspiracy theory and why people could believe such a thing with guest Kelly Weill and her new book, Off the Edge.

In 2019 Jim Underdown and the CFI Investigations Group produced a video where they designed a series of experiments to show that the earth is indeed not flat. CFIIG’s conducted their experiment in front of over a dozen flat-earthers. Even in the face of conflicting evidence to their own beliefs, the flat-earthers held firm in their claims.

Underdown and Weill speak about her new book, the history of the flat-earth conspiracy dating back to the 1830s, and the desire to belong to a community, which Weill saw as a reason some flat-earthers join the movement. Also, the role media and emerging technologies play in helping conspiracists spread their messages.

You can also read Weill’s piece in the Atlantic on the book and flat-earthers.

Kelly Weill is a journalist at the Daily Beast, where she covers extremism, disinformation, and the internet. As a leading media voice on the role of online conspiracy theories in current affairs, she has discussed Flat Earth and other digital fringes on ABC’s Nightline, CNN, Al Jazeera, and other national and international news outlets. You can find Kelly on Twitter @kellyweill
Interview: 

https://pointofinquiry.org/2022/02/kelly-weill-on-flat-earthers-and-why-people-will-believe-anything/

New study indicates populist attitudes are associated with gullibility

"Accordingly, populist attitudes are empirically related with the belief that simple solutions exist for complex societal problems," wrote the researchers. "Paradoxically, this clear-cut worldview that characterizes populist attitudes is likely associated with an increased confidence in the veracity of their cognitions and beliefs—and with it, increased gullibility."

https://www.psypost.org/2022/03/new-study-indicates-populist-attitudes-are-associated-with-gullibility-62715

One-Third of Republicans Would Contribute Their Own Money to Fund Border Wall: Conservative Pollster - Newsweek

34 percent of Republicans said they would use their own money to privately fund a border wall, and 10 percent of Democrats said they would contribute. ....
https://www.newsweek.com/one-third-gop-voters-would-pay-border-wall-1264102

'Pathetic' NRA, Republicans Are 'Easily Manipulated' and 'Complicit' In Russian Espionage, Expert Says - Newsweek

"There are voluntary participants in this. They are people who will be indicted themselves for failing to register as foreign agents," Dr. Sarah Kendzior said. ....
https://www.newsweek.com/pathetic-nra-republicans-easily-manipulated-complicit-russian-espionage-1260563

Did Christianity Cause the Crash? - The Atlantic

America’s mainstream religious denominations used to teach the faithful that they would be rewarded in the afterlife. But over the past generation, a different strain of Christian faith has proliferated—one that promises to make believers rich in the here and now. Known as the prosperity gospel, and claiming tens of millions of adherents, it fosters risk-taking and intense material optimism. It pumped air into the housing bubble. And one year into the worst downturn since the Depression, it’s still going strong....
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2009/12/did-christianity-cause-the-crash/307764/

Here are 6 ways religion does more bad than good - Raw Story

Most British people think religion causes more harm than good according to a survey commissioned by the Huffington Post. Surprisingly, even among those who describe themselves as "very religious" 20 percent say that religion is harmful to society. .....
https://www.rawstory.com/2018/10/6-ways-religion-bad-good/

Vic Berger Presents Jim Bakker's Buckets

Jim Bakker wants you to be prepared for when the world starts to fall apart....
https://youtu.be/rOH37W0jPpA

The Song of the Huckster (People Are Sheep)

I wrote this song for a musical I was once writing with my sons. It was going to be sung by a character modeled on PT Barnum, a fraud or huckster bragging about how he gains money and fame by exploiting people's gullibility.....
https://youtu.be/WEOXZzwlNK0

Religious people understand the world less, study suggests | The Independent

Scientists say believers in God more likely to think flowers and rocks can think and feel, and agree with statements like "stones sense the cold"...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/religious-people-understand-world-less-study-shows-a7378896.html

Most Trump Voters Say They Wouldn't Believe News Reports That Said He Was Lying

Americans who backed Donald Trump largely take his word over reporters’. Trump’s favorability rating has risen, but remains in the red. And Trump’s top pollster credits five select counties for the election outcome. This is HuffPollster for Tuesday, December 6, 2016...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-voters-news-media_us_5846b35ce4b028b323392b89?