Isaac Asimov famously said, “There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.’”.
The idea that any idea is worth listening to because someone believes in it.
Show me the proof.
I think any idea is worth listening to, it’s the assertion that we must inherently accept their viewpoint as valid that is outright absurd.
I felt this way until recently, when I’m becoming much more aware of how limited our collective attention is. Every honest belief probably deserves to have one (maybe 3) reasonable people listen to it. But they definitely aren’t all worth national/state/city/expert attention.
On the playground sure, but at some level it’s show the receipts first or get fucked up to discourage gish gallop. If we don’t preemptively shut it down, we’re in extreme danger.
I see four downvotes.
Would love to know the position those people have. Are they threatened by their own ignorance being called out? Or are they just conservative?
I’d like to think that they are just mad that they have to see this quote so often these days.
I find this so confusing… it’s like the old saying, “if you don’t want to be called a fascist, don’t be a fascist!”
Conservatives have the strangest contradictions. They want to be all these socially and morally odious things, then get upset when we call them out on those very things.
Religion
Came here to say fascism, but you win. Religion is worse…
Especially since people use religion to bolster fascism. Fascists love to pander to a nation’s largest religion to lock in their support.
I think of all superstitions as being a microcosmic form of fascism in a way, in that the mouthpiece of the supernatural is the one dictating the rules of right and wrong and what can transcend reality.
some say fascism is a form of religion
I got downvoted to hell last time I expressed my views about religion, but it has served me well for 29 years now (having been born in the shadow of the Vatican), so I am willing to share again:
I work, collaborate, spend time and even sometimes have sex with religious people, all while maintaining the idea that each one of them is akin to a dormant terrorist cell, and that given the right conditions their fundamental distancing from reason and in some cases recognition of undeserved authority can turn against me and everyone else.
I live a subtly tense life, but usually I am already in a safe place when shit hits the fan.
I also have a very wide definition of religion and of priest.
I’d say monotheism is the real problem.
not necessarily
Name an ideological concept that has led to more killing and death then religion…
Natalism?
dogmatism
…
dogma
/dôg′mə, dŏg′-/
noun
A doctrine or a corpus of doctrines relating to matters such as morality and faith, set forth in an authoritative manner by a religion
dogmatism
noun
dog·ma·tism ˈdȯg-mə-ˌti-zəm
: the expression of an opinion or belief as if it were a fact : positiveness in assertion of opinion especially when unwarranted or arrogant
Any religion. It makes people think of themselves as superior to other groups. It doesn’t even matter which religion. They’re all bad.
Its not necessarily an ideology but all the worst ideologies have at root a lack of empathy and active methods to extinguish any trace of it. So lack of empathy or the violent suppression of it root and stem
I’ve been warning that the average American lacks empathy for YEARS. Conservatives seemingly lack the ability to feel empathy at all, which is why Musk “warns” that empathy is dangerous.
Look where we are now 🙃
Great, now we have metaideologies.
I go deep
Well, Islam is definitely up there - and you only need to look at the Middle East for evidence. What makes it particularly dangerous, in my view, is the doctrine itself - especially the parts concerning treatment of women, martyrdom and hatred of infidels.
As someone who escaped Islam - 100%. Unlike other religions that take original texts as interpretations Islam takes the original texts as literal words of God and is essentially stuck. It’s a dead religion that exists only through force.
Yeah, my understanding is that the interpretation of the Qur’an and Hadiths doesn’t allow for the same kind of flexibility or reform that the Bible does, for example. Of course, that doesn’t mean someone can’t practice a non-fundamentalist version of Islam - and many do - but it’s much harder to justify when you’re going against what’s considered the literal word of God.
Fascism. It makes people loose their humanity. Fascists endure anything as long as people outside their group are suffering.
American Exceptionalism.
gestures broadly
“Us vs them” mentality.
Nazism seem to be the worst since it’s an awful mix of nationalism, imperialism, totalitarianism, state racism, eugenics.
A nazi state basically invades its neighbors and genocide their inhabitants based on race, community or health condition.
So far, only the Third Reich applied it, leading to World War II and the Holocaust, but Japan applied some similar behavior in Asia during WWII.
Bonus point: it doesn’t even oppose capitalism, so rich people can still greed.
Nazism wasn’t particularly pro- or anti-capitalist as an ideology. Free markets, international finance, and trade weren’t embraced, and private property and businesses were only allowed as long as they aligned with the goals of the state. The government largely dictated production and would nationalize, heavily fine, or even destroy companies that didn’t serve its interests.
Good old fashioned tribalism.
Every other answer on this thread boils down to tribalism.
Islam. A combination of misogyny, oppressive laws, puritanical beliefs, child mutilation, condemnation of curiosity, and a particular focus on growth of numbers by both birth and conversion. Other religions are close behind though.
Edit: Didn’t realise the OP was called Allah, lol
yeah that’s my middle name, i don’t think i can change your mind but i will say this that majority of followers of islam have bad beliefs
If most Muslims have bad beliefs, what’s the common denominator/cause?
any proof that most muslims have bad belief?
You literally said
i will say this that majority of followers of islam have bad beliefs
Look out for number one. Selfishness is at the root of most dangers to humanity.
This mentality and reinforced culture is a big reason inhuman corporate ideals and customs have festered throughout our society like a fungal infection.
It’s so difficult to organize because plenty of fellow workers will simply be passive and complacent with whatever increasingly bad lot they’re given, or worse, will be straight up class traitors looking to be rewarded by ruthless masters.
Ignorance.
It’s practiced by many, in alignment with arrogance. Many different flags, cloths, creeds and livelihoods depend on it.
I’d say it isn’t an ideology, but way too many people take pride on being ignorant. so it ends up being one
Neither is this about an ideology per se nor is this quote my own - but I’ve read this somewhere -
“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”
- Robert Swan (British explorer and environmental activist)
Any and every form of dehumanization.
Any and every form of bigotry.
Any and every form of supremacy.
Any and every form of authoritarianism.
Every single person from the homeless guy at the on-ramp to TACO himself is an ordinary human. Some humans are born into extraordinary circumstances, some humans accomplish extraordinary feats, but we are all human. Humans are not born hating other humans. Hate is taught and encouraged and ingrained so that it may be passed on.
Universal Basic Income is a bandaid on a system couched in one of the ugliest human motivations; greed. I chose my name for that reason; Universal Basic Justice. Justice must be the base motivation; not ‘eye for an eye’ or ‘frontier justice,’ but the belief in treating others as you want to be treated; the belief in the powers of forgiveness, responsibility and growth; and the power of compassionate care dedicated to help those that are willing to learn and grow.
If and only if all those fail should a human be separated from society in a humane way that prevents their flaws from harming others.
Death Row is not justice. Guillotines are not justice. Systemic violence is not justice. No government nor individual should be empowered to decide who is worthy of justice, of forgiveness, of growth. Of life.
Every human is fallible. Every human deserves the opportunity to recognize their mistakes as well as the opportunity to learn, grow, and make reparations for those mistakes.
I don’t see these changes happening in my lifetime. At this point, I’m not sure we humans have enough lifetimes left to achieve these goals.
What I am sure of is the danger and violence incumbent within any ideology willing to look down at another human being.
