(no subject)

[timelets]

Here's an interesting aspect of a discussion about the Trump trial. It feels like even time-consuming good faith attempts to reach out to Trump supporters are doomed to failure.

https://yakov-a-jerkov.livejournal.com/2202228.html?thread=89234292#t89234292


I think it's neither bad faith nor conceit on chasovschik's part, though. Rather, it's good old mediocrity of mind amplified by bias. He's just too ignorant and dense to read the original documents, to understand rsokolov's points and their implications. Also, as we can see from the comments in chasovschik's journal, Trump supporters around him are even dumber, which gives him a reputation of being smart. He's so touchy about the reputation too :)

Fascinating, but sad.

Comments

[tijd]

"Это даже круче, чем у Гришэма в Runaway Jury."

It’s easier to believe in the craziest conspiracy theory than in your own gullibility.

[timelets]

Unfortunately, he's completely rational in his behavior. We are asking him to spend a significant mental effort that might lead to a realization of his personal incompetence, while he can achieve comforting self-affirmation with an essentially zero effort (which he does).

[tijd]

Repeating talking points is effortless. But to think of "Runaway Jury" takes some effort.

Cults are most effective when they require their members to invest personal efforts.

[timelets]

Reading fiction or watching movies, like Runaway Jury, is entertainment and doesn't require much effort, unless the person is mentally impaired. By contrast, reading and understanding legal documents is hard and requires not only cognitive effort, but also background training and practice.

[tijd]

Cognitive effort should not be wasted on such trivialities.

Perceptive writing from the great Jeff Sharlet:

By naming the enemy simply “Intel,” likeyou already know who or what it is, as if you share the strongman’s hatred, Trump and Fox sweep their viewers into conspiracism as if it’s simple as “they sky is blue.”
“Intel,” Trump expounds, is "evil... They were doing things I won’t mention here because it’s so conspiratorial.”
Cue Q. Fox viewers are free to imagine the meaning of “evil.” This false freedom is key to the con. It makes the believer feel not passive but active, a collaborator in an expose that hasn’t actually been exposed. What’s the evilest evil? Child. Trafficking. Trump knows this is where the believer’s mind is going. He’s led it there.
https://jeffsharlet.substack.com/p/saturday-night-and-sunday-morning