The Modularity of Information

[Spock]

Again posting Bored unseen, but trains of thought go where trains of thought go.

I have had a nagging thought in the back of my mind for a while, but I have never tried to put it into words so bear with me.

As much as we might wish it and think otherwise we are not the Oxford Debating Society. We are really bad at not giving people credit for life experiences and for being adults. If an article is posted, we assume that that is the only possible information on the topic and we are not allowed to read between the lines or given credit for things we know that are not in the story.

I think Bob#'s was going down this road in the "California-Dystopia" thread. I had posted a couple of VDH columns and Bob seemed to imply that the only possible info that I have on the Central Valley was from VDH.

I am not an expert on the Central Valley, but I am going to use it as an example.

I am a well-read, curious adult. Over the course of my life, I have read dozens, maybe hundreds, of articles and stories on the Central Valley. Given it's importance as an agricultural region, it is a rare month when there is not a story about the Central Valley in agricultural publications.

The largest farm show in the the world is in Tulare (I think). I have friends that go to it and we talk about Central Valley agriculture and issues.

One of my favorite radio programs regularly interviews farmers from the Central Valley on pertinent issues including immigration.

But, (per Bob) the only things I can possibly know about the Central Valley are from a couple of VDH articles.

[Beebs52]

We need the rec button back.

[ghostjmf]

No, we need statistics gathered by reputable scientists, not a collection of opinions by someone's like-minded friends. With a political axe to grind.

So far, all we've gotten from Spock & his like-minded friends with axes to grind are often-unverifiable anecdotes.

[silverscreenselect]

One of my favorite radio programs regularly interviews farmers from the Central Valley on pertinent issues including immigration.

When I'm reading about this, I'm reminded about how I was listening to a caller on talk radio shortly before the 1996 election. The same story is true, with minor variations, in every election for both sides. Someone called in and said something like "I'm for Bob Dole. Everyone I talk to is for Bob Dole. I don't see how the experts could say Clinton is going to win easily."

Both left and right are guilty of this. We associate with like minded people (which is very easy to do on the Internet) and we look for articles that confirm what we already believe. I'd be willing to bet that NPR regularly conducts interviews on pertinent issues as well, but I somehow doubt that Spock listens to them. Anecdotes, especially carefully curated anecdotes, aren't a substitute for research and statistical studies.

The article I cited about sexual assault in rural white areas is an example. Spock apparently chooses to seek out sources that support what I'm guessing is an agenda that poor black, brown, and red people in rural areas are prone to sexual assault. It took a grand total of one search on Google and less than a minute for me to find documentation that the problem is far more widespread in rural areas than funny uncles on what he chooses to refer to as "the Res."

Spock may do a lot of reading, but his curiosity seems to run in one direction and along one line fairly consistently.

[jarnon]

Both left and right are guilty of this. We associate with like minded people (which is very easy to do on the Internet) and we look for articles that confirm what we already believe.

That's something I like about the Bored. I get exposed to viewpoints that I may never see on other social media.

[tlynn78]

We need the rec button back.

We need a bullsh*t button, too.

[Beebs52]

We need the rec button back.

We need a bullsh*t button, too.

rec

[BackInTex]

We need the rec button back.

We need a bullsh*t button, too.

rec

It is unfair that Bob#'s, BJ, and SSS have a BS button. It's disguised as the submit button on their computers.

[tlynn78]

We need a bullsh*t button, too.

rec

It is unfair that Bob#'s, BJ, and SSS have a BS button. It's disguised as the submit button on their computers.

lol