What to do about crazy misinformation?

**Thevail** · 09-01-2009, 11:31 PM

Does anyone else ever run into people who just believe all kinds of crazy things about being "green"?

I volunteered with a local go green project through our local power company Puget Sound Energy. A bunch of us volunteers walked around our neighborhood giving out a free CFL bulb and information on where to recycle burnt out CFLs in the local area.

Most people were really nice and said thanks etc, but I met a couple of really kinda rabid crazies.

You can't use CFL bulbs indoors because they'll explode and release "all that poisonous gas" into the air and it'll kill you.

Furthermore.. you can't use re-usable grocery bags because they all get infected with E-coli and then your kids get killed by the groceries.
( I suggested she launder them regularly.. she didn't even hesitate.)

"But that eco-friendly laundry soap doesn't get things clean..."

What on earth do you say to people who spout this kind of utter nonsense?

**Palooka** · 09-01-2009, 11:52 PM

Originally Posted by Thevail

Furthermore.. you can't use re-usable grocery bags because they all get infected with E-coli and then your kids get killed by the groceries.
( I suggested she launder them regularly.. she didn't even hesitate.)

My dh said to me the other day that he heard on the news or somewhere about getting E-coli from those bags. I love my reusable grocery bags and would just think it's common knowledge to wash them from time to time.

**akolb** · 09-02-2009, 01:44 AM

there are just some people who believe "ignorance is bliss" and are totally un-concerned with educating themselves otherwise.
these people plus 24hour news networks are who i blame for most of the issues in this country.

**frugalfranny** · 09-02-2009, 02:06 AM

Originally Posted by Thevail

Furthermore.. you can't use re-usable grocery bags because they all get infected with E-coli and then your kids get killed by the groceries.
( I suggested she launder them regularly.. she didn't even hesitate.)

"But that eco-friendly laundry soap doesn't get things clean..."

What on earth do you say to people who spout this kind of utter nonsense?

How about "quit believing everything you hear on TV".......the grocery bag thing was just on TV a week or so ago. They had tested some bags and found e-coli. Course when it is a slow news day they test something and find e-coli on it......grocery cart handles, phones, office desks, etc.

**nuisance26** · 09-02-2009, 07:51 AM

~Not everyone has the same sources for educating themselves as you have. They made a decision about those products based on their information.
But regardless of information resources, why are you labeling them as 'rabid crazies' for having a different opinion?~

**Greebo** · 09-02-2009, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by Thevail

What on earth do you say to people who spout this kind of utter nonsense?

You walk away.

Their irrationality is not your responsibility.

**Greebo** · 09-02-2009, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by nuisance26

~Not everyone has the same sources for educating themselves as you have. They made a decision about those products based on their information.
But regardless of information resources, why are you labeling them as 'rabid crazies' for having a different opinion?~

What, so the people who think the earth is flat have a valid point of view?

Opinions that contradict reality aren't opinions, they're delusions.

**Dancing Lotus** · 09-02-2009, 08:38 AM

In my opinion people who use the excuse of not using cloth bags because of ecol i are people who just want a justification for being to lazy to use them.

People who Have crazy rational can't be reasoned with, just walk away.

**nuisance26** · 09-02-2009, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by Greebo

What, so the people who think the earth is flat have a valid point of view?

Opinions that contradict reality aren't opinions, they're delusions.

~My point was that their opinions are based on information that was in their 'reality'. They can't be 'crazy' for using the information available to them to form their opinion. Attack the information source, not the person.~

**Greebo** · 09-02-2009, 09:07 AM

I'm sorry, but "making stuff up and believing it" is not a valid source of information. Thevail tried to give her input:

( I suggested she launder them regularly.. she didn't even hesitate.)

and she wasn't even willing to contemplate something that challenged her "reality", by the sounds of it.

Like I said - you walk away at that point.

**nuisance26** · 09-02-2009, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by Greebo

I'm sorry, but "making stuff up and believing it" is not a valid source of information. Thevail tried to give her input:

and she wasn't even willing to contemplate something that challenged her "reality", by the sounds of it.

Like I said - you walk away at that point.

~Are you willing to contemplate something that challenges your reality?~

**Greebo** · 09-02-2009, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by nuisance26

~Are you willing to contemplate something that challenges your reality?~

Always.

There is not a my reality and your reality - when people talk like that, I put "reality" in quotes, because they're not talking about reality as it is, they're talking about reality as they want it to be.

If my understanding of reality is challenged, I evaluate the challenge, I measure it for truth or likely hood of truth, I judge the logic of the new information, and if that new information wins, I accept it and my understanding of reality is improved.

There is only one reality. There is that which exists, and that which exists has a consistent and undeniable nature. If I deny reality as it is, then I deny reason, and that would be irrational.

By the way, is your tilde key broken?

**nuisance26** · 09-02-2009, 09:49 AM

~Tilde key? Don't know what that means....
I know why you put reality in quotes. I know your philosophies on life by now, no need to explain again.
I think what you're missing is that I also put reality in quotes in my first post(though I did forget in the second post). No need to preach to the choir.
The reality I spoke of in quotes is a person's particular knowledge and experiences. This is a broad issue that I won't go into here.
My point was and still is, attack the information source, not the person.
Suggesting a solution to a person's concerns is also not a valid source of information even if it's based on a valid source of information.~
**************************************
(I have to start school so I won't be on this thread again until tomorrow. So you may not want to bother getting any more in depth here expecting a response from me...)

**Greebo** · 09-02-2009, 10:13 AM

This --> ~ <-- is a tilde.

Regarding preaching to the choir - if you're going to ask me in bold if I'm willing to contemplate ideas that challenge my understanding of reality, it's natural for me to take that as an implication on your part that I would not. Thus, I explain WHY I would, yes, always contemplate challenging ideas.

My point was and still is, attack the information source, not the person.

If the person isn't willing to contemplate concepts that challenge their understanding of reality, there's no point in the former OR the latter, thus why I say "walk away".

Suggesting a solution to a person's concerns is also not a valid source of information even if it's based on a valid source of information.

I do not agree. Suggesting a solution to a concern, if that solution is based on a valid source of information, is perfectly valid.

**Linus** · 09-02-2009, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by akolb

there are just some people who believe "ignorance is bliss" and are totally un-concerned with educating themselves otherwise.
these people plus 24hour news networks are who i blame for most of the issues in this country.

Well, there's the 24-hour news networks but also the belief by individuals to not investigate things on their own to find out if it's true or not. Places like Snopes.com, etc. can be powerful. That said, when we think about it misinformation has been long-time going on. Think about the old folklores of past (aka wives tales) that people believed and still do, I'm sure, to this day.

Personally, I think it's more the idea that we just accept things at face value (I call this the Microsoft effect -- "I don't want to know how it works; it just better work, dammit!") and don't question anything about it.

Oh.. and Thevail: I actually didn't know about that (e coli and bags). Is it specific for the cloth bags or does that include the recycled plastic reusable bags (made from pop bottles and the like)? Granted we only get vegetables, fruits and grains (although we have recently succumb back to vegetarianism rather than veganism) and I tend to associate e. coli with meats and such..