You can't reason with a child who believes in Santa Claus.

Off Topic » in reply to Pamela Gay summed up this debate issue quite well

You can't reason with a child who believes in Santa Claus.

ER — 7/31/2007 11:16:51 PM (archived)

You certainly can't reason with an adult who feels that way, either.

These people are just wrong. Period. Any attempt to reason with them turns into a debate which legitimizes their position as "the other side of the story." There is NO other side of the story. And if you do succeed in demolishing them with facts and demonstrations and evidence (like Randi has done repeatedly) they simply go somewhere else and repeat the same nonsense to anyone who missed it. They don't just believe, they have a desperate need to believe.

What drives anomalism, as well as the paranormal, UFOs, superstition, mysticism, New Age crap, spiritualism and religion is the fear of death and the realization that the Universe might not be here entirely for our benefit. These people are terrified of an indifferent universe, and their hubris prevents them from perceiving their own insignificance.

Sorry to be so blunt about it, but any other response from me would be hypocritical.

The whole thread (87 posts)

Music from Space and Unified Field Theory - Roger Anderton - 7/26/2007 9:34:36 PM
- Music Vii - Roger - 12/15/2008 11:08:46 AM
  - re: Thanks (n/t) - Johannes - 12/15/2008 10:19:29 PM
- Music from Space VI - Roger Anderton - 11/29/2008 12:35:17 AM
- Music V - Roger - 8/14/2008 9:28:45 PM
  - Its WONDERFUL to know that the HZ is getting known as a reference for such things.... - ARRELL - 8/15/2008 5:47:41 AM
- Music from Space IV - Roger Anderton - 12/7/2007 10:12:04 PM
  - Thank you - Lindy - 12/8/2007 5:09:33 AM
- Music from Space Part III - Roger Anderton - 11/18/2007 9:57:43 PM
  - re: I tend to believe you - Johannes - 11/21/2007 5:30:47 AM
    - "Anything you can imagine, we already know how to do." - Ben Rich - 11/21/2007 5:07:34 PM
      - re: "Anything you can imagine, we already know how to do." - Roger Anderton - 11/25/2007 8:05:51 PM
        
        You presume right - Lindy - 11/25/2007 10:40:56 PM
  - We were discussing Johannes' crackpot theory. - alcaray - 11/19/2007 10:38:57 PM
    - re: We were discussing Johannes' crackpot theory. - Roger Anderton - 11/20/2007 6:05:45 PM
    - re: We were discussing Johannes' crackpot theory. - Roger Anderton - 11/20/2007 6:05:39 PM
      - re: We were discussing Johannes' crackpot theory. - Roger Anderton - 11/20/2007 8:34:34 PM
- Music from Space Part II - Roger Anderton - 7/31/2007 8:43:08 PM
  - re: Music from Space Part II - Kristen - 8/20/2007 4:00:52 PM
  - re: Music from Space Part II - James Brown - 7/31/2007 8:49:53 PM
    - Regarding sound waves in space - New Age Vapors - 7/31/2007 8:57:34 PM
      - What's next? A discussion of the tetractys? (n/t) - podrock - 8/1/2007 2:46:07 AM
- Music from Space Part II - Roger Anderton - 7/31/2007 8:43:03 PM
- re: Music from Space and Unified Field Theory - James Brown - 7/28/2007 3:54:20 AM
- re: Music from Space and Unified Field Theory - Lindy - 7/26/2007 10:30:45 PM
  - James....... - Lindy - 7/27/2007 5:49:09 PM
    - Ever notice how really shaky ideas... - The Acrimonious Academic - 7/27/2007 6:30:23 PM
      - re: Ever notice .... - Lindy - 7/27/2007 6:49:52 PM
        
        Debate is not really how good science is determined. - alcaray - 7/27/2007 7:45:17 PM
        
        re: Verifiable predictions - Johannes - 7/28/2007 12:49:29 AM
        
        Science does not usually require bravery; only intellegence. - alcaray - 7/28/2007 3:50:23 AM
        
        re: In that case, Iâ€™ll rephrase the question. - Johannes - 7/28/2007 10:00:32 PM
        
        I'm sorry, there are too many theories on the playing field. - alcaray - 7/28/2007 10:52:06 PM
        
        re: Let us back track a little bit - Johannes - 7/29/2007 12:45:33 AM
        
        What does Mr. Anderton's gobbledygook have to do with monopoles and gravity? - alcaray - 7/29/2007 1:04:04 AM
        
        re: Mr Anderton was talking, among other things, about - Johannes - 7/30/2007 1:51:51 AM
        
        OK. - alcaray - 7/30/2007 4:44:30 AM
        
        re: OK. - Johannes - 7/30/2007 10:40:48 PM
        
        Remember when I asked what theory you made the prediction for? - alcaray - 7/31/2007 12:14:56 AM
        
        re:There is no flipping or flopping. - Johannes - 8/1/2007 3:43:29 AM
        
        I won't quibble. - alcaray - 8/1/2007 7:59:11 AM
        
        re: Please read the information - Johannes - 8/1/2007 2:08:01 PM
        
        ok I scanned it - alcaray - 8/1/2007 6:42:11 PM
        
        re: ok I scanned it - Java Yeti - 8/2/2007 5:29:19 PM
        
        Yeesh, last time I try to format java pseudocode on the HZ (n/t) - Yeti - 8/2/2007 5:30:13 PM
        
        Wait... - The Acrimonious Academic - 7/30/2007 2:44:09 AM
        
        re: Some people doubt your words - Johannes - 7/30/2007 10:27:16 PM
        
        Where's Marshall McLullen when you need him? - The Acrimonious Academic - 7/31/2007 3:23:00 PM
        
        re: Do not be afraid, I am not trying to convert you - Johannes - 8/1/2007 4:33:09 AM
        
        Why thank you for calling me an irresponsible child - New Age Vapors - 8/1/2007 4:40:28 AM
        
        re: Do not feel too bad. - Johannes - 8/1/2007 2:46:09 PM
        
        I can't - New Age Vapors - 8/1/2007 3:19:25 PM
        
        re: Where's Marshall McLullen when you need him? - Yeti - 8/1/2007 2:39:37 AM
        
        re: What is it with you two brothers. - Johannes - 8/1/2007 3:28:48 PM
        
        Not worth my time, Johannes. (n/t) - Yeti - 8/2/2007 3:47:56 PM
        
        Is "scientifically" a dirty word now, that needs to be put in quotation marks? (n/t) - alcaray - 8/1/2007 8:44:07 PM
        
        re: NO, but words such as - Johannes - 8/1/2007 10:38:13 PM
        
        Then why did you quote that term? (n/t) - alcaray - 8/2/2007 2:32:26 AM
        
        re: I used it for emphasis. - Johannes - 8/7/2007 2:15:43 AM
        
        You need to look up what quotation marks are for. They are not to lend emphasis. (n/t) - alcaray - 8/7/2007 11:57:17 PM
        
        Because he thinks it makes him sound intelligent - 'Evil' Yeti - 8/2/2007 5:11:08 PM
        
        re: Why do you insist on flaming people on Off Topic? - Johannes - 8/7/2007 1:57:24 AM
        
        "Vomiting noise?" - Vaporless - 8/1/2007 5:35:55 AM
        
        Ah, yes, its Lindy. I Thought so. (n/t) - Yeti - 8/2/2007 4:50:26 PM
        
        Uncool, Lindy. (n/t) - podrock - 8/2/2007 5:19:47 PM
        
        Post crap like this under the handle you commonly use here - Yeti - 8/2/2007 3:18:17 PM
        
        re: Post crap like this under the handle you commonly use here - Lindy - 8/2/2007 9:37:17 PM
        
        re: Post crap like this under the handle you commonly use here - Yeti - 8/2/2007 9:42:32 PM
        
        "No, I didn't." - Lindy - 8/2/2007 10:08:22 PM
        
        Now that I think about it, I can make a prediction for you. - alcaray - 7/28/2007 6:06:11 AM
        
        re: Debate is not really how good science is determined. - Thanks, generous, Al. - Marcia - 7/27/2007 10:28:36 PM
        
        ET is a culture thing - Raoul - 7/28/2007 3:36:18 PM
        
        Mr Anderton can start talking - The Acrimonious Academic - 7/27/2007 7:04:40 PM
        
        Pamela Gay summed up this debate issue quite well - New Age Vapors - 7/31/2007 8:28:45 PM
        
        You can't reason with a child who believes in Santa Claus. - ER - 7/31/2007 11:16:51 PM
        
        Behold: - Jody B. - 8/1/2007 11:35:31 AM
        
        Jody, Jody, Jody... - ER - 8/1/2007 12:56:25 PM
        
        Elisee Reclus and Sheep/Acrimonious/Vapors - Jody - 8/2/2007 1:06:21 PM
        
        The Scotch Verdict - ER - 8/2/2007 3:49:18 PM
        
        Thank You, ER. (n/t) - Jody - 8/2/2007 6:31:23 PM
        
        make that a double - podrock - 8/2/2007 6:10:55 PM
        
        ER...ER...ER - Jody - 8/1/2007 1:23:17 PM
        
        ER...ER..oops - ER - 8/1/2007 1:38:31 PM
        
        Time for your meds, Jody? - New Age Vapors - 8/1/2007 1:27:14 PM
        
        :) (n/t) - Jody - 8/1/2007 2:11:56 PM
        
        Nope...I just have the vapors (n/t) - Jody - 8/1/2007 1:57:50 PM
        
        Thank you, ER - New Age Vapors - 8/1/2007 4:36:05 AM

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The whole thread (87 posts)