People who were shouting that the Sun is shining were actually fools, as certified by scientific research. Still, the message remains valid. Also, the fact that they happen to believe in something that is true doesn’t make them right if they believe it for reasons other than that it’s true.
Your bizarre analogies and obscure cultural references are having the effect of making me lose interest. What has this to do with what I have said?
You are arguing that lots of previously inaccurate DOOM prophecies don’t mean we don’t face DOOM? I don’t think I claimed that it did mean that—merely that is was pertinent evidence on the topic.
That DOOM prophesies are a well-known sociological phenomenon which has a lot to do with signalling, status, self-esteem, etc—and not much to do with the end of the world - illuminates the behaviour of today’s prophets of DOOM, in my view. These days, DOOM is big business. The Lifeboat Foundation has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in the name of this kind of thing. We should understand how DOOM is marketed. Belief in DOOM is not necessarily invigorating and stimulating—it can have some substantial down-sides—for example, helplessness and a failure to engage in long-term planning.
People who were shouting that the Sun is shining were actually fools, as certified by scientific research. Still, the message remains valid. Also, the fact that they happen to believe in something that is true doesn’t make them right if they believe it for reasons other than that it’s true.
Your bizarre analogies and obscure cultural references are having the effect of making me lose interest. What has this to do with what I have said?
You are arguing that lots of previously inaccurate DOOM prophecies don’t mean we don’t face DOOM? I don’t think I claimed that it did mean that—merely that is was pertinent evidence on the topic.
That DOOM prophesies are a well-known sociological phenomenon which has a lot to do with signalling, status, self-esteem, etc—and not much to do with the end of the world - illuminates the behaviour of today’s prophets of DOOM, in my view. These days, DOOM is big business. The Lifeboat Foundation has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in the name of this kind of thing. We should understand how DOOM is marketed. Belief in DOOM is not necessarily invigorating and stimulating—it can have some substantial down-sides—for example, helplessness and a failure to engage in long-term planning.
I expand on this theme in the following video:
“Tim Tyler: Doom!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kH31AcOmSjs