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TransitJohn

(6,933 posts)
17. The word doesn't insult people
Sat Apr 19, 2014, 12:35 PM
Apr 2014

That's quite a leap for people to make to take affront. It's a convenient label for magical thinking. Calling superstitious beliefs in bullshit woo only feels insulting to those who hold those superstitious beliefs and integrate them into their sense of being, into their personality. It's not the fault of the rationalist that they hold those crazy, whack-job beliefs.

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And the word already has a different definition... PoliticAverse Apr 2014 #1
As in.... AlbertCat Nov 2014 #20
None of those terms skepticscott Apr 2014 #2
Well BS has verve and panache with just two letters. So what? yellowcanine Apr 2014 #4
Speak for yourself skepticscott Apr 2014 #6
I see no reason to stop using the word. HuckleB Apr 2014 #3
Be my guest. Just understand you are not conveying as much information as you could yellowcanine Apr 2014 #5
So what? HuckleB Apr 2014 #10
The vocabulary of the average plebeian LostOne4Ever Apr 2014 #7
Eschew woo... AlbertCat Nov 2014 #21
What is the word for every kind of antiscientific thinking? mathematic Apr 2014 #8
"animal" is a good example, actually - to some it is only mammals yellowcanine Apr 2014 #9
And yet "animal" has not been jettisoned into the scrap heap of word history mathematic Apr 2014 #11
No and it is not some trendy made up term either which could have something to do with it. yellowcanine Apr 2014 #14
to some it is only mammals AlbertCat Nov 2014 #22
I hate this term. No discussion about what is or isn't science should be about insulting people. Chemisse Apr 2014 #12
The word doesn't insult people TransitJohn Apr 2014 #17
I agree to quite an extent, but with one important exception LeftishBrit Apr 2014 #13
Like I said elsewhere... Archae Apr 2014 #15
I'm torn. progressoid Apr 2014 #16
But some use it as an insult for anything they disagree with. yellowcanine Nov 2014 #24
Here's my take on it from a few years back Orrex Apr 2014 #18
I don't think I ever used it to describe people, so much. HuckleB Nov 2014 #25
"Woo" is a great term that does not distinguish... Orsino Oct 2014 #19
No edhopper Nov 2014 #23
EDIT: Oops. I replied to a zombie thread. Sorry about that, kids. Iggo Nov 2014 #26
Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Skepticism, Science & Pseudoscience»Can we just stop using th...»Reply #17