Cognitive dissonance as a staple of modern culture

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BushMaster
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Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2022 2:21 pm

Cognitive dissonance as a staple of modern culture

Post by BushMaster »

When was the last time that you had an argument with someone? Did either you or the other party end up changing stances by the end? Probably not. More than likely, this is what happened instead:

1. You introduced stance A.

2. They introduced stance B.

3. You provided a fairly sturdy argument for stance A.

4. They provided a fairly transparent argument for stance B -- even if, on the surface, it appeared to have some solidity to it due to its use of platitudes and memorized, regurgitated phrases.

5. The both of you went back and forth for a while, neither budging. Despite their stance being obviously flawed, you couldn't find a way to really hit them over the head and wake them up to this fact.

6. Finally, you introduced a poignant, concise meme which crushed the opposing argument directly and explicitly. The absurdity of the other party's argument was subsequently quite out in the open.

7. The other party replied with "You're starting to frustrate me. Why do you have to overanalyze everything? Can't we talk about something nice for once?"

8. The argument ended abruptly with no resolution and the prospect of such growing vanishingly small. The other party then appeared uncomfortable and confused.

What has just been described, I hypothesize, is the result of terrible parenting. The other party participating in the argument realized, in some recess of their consciousness, that your logic was sound, but another, more biologically beneficial part of their mind interceded.

What happened? Well, during childhood, your conversational partner had probably participated in similar conversations that went something like this:

"Dad, why can't we see god?"

"I don't know, son. That's just the way it is."

"But how can we know he's real if we can't see him?"

"He's testing us. It'll all make sense when you get to heaven. You'll be rewarded for waiting so long!"

"But... how do you know that?"

"Look, he's just real, okay? What's with these questions all of a sudden? I'm trying to watch the news. Why don't you go outside and play ball with the kid next door?"

Upon encountering the problematic "foreign object" within a logic chain, kids are programmed to switch routines and do something personally rewarding or pleasurable. Because our society is relatively affluent, everything from happy meals to high tech video games is almost always a few seconds away from the grasp of children, so there is zero incentive to do "the right thing" when immediate self-satisfaction can so easily be substituted in its place -- with no consequences or scoldings.

The mentality birthed during this period of development apparently carries over into adulthood, where it germinates until it becomes a contributor to the monstrosity that is our current situation.

This is absolutely unacceptable for adult humans in this day and age. We cannot continue to act like children.
Age
Posts: 20205
Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2018 8:17 am

Re: Cognitive dissonance as a staple of modern culture

Post by Age »

BushMaster wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 8:04 pm When was the last time that you had an argument with someone? Did either you or the other party end up changing stances by the end? Probably not. More than likely, this is what happened instead:

1. You introduced stance A.

2. They introduced stance B.

3. You provided a fairly sturdy argument for stance A.

4. They provided a fairly transparent argument for stance B -- even if, on the surface, it appeared to have some solidity to it due to its use of platitudes and memorized, regurgitated phrases.

5. The both of you went back and forth for a while, neither budging. Despite their stance being obviously flawed, you couldn't find a way to really hit them over the head and wake them up to this fact.

6. Finally, you introduced a poignant, concise meme which crushed the opposing argument directly and explicitly. The absurdity of the other party's argument was subsequently quite out in the open.

7. The other party replied with "You're starting to frustrate me. Why do you have to overanalyze everything? Can't we talk about something nice for once?"

8. The argument ended abruptly with no resolution and the prospect of such growing vanishingly small. The other party then appeared uncomfortable and confused.

What has just been described, I hypothesize, is the result of terrible parenting. The other party participating in the argument realized, in some recess of their consciousness, that your logic was sound, but another, more biologically beneficial part of their mind interceded.
Also known as; the 'belief-system'.

"It does not matter how logical and sensible your argument is, I believe otherwise. So, I will just not listen to you", is the unconscious thinking going on within the 'belief-system', which most have absolutely no recognition of at all.
BushMaster wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 8:04 pm What happened? Well, during childhood, your conversational partner had probably participated in similar conversations that went something like this:

"Dad, why can't we see god?"

"I don't know, son. That's just the way it is."

"But how can we know he's real if we can't see him?"

"He's testing us. It'll all make sense when you get to heaven. You'll be rewarded for waiting so long!"

"But... how do you know that?"

"Look, he's just real, okay? What's with these questions all of a sudden? I'm trying to watch the news. Why don't you go outside and play ball with the kid next door?"
Which there is also usually some sort of demand from the adult/parent like; "STOP ASKING ME WHY?"

Which from then on most children usually refrain from asking WHY questions. That, combined with being ridiculed or being belittled, mostly through the schooling system, for not yet knowing answers and/or again asking questions, which adults just could not answer.

Children get belittled and ridiculed for not yet knowing things, yet it is PERFECTLY NATURAL for children NOT to know things. After all it is solely adults whose responsibility it is to TEACH children things. So, ridiculing or belittling children for not yet knowing things is really a reflection on the adults of that society.
BushMaster wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 8:04 pm Upon encountering the problematic "foreign object" within a logic chain, kids are programmed to switch routines and do something personally rewarding or pleasurable. Because our society is relatively affluent, everything from happy meals to high tech video games is almost always a few seconds away from the grasp of children, so there is zero incentive to do "the right thing" when immediate self-satisfaction can so easily be substituted in its place -- with no consequences or scoldings.
In that society, which you refer to here, adults actually get scolded at more if they do not go to work, and neglect their children, and do not buy their children the RUBBISH you talk about here.
BushMaster wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 8:04 pm The mentality birthed during this period of development apparently carries over into adulthood,
"apparently"?

Not only does the mentality birthed during childhood ABSOLUTELY carries over into adulthood, so to does the mentality birthed during periods hitherto ABSOLUTELY carries over into the person at NOW.
BushMaster wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 8:04 pm where it germinates until it becomes a contributor to the monstrosity that is our current situation.
Just one of countless examples is the absolutely ABSURD, "I HAVE TO go to work because we NEED money to live", BELIEF, which adults carry around with them.

This combined with their, completely unnecessary, 'love-of-money', (another germinated distortion bred into adults of this current societies), is a HUGE contributor to the monstrosity that is your current situation, in the days when this was being written.

Some say that, "money is the root of all evil", while others say that, "it is the love-of-money, which is the root of all evil", but 'the love-of-money' is only third (root) in the list of all evils. Raising children incorrectly, or just 'child abuse' in its correct term, so that these completely innocent and not-wanting-of-money children grow up to be money loving and hungry beasts is the second (root) of this 'monstrosity' being created here before our eyes.
BushMaster wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 8:04 pm This is absolutely unacceptable for adult humans in this day and age.
But it is actually in 'this day and age', when this is being written where this kind of complete and utter MISBEHAVING is the MOST accepted.
BushMaster wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 8:04 pm We cannot continue to act like children.
And not until people become Truly RESPONSIBLE for their Wrong behaving, then 'you' will all, literally, remain children like.

See, children are literally NOT responsible AT ALL for the way they behave, they after all are just copying and following on from how 'you', adult human beings behave, and misbehave. But children are FAR MORE ABLE to SEE and RECOGNIZE what thee ACTUAL Truth IS, EXACTLY. So, when 'you', adults are far more like children in the latter, and far less like children in the former, then this 'monstrosity' of a society, which 'you', adults, are building in the days when this is being written, will just crumble away, completely, and the life that 'you' ALL want for "yourselves" can and WILL begin AND come to fruition.
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