I find this comment to be borderline insulting, even when my political views are very liberal. Basically, what I read in your comment (maybe I'm misreading it) is that not having a liberal view means that the person does not understand the world, has an angry response, ignores the complexities of life and does not understand anything.
So, instead of just trying to understand what do these people think, feel and fear we just assume we're superior and think they're ignorant? Of course, there are ignorant conservatives, just as there are ignorant liberals. There are also really smart conservatives who have a really strong foundation and understand how the world works. They just have another view of which are the solutions to our problems, but it's really hard to say which is the "right" and which is the "wrong" view.
I also find surprising that religion is in the same bucket as climate change denial or anti-vaccinations. I've meet a lot of religious people who have already tried to understand things and have found that they believe in a god, or whatever, and that does not make them more or less intelligent, it's just a personal belief.
Finally, the correlation "higher education => magic knowledge of everything" is plainly not true, not even "in some cases". A degree just gives you knowledge in a specific area, and does not make anyone more intelligent just by having it. It is not a badge of superiority.
As someone said in another reply, this is just an attitude of "liberals are right, conservatives are not", but there's no right political view as of now.
"A degree just gives you knowledge in a specific area, and does not make anyone more intelligent just by having it."
I've always felt the most beneficial part of higher education isn't the knowledge gained but the way you are taught to get it - Through research and critical thinking.
That isn't to say that people who don't have a higher education aren't capable of these things, but as a proportion of the population I think you'll find a greater competence in those with a higher education.
>>"...the most beneficial part of higher education isn't the knowledge gained but the way you are taught to get it - Through research and critical thinking."
This isn't necessarily the case with college grads of the past few years, who are more self-centered, self-absorbed and coddled. In fact, most of the 'noise' coming out of colleges today are the b*tching and moaning that someone said something that offended them. Not exactly 'research' oriented or based on 'critical thinking'. Its more aligned with the environment they've decided to surround themselves in, while those who are 'less-formally-educated' get their 'education' through elbow grease and busted knuckles (also known as 'life experience'.
Yes, religion in the same bucket (and largely responsible for the existence of the bucket itself). Why look for answers when they all are in THE BOOK?
> A degree just gives you knowledge in a specific area, and
> does not make anyone more intelligent just by having it.
In many (most?) cases a degree also means that you became familiar and aquired skills needed for problems solving and answer finding. And even if raw intelligence may be the same it gives tremendous advantage.
Not every religious person is a hardcore bible reader who does not question anything. In fact, most believers I've met are in the opposite end: they know most of the tales of the bible are just tales, and accept the scientific methods and explanations. They just believe there's also a god or something out there.
Regarding the degree thing, you may or may not acquire them. The degree just requires you to demonstrate a certain knowledge and skills, but not necessarily problem solving and answer finding. If you apply yourself and have good teachers, you can certainly learn it, but it's not that much different of a situation than when you're working in some job or doing things by yourself. It's not necessary nor sufficient, and definitely not even in most cases.
> most believers I've met are in the opposite end: they know most of the tales of the bible are just tales, and accept the scientific methods and explanations.
> Yes, religion in the same bucket (and largely responsible for the existence of the bucket itself). Why look for answers when they all are in THE BOOK?
Within Christianity (much less religion more generally), the idea that the answers are all "in the book" (the doctrine of sola scriptura) is a doctrine of a distinct subset of the larger body of believers.
The doctrine of sola scriptura does not mean all the answers are in the Bible. It means that when it comes to issues of faith and morals, the Bible is authoritative above all else. The doctrine makes no claim that the Bible contains everything anyone would ever need to know.
> The doctrine of sola scriptura does not mean all the answers are in the Bible.
Yeah, immediately after I posted that, I wondered if I should clarify that sola scriptura actually doesn't mean that itself, and the "all answers are in the book" approach is actually at best a not-infrequent corruption of a minority approach to what is, itself, within Christianity a minority doctrine, rather than the doctrine itself.
But I figured that the clarification was probably not necessary, and that it was tangential to the point that "the answers are all in the book" isn't some kind of universal, or even general, trait of religious belief.
Still, its well taken.
> It means that when it comes to issues of faith and morals, the Bible is authoritative above all else.
While this is getting a bit far afield, the mere authoritative above all else on matters of faith and morals approach is the doctrine of prima scriptura, which is an alternative to sola scriptura held in some branches of Protestantism.
Why? Most of what the parent wrote is factual and descriptive, not prescriptive or disparaging. The post doesn't condemn anyone. I find your response just as unpleasant, because you seem to be suggesting that this line of discourse should be shunned, which frankly isn't going to help anyone.
So, instead of just trying to understand what do these people think, feel and fear we just assume we're superior and think they're ignorant? Of course, there are ignorant conservatives, just as there are ignorant liberals. There are also really smart conservatives who have a really strong foundation and understand how the world works. They just have another view of which are the solutions to our problems, but it's really hard to say which is the "right" and which is the "wrong" view.
I also find surprising that religion is in the same bucket as climate change denial or anti-vaccinations. I've meet a lot of religious people who have already tried to understand things and have found that they believe in a god, or whatever, and that does not make them more or less intelligent, it's just a personal belief.
Finally, the correlation "higher education => magic knowledge of everything" is plainly not true, not even "in some cases". A degree just gives you knowledge in a specific area, and does not make anyone more intelligent just by having it. It is not a badge of superiority.
As someone said in another reply, this is just an attitude of "liberals are right, conservatives are not", but there's no right political view as of now.