Thread by @contactcolec

1/ THREAD Wild to see opposition to "conspiracy thinking" even though we're taught it's a crazy way to think.

Broken down, the primary function of the QAnon movement - or "most conspiracy theories" - is asking questions.

#qanon #wwg1wga #greatawakening #EpsteinDidntKillHimself

2/ Even something ridiculous like "200 Proofs" is essentially a list of questions.

We're taught that speech is dangerous, that words can hurt. That certain thoughts are dangerous.

Let's be clear: words and thoughts, like guns, don't kill people. Actions kill people.

3/ People argue that words lead to bad actions, like slavery or the holocaust. But if you want to argue that, you have to admit that words ended the holocaust, and slavery.

4/ Not to mention the evil ended before it was begun, simply through thought and conversation. The victories we'll never know about.

And the good created through conversation.

Words are a safe proving ground for ideas. A safety net. A risk reducer.

5/ Then there are the people who think we can be led astray. "I can't trust my own judgement so I need to be spoonfed by an authority."

(this is a legitimate point of view I've heard too many times)

6/ True? Probably. Has happened to me. The question is the degree.

Are you gonna make a bad call sometimes and screw up? Absolutely. That's part of risk / progress.

And you might come away with a scraped knee or some hurt feelings.

7/ But there is a pervasive belief that you may get led down a seemingly safe path and then before you know it you're a neo-nazi gassing Jews.

Ask yourself this: Do you know the difference between right and wrong? Do you really think that's gonna happen to you?

8/ Some people argue "it's not for my protection, it's for the dumb people"

Weak. You've just decided someone does not deserve equal opportunity to you.

9/ Asking questions is often how we find evil. What about the millions of Germans who were led along with the nazis? What if they had asked more questions?

10/ But no, they were bullied into submission by social pressure. Hmmm, almost like what's happening now.

Ever been pressured into wearing a mask? Sanitizing your hands? Shutting the fuck up because you're not a scientist?

"It's for your own good."

11/ Let's take masks for example. Regardless of your stance on them specifically, we can agree that asking questions about their effectiveness is in itself harmless.

We're told "just go along with it."

But we're not allowed to ask questions. Why?

12/ Questions are how we find truth. Stupid questions are how we find the most profound truths. Answers are often way simpler than the experts say.

13/ It's not that experts are stupid, they're just in a vacuum. Anthony Fauci is obsessed with public health. From his words we can see he doesn't get the big picture. He's not bad.

But any layman can see the consequences of economic depression in terms of human lives.

14/ It's a question of tunnel vision, not necessarily malice.

Steve Jobs had no credentials

Bill Gates had no credentials

Jesus was just a man

Nick Woodman (GoPro) was just a passionate surfer

15/ You don't need credentials to change the world.

You don't need credentials to find truth.

Asking questions and discussing with others is how we find truth.

16/ So ask why you're not allowed to ask questions. (scary, I know)

Ask why you're told you're not allowed to act because you're not an expert, yet when you look at the "settled science" it's often anything but.

17/ Masks are based on half-baked science, same with social distancing and surface transmission. This isn't a political opinion, this is a fact.

So far the experts have flip-flopped on each of of these at least once.

What happened?

18/ I think it's our fault. I think we laymen didn't ask enough questions. Even though I am an expert in certain things, I will always ask friends who are novices in my field before I take action.

And they ALWAYS come up with practical advice. ALWAYS valuable.

19/ Every smart CEO I know does this. Every politician. Every actor starts with a test audience.

We have focus groups of novices.

20/ So why aren't the experts asking us for a smell test?

I'm all for letting a credible expert have higher benefit of the doubt.

But at this point they've proven incompetence, so we have an absolute right and duty to question everything.

21/ At this point our entire way of life hangs in the balance, and our ability to choose from a quickly worsening set of economic outcomes.

Outcomes which could and likely will lead to worse human suffering the longer we wait to change course.

22/ So let's get rid of the notion that asking questions is wrong.

Let's get rid of the notion that we can't have a valuable opinion on science, or anything else. Science is a simple set of principles, anyone can apply them, anyone has a chance of spotting an error.

23/ How many times has your super smart friend asked for your super dumb opinion, or for you to proofread their logic? Probably a lot.

How often is your opinion valuable? Almost always.

So start digging deeper. Start scrutinizing. Stop giving the benefit of the doubt.

24/ You don't have to take action. You don't have to take risk. But you do need to have a much deeper understanding of that action and that risk. You need to discuss it with others.

Experts failed us by not asking feedback. We fail them by not holding them accountable.

25/ We can't delegate responsibility. Read high-quality counter arguments and dig into them. Dig deep, listen to that nagging voice. Don't be shallow.

Do the same with 10 more opinions. Break it down. Rewrite it. Simplify. Find truth.

Now share. Be wrong. Correct. Repeat.

26/ Together we're like nodes in a powerful computer. You don't have to do a huge amount of work, but at least find and spread a little more truth - or even a better question - for the next guy.

Do your part.

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