I heard about a guy who had Alexa turned on when he asked Siri a question, and when Siri answered, Alexa chimed in with a rebuttal, and they got into a long conversation, leaving the original human being out of it completely. (You laff? The day is coming!)
Uh, Jeffrey, you forgot one very important thing—stupid conspiracy “theories” are incredibly resistant to facts of any kind. “We don’t need no stinkin’ badges”, the bandits said as they tossed the worthless “dirt” into the wind never realizing it was enough gold to let them live like kings! “We don’t need no stinkin’ facts”, the conspiracy nuts declaim, never realizing that those facts could let them live, i.e. not die of COVID or measles or the next nasty thing to come at us! The most you could do, Jeffrey, would be to delete those whacko conspiracies whenever they popped up (like fungus in the shower) on social, news, whatever media (which would probably help a lot).
Unfortunately, there are a lot of politicians and tech and media companies that seem to be using their own form of fact intervention systems. They intervene by annihilating facts which don’t fit their narrative/goals, preventing “inconvenient” facts from reaching the public, releasing bias as fact, and putting out their own “facts” and say “We’re following the science.”
Meanwhile Mother Nature has deployed a hard working, rapidly mutating virus which, aided by human stupidity, has a good chance of achieving that end result.
One cannot eliminate stupid conspiracy theories with facts. That would suggest that those who believe the stupid theories would believe the facts. That is where the problem lies to start with. As the saying goes if you make something idiot proof they will just make bigger idiots.
Uh, is that exterminating stupid humans with extreme prejudice, or exterminating stupid humans by educating them with the facts so they no longer believe idiocy?
Combatting conspiracy theory with fact is an exercise in futility.
People want answers. Science doesn’t give them answers. There is no truth in science. Everything is a theory. Now, many of these theories have such an overwhelming amount of fact to support them that they are even called “scientific law” which is a misnomer since they are subject to change if contrary evidence is produced.
It takes a while for a scientific theory to become a law, so theories change more in the beginning than after centuries. People don’t like it when you move their cheese. So centuries ago, the idea that the Earth revolved around the sun was radical and people were burned at the stake for proposing it.
This is why people like religion. Religious “truth” is always the truth and will never change. People hate change. So in the battle between science and religion, religion wins in many people’s mind.
People want answers. Conspiracy theories gives them the kind of answers they like to hear. People don’t want to hear, “That’s the way it is, live with it.” They want to hear, “It’s not your fault, blame the Jews (or whoever else is on the pan).” There is a secret cabal that controls everything and if we just overthrow it, live will be paradise.
So if I don’t want the Covid-19 pandemic to be, I simply deny it exists. Masks don’t work and I can party hardy with my friends. Covid death statistics are lies. Since the fake news, liberal media tell me things I don’t want to hear, I’ll tune in OAN or Newsmax or listen to Hannity. He tells me things that make me happy.
It’s called building a silo or confirmation bias. That which pleases me is true; that which I don’t like is fake news.
If you ask a conspiracy theory person for the source of their knowledge the answer you usually get, is “I’ve heard it somewhere” and since I like it, that’s good enough for me.
I believe every American should listen to the little speech given by ex-Governator Schwarzenegger after the rightists abandoned any claim to rectitude. I was teary-eyed when he finished.
Anybody need an extinction event? H-m-m-m-m? Stop looking into space and look at your digital surrounds. The world in the book 1984 which is now well on its way to actuality, has now added digital media, which is vulnerable to all kinds of interference [hacked doorbell cameras?] and mis-connections. AI is not something that will accept control once activated. Stand back, way back.
Be careful, Jeffrey, and make sure you don’t let knowledge of that base of yours in the forest be known; otherwise, you could be targeted by something out of this world like a space laser.
I remember a science fiction story. For the first time mankind realized a general purpose AI had reached human intelligence levels: a fully automated space station construction project near Jupiter was, after four years, found to be barely started. The AI had figured out it was easier to send in progress reports rather than actually do the work – very human.
The same “solution” to getting rid of some people, in this case those who aren’t sheep by nature, was attempted by Hydra in CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER. Fortunately, they were thwarted. But something Hydra didn’t put in to their “sheep” equation is that humans never do what is expected of them. Even a sheep will fight back if backed into a corner.
The Hubble Deep space Photos show a tiny fraction of the estimated 125 billion galaxies that are visible,Why cant they make a Mirror that shows how foolish We here are, here in this Muck…
On Rooting Out and Annihilating Stupid Conspiracy Theories: It’s easy to label ideas you don’t agree with as “ignorant”, or part of a “conspiracy theory”. It’s easy then to dismiss and call people “stupid” or “brain-washed”. When someone says that they are “listening to scientists” or “following the science”, I wonder – “Whose science?” “What science?” and “What is the ‘real’ science?” It seems that many things that are claimed to be science are just “educated guesses” at best. “They” may be listening to “the science” that they want to hear and following the “scientists” they want to believe or that supports the outcome they want. How do you know/determine what is “real science”? What are facts? What are opinions? What are only (possibly biased) best guesses? For too many, it seems like any ideas that don’t line up with what they want to believe or that don’t come from a source that they support (or like or agree with) are not science and not worthy of consideration.
Does stupid humans include the Harvard and Yale trained lawyers in the Senate who deliberately perpetuated the myth that Trump won the election, thus enabling him to excite the insurrection on January 6? The Deplorable MTG definitely the bill!
Sheese! … When they got to very dangerous people profit from mass stupidity I thought they were talking about the Executives at Facebook, Twitter, CNN, FOX, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NY Times, Washington Post and Goebbels Networks!
This kid is so technologically advanced that he doesn’t know about WiFi or Bluetooth and thus needs cables strung all around? Not to mention the need for displays all over.
eastern.woods.metal almost 4 years ago
I like it. Even Arnold’s voice
eastern.woods.metal almost 4 years ago
Who saw this adventure coming when Danae and Lucy where looking out across the frozen bay at an idyllic light house. Wiley, you’re a master
Pointspread almost 4 years ago
He’ll be back…
Bilan almost 4 years ago
The Jeffrey/Forbin project.
something only old-time nerds would recognize.
Richard S Russell Premium Member almost 4 years ago
I heard about a guy who had Alexa turned on when he asked Siri a question, and when Siri answered, Alexa chimed in with a rebuttal, and they got into a long conversation, leaving the original human being out of it completely. (You laff? The day is coming!)
wallylm almost 4 years ago
Helloooo Skynet!
cracker65 almost 4 years ago
Get to the Choppa.
baddawg1989 almost 4 years ago
Skynet lives…
LeslieBark almost 4 years ago
Uh, Jeffrey, you forgot one very important thing—stupid conspiracy “theories” are incredibly resistant to facts of any kind. “We don’t need no stinkin’ badges”, the bandits said as they tossed the worthless “dirt” into the wind never realizing it was enough gold to let them live like kings! “We don’t need no stinkin’ facts”, the conspiracy nuts declaim, never realizing that those facts could let them live, i.e. not die of COVID or measles or the next nasty thing to come at us! The most you could do, Jeffrey, would be to delete those whacko conspiracies whenever they popped up (like fungus in the shower) on social, news, whatever media (which would probably help a lot).
GROG Premium Member almost 4 years ago
What? Exterminating stupid humans is a a bad thing?
Enter.Name.Here almost 4 years ago
“I’ll be back”.
Plumb.Bob Premium Member almost 4 years ago
That’s not Arnold, it’s Werner Herzog.
Walrus Gumbo Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Exterminating Stupid Humans would leave this planet barren of humans. Sounds blissful!
nosirrom almost 4 years ago
How about a nice game of chess.
hariseldon59 almost 4 years ago
The rise of the machines.
WGillete almost 4 years ago
Oooops.
Doug K almost 4 years ago
Unfortunately, there are a lot of politicians and tech and media companies that seem to be using their own form of fact intervention systems. They intervene by annihilating facts which don’t fit their narrative/goals, preventing “inconvenient” facts from reaching the public, releasing bias as fact, and putting out their own “facts” and say “We’re following the science.”
jimchronister2016 almost 4 years ago
Great stories Wiley, very enjoyable, Love your work
arolarson Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Meanwhile Mother Nature has deployed a hard working, rapidly mutating virus which, aided by human stupidity, has a good chance of achieving that end result.
llong65 almost 4 years ago
well it’s a toss up between Terminator and The Forbin Project.
rossevrymn almost 4 years ago
Da horruh, da horruh
tkcoker almost 4 years ago
One cannot eliminate stupid conspiracy theories with facts. That would suggest that those who believe the stupid theories would believe the facts. That is where the problem lies to start with. As the saying goes if you make something idiot proof they will just make bigger idiots.
MS72 almost 4 years ago
Methinks we need a Prime Directive. (No, not Amazon!)
scote1379 Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Unfortunately the Internet has no off switch!
Lawrence.S almost 4 years ago
Uh, is that exterminating stupid humans with extreme prejudice, or exterminating stupid humans by educating them with the facts so they no longer believe idiocy?
mikeyman almost 4 years ago
Facts go to the highest bidder.
vaughnrl2003 Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Sometimes, the journey for truth takes the path to Armageddon. …sigh
Zebrastripes almost 4 years ago
Oy!
david_42 almost 4 years ago
I say the problem is the lack of large carnivores.
dflak almost 4 years ago
Combatting conspiracy theory with fact is an exercise in futility.
People want answers. Science doesn’t give them answers. There is no truth in science. Everything is a theory. Now, many of these theories have such an overwhelming amount of fact to support them that they are even called “scientific law” which is a misnomer since they are subject to change if contrary evidence is produced.
It takes a while for a scientific theory to become a law, so theories change more in the beginning than after centuries. People don’t like it when you move their cheese. So centuries ago, the idea that the Earth revolved around the sun was radical and people were burned at the stake for proposing it.
This is why people like religion. Religious “truth” is always the truth and will never change. People hate change. So in the battle between science and religion, religion wins in many people’s mind.
People want answers. Conspiracy theories gives them the kind of answers they like to hear. People don’t want to hear, “That’s the way it is, live with it.” They want to hear, “It’s not your fault, blame the Jews (or whoever else is on the pan).” There is a secret cabal that controls everything and if we just overthrow it, live will be paradise.
So if I don’t want the Covid-19 pandemic to be, I simply deny it exists. Masks don’t work and I can party hardy with my friends. Covid death statistics are lies. Since the fake news, liberal media tell me things I don’t want to hear, I’ll tune in OAN or Newsmax or listen to Hannity. He tells me things that make me happy.
It’s called building a silo or confirmation bias. That which pleases me is true; that which I don’t like is fake news.
If you ask a conspiracy theory person for the source of their knowledge the answer you usually get, is “I’ve heard it somewhere” and since I like it, that’s good enough for me.
outgolfing almost 4 years ago
Purging social media doesn’t sound like such a bad thing.
KEA almost 4 years ago
Sounds like Hydra/Dr. Zola project to me
Michael G. almost 4 years ago
I believe every American should listen to the little speech given by ex-Governator Schwarzenegger after the rightists abandoned any claim to rectitude. I was teary-eyed when he finished.
sandpiper almost 4 years ago
Anybody need an extinction event? H-m-m-m-m? Stop looking into space and look at your digital surrounds. The world in the book 1984 which is now well on its way to actuality, has now added digital media, which is vulnerable to all kinds of interference [hacked doorbell cameras?] and mis-connections. AI is not something that will accept control once activated. Stand back, way back.
Say What? Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Be careful, Jeffrey, and make sure you don’t let knowledge of that base of yours in the forest be known; otherwise, you could be targeted by something out of this world like a space laser.
paranormal almost 4 years ago
Better define ‘stupid humans’…
mistercatworks almost 4 years ago
I remember a science fiction story. For the first time mankind realized a general purpose AI had reached human intelligence levels: a fully automated space station construction project near Jupiter was, after four years, found to be barely started. The AI had figured out it was easier to send in progress reports rather than actually do the work – very human.
rhl2k almost 4 years ago
How about “The Machine” vs “Samaritan”?
marilynnbyerly almost 4 years ago
The same “solution” to getting rid of some people, in this case those who aren’t sheep by nature, was attempted by Hydra in CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER. Fortunately, they were thwarted. But something Hydra didn’t put in to their “sheep” equation is that humans never do what is expected of them. Even a sheep will fight back if backed into a corner.
VickiP123 almost 4 years ago
I like it
ron almost 4 years ago
Tweak the code all you want; I’ll be back.
NatureBatsLast almost 4 years ago
Good luck going up against logic tight minds and compartmentalized thinking.
chain gang charlie almost 4 years ago
The Hubble Deep space Photos show a tiny fraction of the estimated 125 billion galaxies that are visible,Why cant they make a Mirror that shows how foolish We here are, here in this Muck…
alexius23 almost 4 years ago
Skynet Mark 2.0
rfleisch1 almost 4 years ago
Ah, Susan Clark in ‘Colossus, the Forbin Project’. One of my first crushes…
bobw2012 almost 4 years ago
Exterminate
Doug K almost 4 years ago
On Rooting Out and Annihilating Stupid Conspiracy Theories: It’s easy to label ideas you don’t agree with as “ignorant”, or part of a “conspiracy theory”. It’s easy then to dismiss and call people “stupid” or “brain-washed”. When someone says that they are “listening to scientists” or “following the science”, I wonder – “Whose science?” “What science?” and “What is the ‘real’ science?” It seems that many things that are claimed to be science are just “educated guesses” at best. “They” may be listening to “the science” that they want to hear and following the “scientists” they want to believe or that supports the outcome they want. How do you know/determine what is “real science”? What are facts? What are opinions? What are only (possibly biased) best guesses? For too many, it seems like any ideas that don’t line up with what they want to believe or that don’t come from a source that they support (or like or agree with) are not science and not worthy of consideration.
christelisbetty almost 4 years ago
OK, anyone else go back to panel 4, to read it with a German accent ?
JenSolo02 almost 4 years ago
Does stupid humans include the Harvard and Yale trained lawyers in the Senate who deliberately perpetuated the myth that Trump won the election, thus enabling him to excite the insurrection on January 6? The Deplorable MTG definitely the bill!
Ka`ōnōhi`ula`okahōkūmiomio`ehiku Premium Member almost 4 years ago
NEXT
Victor the Crab almost 4 years ago
You know, when one thinks about it, exterminating stupid humans may not be the worst idea out there!
flashdrive1988 almost 4 years ago
Colossus: The Forbin Project?
Sheese! … When they got to very dangerous people profit from mass stupidity I thought they were talking about the Executives at Facebook, Twitter, CNN, FOX, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NY Times, Washington Post and Goebbels Networks!
grumpypophobart almost 4 years ago
I think Jeffery may be on to something good here!
Sailor46 USN 65-95 almost 4 years ago
Censorship reflects a society’s lack of confidence in itself, and there fore there will be no true discussion of the issues.
Cactus-Pete almost 4 years ago
This kid is so technologically advanced that he doesn’t know about WiFi or Bluetooth and thus needs cables strung all around? Not to mention the need for displays all over.
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] almost 4 years ago
Then stop miscalling their wild stories “theories”. They are memes and propaganda nothing else.
bakana almost 4 years ago
The problem with exterminating the Stupid Humans is that they are 95% of the population and some of them are Useful.
Unless you want to spend two hours every day just making your own Lattes and Biscotti.
einarbt almost 4 years ago
Well that went well – sorry – dark quickly.
DCBakerEsq almost 4 years ago
I give humanity ten years. Fifteen tops.
STACEY MARSHALL Premium Member almost 4 years ago
The stupid-liar terminator!
keenanthelibrarian almost 4 years ago
Jeffrey just need to cover his a**se – don’t we all.
cwg almost 4 years ago
If it wasn’t for stupid, how would we recognize genius?