Things you'd consider "common knowledge"

[CVT Temp]

I was once stunned when i met someone who thought the world was 6000 years old.

We have lots of those around here.

[Ostroeuropa]

I was once stunned when i met someone who thought the world was 6000 years old.

We have lots of those around here.

Once stunned.
I was like
"What? What the fuck?"
suddenly I had learned about creationism, and from then on, I met loads

[North Stradia]

I was once stunned when i met someone who thought the world was 6000 years old.

We have lots of those around here.

My 8th grade science teacher was a creationist. In CALIFORNIA. And 8th grade is when we are supposed to learn about evolution. Thank God for Wikipedia.

[Individuality-ness]

We have lots of those around here.

My 8th grade science teacher was a creationist. In CALIFORNIA. And 8th grade is when we are supposed to learn about evolution. Thank God for Wikipedia.

Dafuq?

[Costa Alegria]

I'm always shocked how many people don't understand the difference between "too" and "to", or "your" and "you're".

"There" and "their" also. It's the visual equivalent of dragging one's fingernails down the blackboard of common sense.

[Cannot think of a name]

Honestly though, why get worked up over an internet debate? I've been on here too long, there's nothing people can say that will make me care anymore.

I don't even get worked up IRL anymore, if someone is wrong I just let them go unless I think they want to learn if they get defensive about it I let it be.

I think the problem might be that the native tongue of the internet is hyperbole. Nothing is good or bad, it's the best ever and worst ever. There are no more matters of degrees, we replaced all our knobs with switches. And if there is anything that the internet abhors it is effort.

So if we find an abhorrent idea 'mildly upsetting' it's 'You mad?' It's 'rage' when really it might just be run of the mill frustration and encountering yet another person with this stupid ass idea. When Bottle says 'shows emotion' I don't imagine her (as one of those posable artist reference dolls wearing a smock...you're all basically one of those dolls with a prop...) throwing her arms in the air and yelling at the screen...I don't imagine she is visibly upset except to maybe turn to whoever she's with and saying "Oh for fuck's sake..."

That...that doesn't seem like what we'd call 'over emotional.' Exasperation is an emotion.

[North Stradia]

You would think that most Americans could identify on a map the country that we spent almost a decade at war with. Wrong.

[Individuality-ness]

You would think that most Americans could identify on a map the country that we spent almost a decade at war with. Wrong.

You'd think they know what the fifty states are too. Trust me, they don't. Not even APUSH students know this.

[Resource Extraction Solutions Inc]

I was surprised that my 8th grade science teacher had no knowledge about special relativity or nuclear physics. She said that mass cannot be created or destroyed, and marked me wrong when I explaind nuclear transmutation when answering a question about why the alchemists of the 1600s were unable of changing one element into another.

[Cannot think of a name]

You would think that most Americans could identify on a map the country that we spent almost a decade at war with. Wrong.

I was going to mount a defense of how much value having memorized a map was, but then I remembered the foreign policy debate where a completely fucked notion of where Syria is was the basis of a foreign policy proposal...so...yeah...maybe that should be better.

[Grenartia]

That homosexuality is not a choice.

That having no government is inherently a bad thing.

That 9/11 was not an inside job.

That Bush was a shitty President.

That squirrels carry rabies (yes, I've actually come across people who didn't know that).

[Orrachius]

I was once stunned when i met someone who thought the world was 6000 years old.

My parents are young-Earth creationists. Drives me nuts. We went to a museum in Paris which touted ancient artefacts, whereas she asked me how this was possible if the earth was only 4000 years old.

On the subject of grammar, apostrophes. Thought everyone knew how to use them properly, but it seems that their misuse is more common than their proper use now. I get really mad about it, too.

[Falcania]

I think the problem might be that the native tongue of the internet is hyperbole. Nothing is good or bad, it's the best ever and worst ever. There are no more matters of degrees, we replaced all our knobs with switches. And if there is anything that the internet abhors it is effort.

So if we find an abhorrent idea 'mildly upsetting' it's 'You mad?' It's 'rage' when really it might just be run of the mill frustration and encountering yet another person with this stupid ass idea. When Bottle says 'shows emotion' I don't imagine her (as one of those posable artist reference dolls wearing a smock...you're all basically one of those dolls with a prop...) throwing her arms in the air and yelling at the screen...I don't imagine she is visibly upset except to maybe turn to whoever she's with and saying "Oh for fuck's sake..."

That...that doesn't seem like what we'd call 'over emotional.' Exasperation is an emotion.

I can't believe you said that. This is the worst. I'm going to set myself on fire!

[SaintB]

I try not to assume anything is common knowledge but every now and again I am utterly shocked at how little some people know.

[Ostroeuropa]

Got one.
This'll drive you all nuts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... IFdWBPRrxo

[Orrachius]

Got one.
This'll drive you all nuts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... IFdWBPRrxo

Oh man, that's terrible.

[Winland]

I'm always shocked how many people don't understand the difference between "too" and "to", or "your" and "you're".

Whenever I tap enter a little too fast only to find that I've made one of those mistakes, I die a little inside.

[Bodies Without Organs]

... North Stradia » Wed Jan 09, 2013 9:28 pm
You would think that most Americans could
identify on a map the country that we spent almost
a decade at war with. Wrong.

Which country on that page was the USA at war with for almost a decade?

[Bottle]

Maybe it's a generational thing, but I don't see why "internet debate" would be any different from any other discussion.

People can say things that get a reaction from me, because how my fellow humans think and act will directly impact my life. And I certainly have emotional reactions to a lot of news and current events, so why would I be "less emotional" discussing them via internet than I would be, say, on the phone? I just don't differentiate that much between modes of communication, I guess.

I might just be jaded. If someone shows up in person talking bullshit I might argue with them, but there's no point to that either. People tend not to change their views evidence be damned. It doesn't matter if I point out the truth, they won't believe it. I prefer to argue online, it's much easier to verify things.

Oh, well see, that's not about you being jaded...that's actually about you still being idealistic enough to think of arguments in terms of whether or not you can convince the person you are arguing with.

I've long since abandoned that. See, I only get into an argument when I'm pretty sure I can make a damn solid case, because I've thought about the subject a lot and I've done my homework. Assuming the other party doesn't immediately roll over and show their belly in defeat, there are two probable outcomes:

1) The other person is equally (or better) educated on the subject and has reached different conclusions than I have, and we are simply not going to agree due to fundamental differences in values or ideology.

2) The other person has no fucking idea what they're talking about but is determined to argue anyhow, and therefore is unlikely to let little things like "fact" or "reason" interfere with their opinion.

In neither case is there any significant chance that I will convince the other party. So, I don't try.

Instead, I use arguments to either gain information for my own benefit, refine my own thinking, or benefit the "lurkers." I like contributing to a culture that tells bigots to knock it the fuck off, not because I think the bigots will learn anything but because it makes life nicer for the rest of us. I like making sure that shitty data and flawed logic are called out, not because the people who employ them are ever likely to improve but because it sets a better standard for the rest of us.

[Smartass alcoholics]

I'm always shocked how many people don't understand the difference between "too" and "to", or "your" and "you're".

Whenever I tap enter a little too fast only to find that I've made one of those mistakes, I die a little inside.

Whenever I find one of those mistakes on a post of mine, i always try to fix it. When i don't, i find out by a random grammar nazi who feels like pointing it out. -_-
EDIT: I've seen someone throw in a "two" along with too and to. Amazing.

[The Emerald Dawn]

I don't even get worked up IRL anymore, if someone is wrong I just let them go unless I think they want to learn if they get defensive about it I let it be.

I think the problem might be that the native tongue of the internet is hyperbole. Nothing is good or bad, it's the best ever and worst ever. There are no more matters of degrees, we replaced all our knobs with switches. And if there is anything that the internet abhors it is effort.

So if we find an abhorrent idea 'mildly upsetting' it's 'You mad?' It's 'rage' when really it might just be run of the mill frustration and encountering yet another person with this stupid ass idea. When Bottle says 'shows emotion' I don't imagine her (as one of those posable artist reference dolls wearing a smock...you're all basically one of those dolls with a prop...) throwing her arms in the air and yelling at the screen...I don't imagine she is visibly upset except to maybe turn to whoever she's with and saying "Oh for fuck's sake..."

That...that doesn't seem like what we'd call 'over emotional.' Exasperation is an emotion.

Well if you're going to be THAT way about it. All fuckin' touchy feely and shit. Expect no less from one of THOSE people.

[United States of Peace]

The Difference between the Torah and Talmud.... I mean not the deep differences but at least that they're not the same thing.

Ehlohai

Really?

Damn.

[Conscentia]

[...] Thank God for Wikipedia.

No, thank Jimmy Wales and those who supported Wikipedia over the years.

[Jagalonia]

[United States of Raptors]

why not to approach wild Bison in Yellowstone.

Bear with cubs? Stay the hell away from that bear with cubs.