Comments on: On the Persistence of Myths http://www.arsmathematica.net/archives/2007/09/11/on-the-persistence-of-myths/ Dedicated to the mathematical arts. Sat, 06 Sep 2008 20:15:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Dave Satterfield http://www.arsmathematica.net/archives/2007/09/11/on-the-persistence-of-myths/#comment-55243 Dave Satterfield Mon, 17 Sep 2007 04:33:21 +0000 http://www.arsmathematica.net/archives/2007/09/11/on-the-persistence-of-myths/#comment-55243 The use of the term "myth" is unfortunate as the term fits best as used by Joseph Campbell to connote deep connections with inner feelings or what I'd call "proto-beliefs." The 'urban legend' and those beliefs referred to in the article reside at a shallower level and play on more mundane urges of dispositions. But it has all been said before by the likes of Adolph Hitler. Just make a proposition outrageous enough that people believe no one would invent such and repeat it often enough and a substantial portion of a populace will eventually find it not only believable but will filter into the 'common wisdom' and accept as axiomatic. Of course, it helps if the proposition is pleasing to one's outlook or preferences. In other words, it helps if people want to believe the proposition or it's consequences. As for one alarming emergence of this phenomenon, the conspiracy theorist, I think it is closely akin to religion that support the active intervention of a supernatural being in that such theorist cannot be satisfied that events may be random, but they attempt to find hidden motives and mechanisms at work behind the scenes to explain all. And the persistence of their beliefs become as hard and fast as any religious fundamentalist. Unfortunately, there are also those who would manipulate vulnerabilities for vested political goals and can cause great harm in so doing. It behooves us all to analyse all proposition put forth as axiomatic or beyond the challenge of facts. We are beset by them aplenty. The use of the term “myth” is unfortunate as the term fits best as used by Joseph Campbell to connote deep connections with inner feelings or what I’d call “proto-beliefs.” The ‘urban legend’ and those beliefs referred to in the article reside at a shallower level and play on more mundane urges of dispositions. But it has all been said before by the likes of Adolph Hitler. Just make a proposition outrageous enough that people believe no one would invent such and repeat it often enough and a substantial portion of a populace will eventually find it not only believable but will filter into the ‘common wisdom’ and accept as axiomatic. Of course, it helps if the proposition is pleasing to one’s outlook or preferences. In other words, it helps if people want to believe the proposition or it’s consequences.

As for one alarming emergence of this phenomenon, the conspiracy theorist, I think it is closely akin to religion that support the active intervention of a supernatural being in that such theorist cannot be satisfied that events may be random, but they attempt to find hidden motives and mechanisms at work behind the scenes to explain all. And the persistence of their beliefs become as hard and fast as any religious fundamentalist.

Unfortunately, there are also those who would manipulate vulnerabilities for vested political goals and can cause great harm in so doing. It behooves us all to analyse all proposition put forth as axiomatic or beyond the challenge of facts. We are beset by them aplenty.

]]> By: John Armstrong http://www.arsmathematica.net/archives/2007/09/11/on-the-persistence-of-myths/#comment-55213 John Armstrong Sat, 15 Sep 2007 03:31:07 +0000 http://www.arsmathematica.net/archives/2007/09/11/on-the-persistence-of-myths/#comment-55213 Chris, this is actually their second or third wave. A couple months ago I started seeing incoming links from them, seemingly just linking in with no attempt to link back and no structure to it. Chris, this is actually their second or third wave. A couple months ago I started seeing incoming links from them, seemingly just linking in with no attempt to link back and no structure to it.

]]> By: Chris Hillman http://www.arsmathematica.net/archives/2007/09/11/on-the-persistence-of-myths/#comment-55212 Chris Hillman Sat, 15 Sep 2007 01:44:34 +0000 http://www.arsmathematica.net/archives/2007/09/11/on-the-persistence-of-myths/#comment-55212 Alarm! Alarm! An identical message to the one just above, purportedly from "Caroline" has apparently been left in numerous blogs. What the heck is SocialRank.com? Googling on the registrant of this website (according to the ARIN record) strongly suggests that it is an "ecommerce" website, possibly little more than a spam outfit. Alarm! Alarm!

An identical message to the one just above, purportedly from “Caroline” has apparently been left in numerous blogs.

What the heck is SocialRank.com? Googling on the registrant of this website (according to the ARIN record) strongly suggests that it is an “ecommerce” website, possibly little more than a spam outfit.

]]> By: Kea http://www.arsmathematica.net/archives/2007/09/11/on-the-persistence-of-myths/#comment-55175 Kea Wed, 12 Sep 2007 22:58:47 +0000 http://www.arsmathematica.net/archives/2007/09/11/on-the-persistence-of-myths/#comment-55175 There once was an Axe - um - of Choice Used by surreal killers to voice Their dogmatic rules And cumbersome tools But it ended in chopped up purpoise. There once was an Axe - um - of Choice
Used by surreal killers to voice
Their dogmatic rules
And cumbersome tools
But it ended in chopped up purpoise.

]]> By: Jonathan Vos Post http://www.arsmathematica.net/archives/2007/09/11/on-the-persistence-of-myths/#comment-55171 Jonathan Vos Post Wed, 12 Sep 2007 16:36:34 +0000 http://www.arsmathematica.net/archives/2007/09/11/on-the-persistence-of-myths/#comment-55171 Never forget: millions of people have been murdered because of monsters exploiting this anomaly in human congition. "... in view of the primitive simplicity of their minds they more easily fall a victim to a big lie than to a little one, since they themselves lie in little things, but would be ashamed of lies that were too big. Such a falsehood will never enter their heads and they will not be able to believe in the possibility of such monstrous effrontery and infamous misrepresentation in others; yes, even when enlightened on the subject, they will long doubt and waver, and continue to accept at least one of these causes as true. Therefore, something of even the most insolent lie will always remain and stick-a fact which all the great lie-virtuosi and lying-clubs in this world know only too well and also make the most treacherous use of." [Adolf Hitler, Chapter 10 of Mein Kampf] Never forget: millions of people have been murdered because of monsters exploiting this anomaly in human congition.

“… in view of the primitive simplicity of their minds they more easily fall a victim to a big lie than to a little one, since they themselves lie in little things, but would be ashamed of lies that were too big. Such a falsehood will never enter their heads and they will not be able to believe in the possibility of such monstrous effrontery and infamous misrepresentation in others; yes, even when enlightened on the subject, they will long doubt and waver, and continue to accept at least one of these causes as true. Therefore, something of even the most insolent lie will always remain and stick-a fact which all the great lie-virtuosi and lying-clubs in this world know only too well and also make the most treacherous use of.”

[Adolf Hitler, Chapter 10 of Mein Kampf]

]]> By: Jameson http://www.arsmathematica.net/archives/2007/09/11/on-the-persistence-of-myths/#comment-55169 Jameson Wed, 12 Sep 2007 12:35:41 +0000 http://www.arsmathematica.net/archives/2007/09/11/on-the-persistence-of-myths/#comment-55169 The commenters on that WaPo article are mostly idiots. The commenters on that WaPo article are mostly idiots.

]]> By: John Armstrong http://www.arsmathematica.net/archives/2007/09/11/on-the-persistence-of-myths/#comment-55164 John Armstrong Wed, 12 Sep 2007 05:02:17 +0000 http://www.arsmathematica.net/archives/2007/09/11/on-the-persistence-of-myths/#comment-55164 Someone told me that, but I think he was lying. Someone told me that, but I think he was lying.

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