Atheist Egos - Are all atheists like this?

[Shaved Kiwis]

You know, this train of thought has raised a few questions that I'd like to hear your opinions on.

It started with seeing a comment on "Good Will Hunting" on youtube that said: "I too like to pretend that I'm smart."

It's kinda like the rick and morty copypasta. It also echoes how late night talk shows treat you. They seem to be saying: "We're so smart and cultured and superior to everyone that disagrees with us, who are silly, kinda stupid and a little sad."

You get into conversations with people sometimes and they are just completely aghast at encountering different opinions and immediately take a position of moral superiority and have difficulty even imagining valid alternate hypothesis.

It seems to me that it has been a very succesful strategy of social engineering. I'm not saying it's all been planned like that, it may well be a lot of seperate parts evolving together to form a system that shouts at you: "You are doing right if you do this, you are smart, cultured and excellent for believing this."

I guess I'm curious about a couple of things;

1. Have you noticed this too?
2. Does something similar happen in spaces besides talkshows and hollywood movies? Perhaps on the right-wing? I tend to come at things from a right-wing perspectives these days, so I'm curious if I'm not seeing similar kind of things on the right.
3. When did this strategy start? Is it as old as time, did it start with mass media prodding you to smoke their cigarretes in every show, or is it significantly different in more recent cultural contexts?

Just curious. Sorry if it's a bit of a thread hijack, but it seems to tie into the underlaying questions.

You get into conversations with people sometimes and they are just completely aghast at encountering different opinions and immediately take a position of moral superiority and have difficulty even imagining valid alternate hypothesis.

It is really fucking spooky how this works. It's about how the media frames and labels ideas. If you believe X you must be Y type shit. Things have degenerated to the point that people assume each others labels and plow on from there with no regard to the actual argument. It's like when Ben Shapiro spazzed out and reflexively labeled Andrew Neil a liberal because the man had the audacity to grill Shapiro on some of his shit during their interview. The whole thing was funny because Neil is apparently a prominent conservative in the UK.

Ben Shapiro Ends Contentious Interview With BBC Host: 'I Don't Give a Damn What You Think'

The conservative publisher offered an apology on Twitter before with Andrew Neil interview aired

www.thewrap.com

If you think your existence is bad, imagine being born black. Or a woman.
If you're either of those things, God hates you anyway.

Get with the times grandpa. I'd love to be a black woman in the US in the current year. Id shoot up the corporate ladder on easy mode.

 

[turboNIG-3k]

It is really fucking spooky how this works. It's about how the media frames and labels ideas. If you believe X you must be Y type shit. Things have degenerated to the point that people assume each others labels and plow on from there with no regard to the actual argument. It's like when Ben Shapiro spazzed out and reflexively labeled Andrew Neil a liberal because the man had the audacity to grill Shapiro on some of his shit during their interview. The whole thing was funny because Neil is apparently a prominent conservative in the UK.

See, that's a thing that pretty much everyone does instinctively, and it is only up to the person in question to realize their biases.
I think the problem lies in the fact that media relies on outrage as their moneymaking scheme, so radicalizing young progtards into #resist-ers is the only way they can possibly stay afloat; even then that business model is turning out to be unsustainable with so many people trying to get a piece of the pie.

 

[Lemmingwise]

See, that's a thing that pretty much everyone does instinctively, and it is only up to the person in question to realize their biases.
I think the problem lies in the fact that media relies on outrage as their moneymaking scheme, so radicalizing young progtards into #resist-ers is the only way they can possibly stay afloat; even then that business model is turning out to be unsustainable with so many people trying to get a piece of the pie.

Sure that's true, but I don't think it's very comparable in some cases. It seems so much more pronounced, particularly in the group that aligns with the night show talkies. I was talking with a friend about borders and migration and when he didn't know putnam's study, I asked him what his thoughts were on the genetic component in IQ. I shit you not, the guy started literally shaking and I had to hold him before he was able to calm down.

He asked me with a tremor in his voice if that meant I wanted to genocide people.

I guess what I'm wondering is if there's an analogue to it. I think KKK or westboro baptist church are typical examples, but these are so ridiculously tiny in numbers that it's not really comparable to the hissy fit that an average person throws. Just curious if this kinda crazy happens to people spreading the happy word of globohomolgbtq etcetera and what it looks like. Do you ever get raving lunatic responses to saying you're an atheist or don't believe in god? Like parents-in-law crying and praying for you or something like that?

 

[turboNIG-3k]

Do you ever get raving lunatic responses to saying you're an atheist or don't believe in god? Like parents-in-law crying and praying for you or something like that?

Fair enough, and to address your questions; I happen to live in a corner of Europe that also happens to be, comparatively, very socially right wing.
As in, opposition to mass immigration, feminism, greenpeace-style environmentalism etc. is the average position. I never met a rightwinger even half as preachy and ready to ostracize at a drop of a hat as a common young progressive.
In fact - I was accosted in an upscale craft beer pub for making a joke about the Israeli-Palestinian border situation. Nothing really edgy, along the lines of "If they didn't hide behind their kids they wouldn't have to bury them". Mind you, that joke was shared at our table and the guy must have been listening to us for quite some time. I am talking about red-in-the-face, fists-curled seething rage.

 

[Slap47]

Fair enough, and to address your questions; I happen to live in a corner of Europe that also happens to be, comparatively, very socially right wing.
As in, opposition to mass immigration, feminism, greenpeace-style environmentalism etc. is the average position. I never met a rightwinger even half as preachy and ready to ostracize at a drop of a hat as a common young progressive.
In fact - I was accosted in an upscale craft beer pub for making a joke about the Israeli-Palestinian border situation. Nothing really edgy, along the lines of "If they didn't hide behind their kids they wouldn't have to bury them". Mind you, that joke was shared at our table and the guy must have been listening to us for quite some time. I am talking about red-in-the-face, fists-curled seething rage.

Dunno where people get this idea - there are plenty of retarded right wingers who will get violent over minor things, you just don't encounter them because you espouse right wing ideas yourself and don't get their ire.

 

[turboNIG-3k]

Dunno where people get this idea - there are plenty of exceptional right wingers who will get violent over minor things, you just don't encounter them because you espouse right wing ideas yourself and don't get their ire.

Disagreements, sure. Pretty heated ones where I got called a gay nigger, with radical guys, also sure. None of them sincerely believed in their moral superiority and being on the right side of the history. For the record, our rates of atheism are through the roof so christfags, myself included, are very tame.
EDIT: What I am trying to say, media and academia are fully on the prog side of things, and instill a sense of righteous cause. I guarantee you basically no one sees stopping mass immigration as a moral imperative. You can argue nigger--hating can whip people up into frenzy, but it won't make people stomp on your face whilw fully believing it is for your own good.

 

[Slap47]

Disagreements, sure. Pretty heated ones where I got called a gay nigger, with radical guys, also sure. None of them sincerely believed in their moral superiority and being on the right side of the history. For the record, our rates of atheism are through the roof so christfags, myself included, are very tame.
EDIT: What I am trying to say, media and academia are fully on the prog side of things, and instill a sense of righteous cause. I guarantee you basically no one sees stopping mass immigration as a moral imperative. You can argue nigger--hating can whip people up into frenzy, but it won't make people stomp on your face whilw fully believing it is for your own good.

Ben Shapiro literally wrote a book called "the right side of history".

 

[turboNIG-3k]

Ben Shapiro literally wrote a book called "the right side of history".

Well, good thing I am not american, cause I probably couldn't resist stealing that midget's yarmulke

 

[Lemmingwise]

Dunno where people get this idea - there are plenty of exceptional right wingers who will get violent over minor things, you just don't encounter them because you espouse right wing ideas yourself and don't get their ire

Espousing right wing ideas is a very recent development for me. So, I didn't experience the opposite, but I know my experiences are inherently biased, as all personal experiences are.

That's why I asked for some experiences that I have not had (or seen in videos etc)

Like, you describe encountering violence for espousing non right-wing ideas? Can you give a little more context, because that's exactly the type of experience that I'm interested in and want to learn about. I get it if you don't like to share, though.

 

[Niggernerd]

Atheists are too cucked to do Crusades.
His opinions aren't important.

 

[I Love Beef]

I'd point out how much he laps up to Richard Dawkins and essentially has a science faith. As I've written elsewhere, mankind has embraced scientific thinking for not even a century, and that's not including scientists in the Industrial Revolution. We're not even used to thinking yet with the scientific method. Tell him that his primitive brain is just utilizing science as justifying evidence as much as the Bible and tell him to get laid.

 

[Cedric_Eff]

@Cedric_Eff my advice would be to avoid arguing with your relative. Instead kill him with kindness. It seems like he wants to argue for the fuck of it and blue balling him is the best way to frustrate him. Getting back to the central question how old is your relative?

In his late 30s.

 

[Ughubughughughughughghlug]

My experience with atheism is that most people I know who claim to be atheists are weird to me. One of my relatives who is “big brained” often belittles me for my beliefs and that he said that I’m provoking and dividing my family because of my religion. He’s always ranting at me for something trivial and said that me reading the Bible made me a simpleton and that I can’t beat his “big brain”.

Dude didn’t even know how to use his smartphone up until about a year ago. How is that big brained? But aside from that, I’ve also seen some of the atheist YouTube channels and it also made me question about people who discuss about atheism.

Yes. Normal people who just don't believe in God tend not to put a label on it, unless pressed to. People who feel the need to go and "be" atheists are usually defective in some way, and that way is usually narcissism.

All self-professed atheists are trash.

 

[Sīn the Moon Daddy]

Yes. Normal people who just don't believe in God tend not to put a label on it, unless pressed to. People who feel the need to go and "be" atheists are usually defective in some way, and that way is usually narcissism.

All self-professed atheists are trash.

I digress. I'm aware that religion gives people meaning and strength. Given our culture is mostly religious, I'm aware that I'm actually the weird one. So I get along with the religious fairly well, in fact I used to date a couple of Christian girls and even a Catholic. The Catholic was always my favorite. I wish she had stayed in my past but I liked her while I liked her. The fact that her intrusion back into my life was supposed to be a favor is just bizarre.

 

[nonvir_1984]

My experience with atheism is that most people I know who claim to be atheists are weird to me. One of my relatives who is “big brained” often belittles me for my beliefs and that he said that I’m provoking and dividing my family because of my religion. He’s always ranting at me for something trivial and said that me reading the Bible made me a simpleton and that I can’t beat his “big brain”.

Dude didn’t even know how to use his smartphone up until about a year ago. How is that big brained? But aside from that, I’ve also seen some of the atheist YouTube channels and it also made me question about people who discuss about atheism.

In my limited experience interacting with the humans, atheism is like any cult like mentality - religion, particularly evangelicals and the Religion of Peace, oh and vegetarians/vegans and other dietary faddists. They go on about it because they need validation from others that their beliefs are true. Personally, I find it an effort to give a fuck about my beliefs and can rarely muster effort to give a fuck about someone elses.
But if you want to mess with his brain, you can deploy Socrates (as portrayed by Plato). Ask the atheist whether something is good because he or she approves of it - or does he or she approve of it because it is good?
If it is the former, then ask him if all opinions are equal, and equally worthy of consideration - and if so why should anyone accept his views.
If the atheist says things are objectively good, then ask him on what basis.
If you don't get a smack in the head for that, I'll be disappointed. But you will find it morally improving. [Modified from the Euthyphro. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthyphro and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMOD7ofD9Ck]

 

[Sprig of Parsley]

People who are prone to pseudo-intellectual dickmeasuring contests and have superiority complexes are drawn to various things, atheism being one of them. An atheist that evangelizes atheism is missing most of, if not the entirety, of the fucking point.

 

[Lemmingwise]

Hmm... looks like nobody can describe experiences from the opposite end of the spectrum? Is that then just a media constructed boogeyman? Really makes me think.

Still open to learning otherwise.

 

[MistressCaridad]

They seem to be saying: "We're so smart and cultured and superior to everyone that disagrees with us, who are silly, kinda stupid and a little sad."

I'd point out how much he laps up to Richard Dawkins and essentially has a science faith. As I've written elsewhere, mankind has embraced scientific thinking for not even a century, and that's not including scientists in the Industrial Revolution.

@Lemmingwise nailed it. This is my problem with the “I AM VERY SMART” types like Dickhead Dawkins. They don’t believe in God, Jesus, Buddha, Satan, Cthulhu or the FSM? Great! Good for them! It doesn’t mean their shit smells any better than some overly religious suburban mom. (Hell, Dawkins has some weird almost fundie-ish mindsets with regards to atheism/antitheism and he’s just as strident about those mindsets... he just tries to cloak them in an intellectualism so he seems more “rational” than the fanatics he reeeeees about, when really in delivery, he’s no different than they are. Plus, he’s a fucking asshole.)

 

[Autocrat]

My experience with atheism is that most people I know who claim to be atheists are weird to me. One of my relatives who is “big brained” often belittles me for my beliefs and that he said that I’m provoking and dividing my family because of my religion. He’s always ranting at me for something trivial and said that me reading the Bible made me a simpleton and that I can’t beat his “big brain”.

Dude didn’t even know how to use his smartphone up until about a year ago. How is that big brained? But aside from that, I’ve also seen some of the atheist YouTube channels and it also made me question about people who discuss about atheism.

I've attended a Christian community group / bible study for a majority of the year, so I'm clearly open minded about Christianity.

The thing is, you're calling Atheists weird and insinuating that they're stupid hypocrites while you presumably take your take your meaning of life from a book that makes nothing but unsubstantiated claims or otherwise outright false claims. The core tenant of the Abrahamic faiths is fealty to a being that there's no proof exists.

Moreover, the Christian philosophy in particular is one that promotes a slave mentality. You are nothing without God and everything you have is because of God. Making an effort to be subservient to an imaginary being doesn't make any sense.

You and other atheist bashers ITT are propping up a strawman caricature of fedora atheists, when the vast majority are not strongly against Christianity, and simply find no reason to believe it.

 

[Cedric_Eff]

I've attended a Christian community group / bible study for a majority of the year, so I'm clearly open minded about Christianity.

The thing is, you're calling Atheists weird and insinuating that they're stupid hypocrites while you presumably take your take your meaning of life from a book that makes nothing but unsubstantiated claims or otherwise outright false claims. The core tenant of the Abrahamic faiths is fealty to a being that there's no proof exists.

Moreover, the Christian philosophy in particular is one that promotes a slave mentality. You are nothing without God and everything you have is because of God. Making an effort to be subservient to an imaginary being doesn't make any sense.

You and other atheist bashers ITT are propping up a strawman caricature of fedora atheists, when the vast majority are not strongly against Christianity, and simply find no reason to believe it.

I do agree that there are a lot of atheists out there who aren’t like a fedora atheists. Definitely.