Malingering’s World

I’d never experienced so much personal criticism for curiosity until I entered the blogging world and the message board culture, but it’s come to the point that I am starting to go insane and have removed myself from as many online communities as possible. There are hoards and hoards of people out there who will adamantly believe in whatever they like, defend it without vacillation, and refute all opposing opinions without any concrete evidence at all.

Maybe it’s because I come from a science background or maybe I’m just a nerd, but to me an opinion is no more than an opinion until you have hard scientific data backing it up. And even then your glory is only temporary as this stance could potentially be dismantled with contradictory information at any moment. Such is the nature of research.

Lately I’ve been encountering more and more people who try to refute the results of studies, professional opinions and research with ridiculous agenda driven arguments like “well, that research is two years old” or “my gut tells me otherwise” which is really fine with me if you want to base your choices on your bowel gas but for fuck’s sake why are you trying to force it on other people? Or even worse, your children? I suppose I shouldn’t have a hard time understanding WHY people do this (see: The Stubborn Brain chapter of Mind Of Its Own) but rather where people find the arrogance to stand steadfast behind shit that they’re pulling out of their assholes. I could never be so confident to tell someone how to improve their health by extrapolating from personal experience (and besides that, I’d be fired) so how do all of these internet people (and DAN “doctors”) get away with it?

It’s only been year or so since I started participating in online communities, and in a very short span of time I found that no matter where I go I am soon labeled a know-it-all or a brat because I ask questions and look things up. Ironically this generally comes from my admission of ignorance and a desire to find the truth. There is a certain online publication which I had to stop writing for because apparently my inability to set aside my questions and desire to find correct answers really upset people. Then it started happening in other online communities, doing research and doubting the dogma spewed forth from certain leaders or experts somehow made me a narrow-minded ass. Fine.

The best thing about the internet is the limitless network of info sharing, but the worst thing about the internet is the infinite amount of misinformation. The reliability of info should not be a democratic process, and this is why I despise shit like “yahoo answers.” Yet in many online communities, majority rules over scientific data and anecdote is now as powerful as the scientific method. Anyone can deem themselves an expert (see Jenny McCarthy) and create a following, and add a few irrelevant credentials and testimonials and you’ve created actual truth.

I used to think this stemmed from laziness or ignorance but now I understand that it comes from self-serving narcissism and a profound desire for control. I have found that the more scientific data (in the form of peer reviewed journal articles) I cite, the more defensive people get. I have been called a bitch, a brat and I’ve been accused of sabotage. I have been told “may you find a way to consider new points of view, whenever you’re ready.” God forbid I consider the point of view that data is data and anecdotes are anecdotes and each should be taken for what they are.

There has been a long standing debate amongst me and my friends about whether or not it is better to understand the truth or better to wholeheartedly believe your own delusion regardless of whether or not it is based in reality (and what is reality anyway?). We’re starting to agree that actuality doesn’t matter as long as you believe in your own world. It’s like living a placebo life. But it works.

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