How Gulliable Are You

martymas

By martymas,
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Aluvus

Aluvus

Posted
Posted

I have to take issue with this. Several items on the test are incorrect or inaccurate, or just speculative. Examples:

"Silver fillings are safe to put in your teeth. Otherwise, dentists wouldn't use them.

FALSE. Silver fillings are nearly 40% mercury -- one of the most toxic heavy metals known to man"

The amount of mercury one is actually exposed to is safe.

"The history taught to American children in public school is true and accurate.

FALSE. American history, as taught to American schoolchildren, is more a collection of lies and distortions than actual history. From Columbus to the Vietnam War, politically correct American history consistently paints Americans in a glorious light"

Partly accurate, but mainly hyperbole.

"My government would never knowingly lie to me.

FALSE. All governments lie."

All is a very strong claim to make with no evidence. But yes, the US government hsa knowingly lied before.

"The Federal Reserve is a branch of the U.S. government.

FALSE."

This is a half-truth. The Fed was founded and is under the control of the federal government. Fed chairmen are appointed by the president. The Fed even has a website under the .gov TLD. The only truth here is that the Fed is in fact owned by member banks.

"Inflation is a natural side effect of a healthy, growing economy.

FALSE."

This is correct, but their explanation is misleading. Limited inflation in a growing economy is a very normal, even useful thing. It's not a "hidden tax" or whatever paranoid theory. Controlled inflation is not some great evil to be feared. A money supply that remains constant can be a Very Bad Thing. These people need a few classes in economics.

"Vitamin E is dangerous.

FALSE."

Large doses of vitamin E are poisonous, period. Normal doses are safe.

"There is no cure for cancer.

FALSE."

Misleading. They can claim all they want that there are cures for some cancers, but there's no silver bullet.

"All foods and beverages are safe to consume in moderation and can be part of a balanced diet.

FALSE."

Wrong on its face. A "balanced diet" doesn't have to be a perfect diet. This is the same fallacy they made above in assuming that any exposure to mercury was unsafe.

"Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a genuine brain chemistry disorder that must be treated with drugs to help children.

FALSE. This so-called disease is entirely fictitious and has no measurable physiological basis whatsoever. Hyperactivity in children is actually caused primarily by poor nutritional habits (consumption of refined sugars and food coloring)"

Their claim that it is entirely fictitious is debateable at best. But their claim about hyperactivity is dead wrong. Recent studies have shown that, against conventional wisdom, hyperactivity has rather little to do with refined sugar intake and such. Food coloring is present in such small amounts in most foods that it is of dubious dietary signficiance.

This kind of FUD is really despicable not just because it is inaccurate, but because it is self-serving and aimed at bullying people into believing what they do to avoid being labeled "sheeple" (a term popular mainly among conspiracy nuts).

FWIW, I managed to get a lower score by intentionally answering "wrong" on a few items.

Sorry to go off like that, but this type of thing really bothers me.

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JDoors

JDoors

Posted
Posted

Well, it wasn't really clear from the subject title if the test was supposed to ferret out any gullibility on your part, or if you were gullible enough to fall for any of their ideas. :D

So I went back and checked "True" to all of them and they concluded:

"You are a total mind slave, utterly controlled by corporate and government interests."

Yup, that about describes me. Plus, I'm, "... actually plugged in to a propaganda machine that shapes [my] reality for [me]." Some thoughts <edit> I did not realize how long this would take!:

1) "The milk / weight loss myth is a clever marketing gimmick dreamed up by the dairy industry ..."

The dairy industry must be powerful indeed to influence or alter university studies in this manner, then to influence the media to distribute their propaganda. Too bad they weren't powerful enought to inhibit the studies and media reports that debunked the originals or else they might have gotten away with their diabolical scheme to get us to drink milk.

2) "Silver fillings are nearly 40% mercury -- one of the most toxic heavy metals known to man. A single drop on your skin can literally kill you."

Comparing the Mercury bound in amalgam to the toxicity of pure Mercury is deceptive to say the least and is similar to the argument: Arsenic is one of the deadliest poisons known to man, potatos contain Arsenic, therefore potatos are deadly.

3) "People who eat non-organic beef are often eating secondhand chicken feces."

Are we so far removed from our connection with the land that no one knows what "organic fertilizer" is any more? It's poop. Horse poop, cow poop, chicken, pig, it's all poop. Your food is grown in it, it's fed to animals which we then eat. It's no secret or government plot, it's called "farming."

4) "Everyone who watches advertising is persuaded by it, but no one thinks they are."

An example of setting up a false argument just so you can knock it back down. What people, exactly, say they are not persuaded by advertising? Who? What studies show people don't think ads are pursuasive? Where do they get this from? Nope, it's just a way of setting up the paranoid argument that you are being "controlled" (which is very, very different from being persuaded) by a boogey-man, in this case advertisers. You know, like the dairy industry (see #1).

5) "Food companies offer coupons because they want to sell more of their products ..."

Any one believe food companies offer coupons because they are so gol-darned concerned about you meeting your budget? Of course not. Another false argument. In this case to get you to forsake brand names because capitalism, i.e., corporations, are evil.

6) "American history, as taught to American schoolchildren, is more a collection of lies and distortions than actual history."

"Listen to OUR version, OUR lies and distortions, not THEIRS." I agree we are not taught an entirely accurate view of world history, but I am certain these people are no more accurate overall than the present curriculum.

7) "Just about every container of strawberry yogurt, for example, uses this insect-derived food coloring."

And Jello is derived from horse's hooves and bones. Yummy. Such unusual food facts are not common knowledge and you can understand why. There are other food products that are sourced from insects. They say you might be allergic, I say, so? You might be allergic to cow poop but your salad was bathed in it a few weeks ago. We all know about insect parts and rat feces and hair in the food chain but you know what? I'd rather trust a jar of peanut butter from the supermarket than an "organic, home made" style that has NO regulation for such extraneous matter. It might contain arsenic, the same ingredient that makes potatos poisonous!

8) "The question is not whether governments lie, but why they lie. The answer remains consistent: to maintain control."

Some paranoia is healthy for you and anything that foments a distrust of our government I won't dispute. But I personally doubt our government is competant enough to be this cunning, I suspect they mostly lie to cover up their own ineptness. They do not leave me with the impression that they are evil mind-control experts. At least not like those damn capitalists!

9) "The "we need money for R&D" plea is a marketing gimmick used by drug companies to make consumers feel better about buying drugs at monopoly prices."

Yeah, that's really working. I know I feel better paying high prices, don't you? Too similar to the "capitalists are evil" tirades in #s 1 and 4 above to bother with, but I will say I do not believe profits are evil, even high profits, and that drug companies in the United States have an enviable record of discovery and innovation. Could that be because they are profitable? Not according to these guy's point of view.

10) "The Fed is neither owned by the U.S. government, nor answers to it."

So you didn't know that the Federal Reserve Bank isn't a branch of the U.S. government? (Can you NAME the branches of the U.S. government?) I blame those lieing, cheating, deceptive history teachers (see #6). And another example of the site's "captalism=evil" tirade.

11) "Banks are in business to make money, just like any other business. They loan people money solely to make a profit. That's why they only loan money to people who seem like a safe bet. If banks were in business just to hand out money for the public good, loan officers would never reject a loan application. Most homeowners, by the way, end up paying for their house three times over by the time their loan is finally paid off with the bank."

Had to quote the entire paragraph here, and if anyone can tell me where in there there's anything new or non-obvious please speak up. "Captalism=evil," again.

12) "The vast majority of the fluoride added to drinking water is fluorosilicic acid, a toxic byproduct of coal plants."

The science behind this assertion is beyond my scope, but note that the compound they site is NOT the same as the compound mentioned on the anti-flouride site they linked with, nor is the source the same. As far as I've researched this it appears to be a "legitimate science vs. junk science" issue. I'm surprised the almighty dairy capitalists haven't chimed in on this issue, drinking more milk would be a good alternative once you've eliminated flouride from tap water.

13) "There is absolutely no requirement that surgical procedures be proven safe or effective ..."

Another, so? No one ever said surgery was overseen by the government as are food and drugs. I don't know if I WANT the Feds checking under my surgical gown to see if they approve. This site seems to want the government to oversee everything (umm, "socialism?"), when they're not tearing them down for being liars and accusing them of deceipt.

14) "Gambling is only outlawed when the government doesn't get a cut from the activity."

Another, so? Is it surprising they wish to control gambling (or alcohol, or cigarettes)? And that they tax such activity? What a shocker! And did you know that the ONLY reason I go to work every day is that I want money in return? Yup, I'm a filthy capitalist.

15) "In an honest economy, the money supply would remain constant, and the annual inflation rate would be zero."

Only if you had absolute control over the economy, as in, say, a socialist state. Oh, yeah, these guys ARE socialists, so their argument makes perfect sense. (Ignoring for the moment the disasterous economies of purely socialist states.)

16) "FDA-approved drugs have killed more Americans than ..."

This is true! Drugs are not perfect, nor is mankind for that matter. We used to bleed people to "let out the bad air" and whatnot, now we give drugs that may turn out to be dangerous. Damn evil capitalists and lieing deceptive government. Those powerful dairy people should just take over.

17) "Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and many European countries easily eclipse the U.S. in terms of bandwidth, wi-fi and overall connectivity."

I guess if you let them define which technologies define a country as superior, they are sort of correct. But it sure seems deceptive to me to leave out all the areas in which the U.S. is clearly superior, but then, if they're being deceptive, wouldn't that mean they might be the government trying to .... Oh man, almost let my paranoia get the better of me there.

18) "The USDA actually tried to ban sodium nitrite in the 1970's, but was overruled by the food industry ..."

The 'food industry' is almost as powerful as the dairy industry, they 'overruled' a government agency! Another science vs. junk science argument with captialism=evil overtones, and a hint of government should protect us but lies to us instead thrown in. The latest studies show nitrates and nitrites protect us from heart attacks, but then I'm sure those studies were funded by the meat packing industry.

19) "... the current housing market in the U.S. is a bubble just begging for a correction."

Well, duh. Prices go up, 'til they go down. Of course they can't say WHEN prices will go down ... but saying it will happen is correct so they're right on this one. Oh, and FYI, the sun'll come up tomorrow, betch yer bottom dollar.

20) "Med schools primarily teach disease pathology and the treatment of symptoms of disease. Very little time (if any) is spent teaching doctors about nutrition and healthy lifestyles."

No fault with this point. It's true, doctors prefer to learn how to be doctors, not nutritionists or lifestyle counsellers.

21) "The U.S. media, both liberal and conservative, deeply distort war news by primarily relying on Pentagon reports that use a variety of distortions and linguistic tricks to keep Americans misinformed about actual events in Iraq."

So both liberal and conservative media use the same lies from Uncle Sam to report ... opposite views? Wow, the government must be really smart to pull that one off. I may have to rethink my opinion of the government. I mean, the EVIL LYING DECEPTIVE government. In league with those evil capitalists. And the food industry I'm sure. All controlled by the dairy lobbyists.

22) "... the United States of America is a Republic ..."

Which you'd already know if those damn history teachers weren't lying to us all. Which brings up the point of: Who is this site aimed at, People who are already ignorant?

23) "The one thing about science that's 100% predictable is that the definition of "scientific truth" will evolve and expand, often contradicting past truths."

While true, the reason they include it here is to brainwash you into believing their junk science just might, possibly, be correct. "Yes, you heard and read and can research and look up the facts and most contradicts what we're saying, but how do you know we CAN'T be right, since science is never exact?" ("Unless it's our science, 'cause we're right, of course.")

24) "The recent headlines about the dangers of vitamin E all result from an organized assault on vitamins that used blatantly distorted science to produce a false conclusion."

This one nearly stumps me. An 'organized assault on vitamins" makes no sense from their point of view (as near as I can glean what that is). The evil capitalist drug companies make evil profits selling vitamins, so where's the advantage in orgainizing an assault on them? It appears the carefully worded paragraph is meant to disparage "synthetic" vitamins, that is, only those sold by evil capitalist drug companies. Organic vitamins are okey-dokey with them (eventual link to sales page available, but they're only selling it at cost, and they like puppies and unicorns).

25) "Banks do not hold your money, they use your money as a reserve and then lend out ten times as much money to other customers."

OK, I'm sorry if I offend anyone, but if you're ignorant enough to believe your actual cash deposits are sitting on a shelf at the bank you deserve this site. OF COURSE they invest the money, that's what they do. Damn evil capitalists.

26) "The mainstream U.S. press doesn't talk about it much, but the world's hydrogen problems have a ready solution. Frozen ice crystals found off the shores of Canada, Japan, Russia, Iceland and other nations with Northern shores contain vast quantities of clean, frozen hydrogen -- enough to power the entire world far beyond the limits of petroleum reserves. The U.S. press doesn't talk much about gas hydrates, preferring to focus on hydrogen derived from either natural gas or petroleum (resources the U.S. tends to own or control)."

I'm tiring so I'm not going to look this up. I'm sure they have taken into consideration the costs of recovering these magic crystals, and the cost of extracting the hydrogen, and storing it, and distributing it, and storing it locally, and of converting all the rest of our fleet and infrastructure to use hydrogen, since they have been so thorough in the rest of their statements and suggestions, so let's pretend they're right. Hah! (Let's ignore that they previously said Japan is ahead of us in technology [#17], and that Japan is ahead of us in hydrogen fuel technology, and that these magic crystals are found off the shores of Japan, yet the crystals are supposedly ignored because they're not controlled by us backward yokels in the U.S.)

27) "The primary purpose of bombing Japan was to demonstrate to the Soviet Union that the United States not only had nuclear weapons ..."

I can't debate what's not entirely known. There are those that state with complete certainty what our government was thinking back in the 1940's and it's impossible to argue with something they're making up. There's enough truth (Japan was losing the war) to make an argument, enough lies to make it clear they are either ignorant or being intentionally deceptive (we did not have to prove anything to the USSR, they already knew beyond a doubt), so this is an argument that will never die.

28) "Having a baby is a patent violation ..."

Shows their complete, and unsurprising, ignorance of science and the law.

29) "The myth that sunlight is bad for you is promoted primarily by the sunscreen industry and its professional allies (dermatologists)."

Which conflicts with the powerful drug industry (who sell anti-cancer stuff) and doctors who make money operating on and treating cancer (which means dermatologists are stupid for telling you the sun's bad for you, they'd make a ton more money if they told you to tan to your heart's content). Junk science again, sure the sun's good for you -- to a point. But do they tell you exactly how much exposure is good and how much is bad? Nope, 'cause they don't know what they're talking about.

30) "There are, in fact, many proven cures for cancer ..."

Define, "cure." Specify what type of cancer. Of course if you're ignorant of medicine you wouldn't even realize those definitions and parameters are important parts of the question. And again paranoia overcomes logic: The evil drug industry and doctors profit from treating cancer, on the other hand, somehow, if they had a cure, they'd make no money? They'd be rich as Midas for cryin' out loud.

31) "In reality, some foods (like soft drinks, white bread, etc.) promote diabetes. Other foods (margarine and any food containing hydrogenated oils) promote heart disease. There are yet more foods (processed meats) that cause cancer. These foods cannot be part of a balanced diet because they imbalance the diet and promote disease."

Shows an ignorance of what constitutes a "balanced" diet, and a complete lack of understanding of humanity. We take risks all the time. We balance risks with safety all the time. Almost nothing we do is risk free. But I guess someone, somewhere, is willing to TELL YOU what balance of risk vs. safety is good for you. Wear your seatbelt, don't eat margarine, don't do this or that or this or that. Everyone should do what WE tell you to do. Screw that!

32) "Most common diseases (cancer, heart disease, diabetes) are caused by bad genes and bad luck.

FALSE. This myth is promoted by organized medicine as a way to disempower patients and make them think there's nothing they can do to prevent disease."

Another false argument. No legitimate doctor or scientist would state that, but if they create the argument it empowers them to knock it down. You'd have to be a moron or live in a cave to believe 'organized medicine' has done nothing to promote the prevention of disease. All I ever hear is flak about what I should be doing to prevent disease (less fat, no trans-fats, less refined sugar & flour, more full-grains, nuts, vegetables and fruits, no smoking, etc.).

33) "This so-called disease is entirely fictitious and has no measurable physiological basis whatsoever."

Ahh, take the truth that it is probably over-diagnosed, then pretend that means it doesn't even exist! Brilliant! And I'm sure we'll find enough ignoramuses to go along with that deceptive line of reasoning! Since we've already established that doctors and the drug industry, oops, the evil capitalist drug industry, cannot be trusted, when they present evidence that disputes us we'll just point our fingers in their direction and say, "Liar, liar, pants on fire!"

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TheLetterK

TheLetterK

Posted
Posted
" ... Had you been a German citizen in 1939, you would have made a loyal Nazi. ..."

Geez, calling you a Nazi seems a little harsh. Seems to me the site's saying, "If you don't agree with us you are $$@#$!" Sounds like they're the Nazis.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Nazis were socialists...

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Aluvus

Aluvus

Posted
Posted
" ... Had you been a German citizen in 1939, you would have made a loyal Nazi. ..."

Geez, calling you a Nazi seems a little harsh. Seems to me the site's saying, "If you don't agree with us you are $$@#$!" Sounds like they're the Nazis.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Nazis were socialists...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Nazis were fascists. Fascism is not socialism.

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TheLetterK

TheLetterK

Posted
Posted
" ... Had you been a German citizen in 1939, you would have made a loyal Nazi. ..."

Geez, calling you a Nazi seems a little harsh. Seems to me the site's saying, "If you don't agree with us you are $$@#$!" Sounds like they're the Nazis.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Nazis were socialists...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Nazis were fascists. Fascism is not socialism.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They ruled through a type of facism, but they were socialists. Soclailism isn't a type of government, it's an economic philosophy.

Capitalism isn't a kind of government either--it can be used by dictator and democracy alike.

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bearskin

bearskin

Posted
Posted (edited)
to me right wing and nazi are the same.

no bloody different

take advantage of the vulnierable.

have a look at bush

marty

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

and who would you rather have than Bush?....John Kerry?....I hope this is not gonna be another political thread....personally I'm getting tired of all this "BUSH BASHING"

Marty I consider you a friend but with your views about the united states government I choose not to respond to any more of your posts...I really think this thread should be locked before it turns into another flame.

Edited by bearskin
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macmarauder

macmarauder

Posted
Posted

message to all:

we shouldn't need to to lock or delete this thread or others cause we are a bunch of adults and this thread is not a political thread or a place for flame wars. this not the place for political or social discussion or debate. if you followed the link to the test and took it seriously then lighten up cause your reading way to much into it. it was meant as a joke by the author. if you feel the need to debate or discus such things i'm sure that we can supply you with plenty of links to places for it.

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Bubba Bob

Bubba Bob

Posted
Posted
message to all:

we shouldn't need to to lock or delete this thread or others cause we are a bunch of adults and this thread is not a political thread or a place for flame wars. this not the place for political or social discussion or debate. if you followed the link to the test and took it seriously then lighten up cause your reading way to much into it. it was meant as a joke by the author. if you feel the need to debate or discus such things i'm sure that we can supply you with plenty of links to places for it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It seems alot of threads have turned political lately. I dont know what Marty's problem is, but its starting to piss me off.

I literaly had to walk away from my computer, to keep from flaming his pants off, after reading his reply in FLash's 9/11 post. I dont know what your trying to prove by pushing your opinions on us, Marty, But all your doing is pissing off alot of people.

Posted respectfully, and not in a flame or hatefull tone.

Bob

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martymas

martymas

Posted
  • Author
Posted

hi team

i didnt mean to hurt any ones feelings

hasent any one read the the thread theletterk posted in

i rsponded to that post no oneselses.

im a bit pissed off my self

are you ganging up on me

because i answered his post no one elses.

im a socialist and i dont want to be called a nazi.

i have no issue with any one else on this board .

but that particular post

so if im to be censured

what about that post

aluvas responded to it as well

marty

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bearskin

bearskin

Posted
Posted

marty...I realize that there's a lot wrong here in the US but our job is to try to change things for the better...you think new zealand is a perfect country? I could find things wrong with your government if I look for it but I don't care to go slandering your leaders...it seems that in your last few post here and at G4 you have a terrible hatred for our country. I don't know why you are so bitter about Bush but you need to get over it and take care of your own country....in your previous thread you mentioned nazis and bush so I guess that means that I am a nazi....this will be my last response to this thread...please go away and leave me alone.

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