Do Americans Know the Difference Between Cause and Effect These Days???

[Joshua M. Smith]

Hello,

I don't watch much TV. Reason being I get tired of sorting through all the stupid crap for the few gold nuggets. It seems quite dumbed down.

One of the few shows I tolerate is Modern Marvels. They tend to get things right, more or less.

Was watching the latest one, "Mega Weapons" or something similar.

Before Number 1 on the countdown, there was a commercial break. The announcer said, "Coming up, number one on our list, a weapon that caused one of the most infamous crimes in history" or something very close to that. The word "caused" was used. It's what got my undivided attention.

After skipping through the commercials on the DVR, it turns out the weapon in question was the handgun. They had changed "caused" to "used to commit". That I can accept. The crime was Lincoln's assassination.

They also mentioned in the beginning of the "Number 1" segment that "like it or not, handguns are a large part of American culture," or similar. It seemed pro-gun overall with responsible gun handling and just an overall positive note. (ie, guns are used by criminals, but also by the good guys, etc.)

Anyway, it got me to wondering if folks are really taking the time to notice the differences between causes, tools, and effects, and that only actions, not objects, tend to be causes.

This just irritates me.

Josh

P.S. They also went into an in-depth explanation of rifling, but then talked about how the ball used in Booth's derringer was sub-caliber and therefore bounced around in the barrel, which would allow it to go any which way, and that's why Booth had to be close to Lincoln. They would have been right had they been talking a smoothbore, but they clearly depicted a rifled bore. Ideally there would have been a patch there. Idiots! Arrrrrgh!

 

[Half-cocked]

I think I remember seeing that episode, and thinking the same thing.

I guess with "Mythbusters" deflating so many urban legends, the CATV industry has to go out there and try to create a slew of new ones.

 

[Zombie_013]

"Guns kill people, people do not kill people." "Only military should have AKs". This crap makes me sick. I no longer share my opinions regarding guns or anything else with anyone accept Theresa, my lady. I spent 10 years trying to enlighten one of my buddies to no avail. I have explained my f'n heart away to another friend, for him to later (a few weeks later) say "there is absolutely no practical reason a citizen should have an ak or ar".

rant over

 

[rockstarrob]

Television will infuriate you.

 

[Old Salty Dog]

No one can think any more, let alone actually reason. TV is a large part of the reason.

 

[rseymorejr]

"Guns kill people, people do not kill people." "Only military should have AKs". This crap makes me sick. I no longer share my opinions regarding guns or anything else with anyone accept Theresa, my lady. I spent 10 years trying to enlighten one of my buddies to no avail. I have explained my f'n heart away to another friend, for him to later (a few weeks later) say "there is absolutely no practical reason a citizen should have an ak or ar".

rant over

You need to hang out with a better class of people

 

[Indiana Jones]

Watch Idiocracy. It's where we are heading.

 

[boss66tcode]

The average American's capacity for thought and self reflection is limited at best. It wasn't always this way. TV made minds lazy by the millions.

That said, I am watching one right now.

 

[Magnumite]

For nearly two hundred years there was legitmate journalism and actual historic accounting of events, though not untarnished. It crested a trusting public who went about their lives voting with mostly accurate infirmation. In the past 30-40 years text writers have twisted, even lied, about historic events and documents with intents to fit socialist agendas. The media obviously and our education system from first grade through grad schools are the greatest offenders. Americans accepted these "new lights on the meanings" of events and laws because previous journalism and texts were accurate. They trusted printed and broadcast word. Slowly the spin was increased to a trusting public.

It is happening world wide. Did you notice the public health plug with the opening ceremonies of the Olympics? Worldwide propaganda and proliferation at an event it didn't belong. The Olympics typically stay away from that but they've obviously whored out to fanfare.

To a smaller degree, more use/technical/assessment related, we even see gun related cool-aid served and gulped on gun related topics on firearms websites. Human nature.

 

[carpoor]

Idiocracy is a scary true story! lol

 

[Marauder]

For nearly two hundred years there was legitmate journalism and actual historic accounting of events, though not untarnished. It crested a trusting public who went about their lives voting with mostly accurate infirmation. In the past 30-40 years text writers have twisted, even lied, about historic events and documents with intents to fit socialist agendas. The media obviously and our education system from first grade through grad schools are the greatest offenders. Americans accepted these "new lights on the meanings" of events and laws because previous journalism and texts were accurate. They trusted printed and broadcast word. Slowly the spin was increased to a trusting public.

It is happening world wide. Did you notice the public health plug with the opening ceremonies of the Olympics? Worldwide propaganda and proliferation at an event it didn't belong. The Olympics typically stay away from that but they've obviously whored out to fanfare.

To a smaller degree, more use/technical/assessment related, we even see gun related cool-aid served and gulped on gun related topics on firearms websites. Human nature.

+1

 

[Allium]

There is no more cause and effect. Part of teaching it is if i do this - this happens in return. Now its ecuses - I did it, but not my fault therefore I didnt do it. Or I want because I deserve not because I do. And it starts when they are a kid when Mommy first bribes them rather than swat them when they scream cause they want something.

 

[john_bud]

"Guns kill people, people do not kill people." "Only military should have AKs".

rant over

Or as I say, "Guns don't kill people, bullets kill people"


The OP has a great point that the general public has zero idea of what cause and effect mean. They lack the capacity to think logically and unambiguously to reach a fact based conclusion. They live with decisions based on feeeeeelings. ARRRGH!

 

[rockstarrob]

Bullets don't kill people, the loss of blood kills people

 

[AboveAvg]

on the topic of assault rifles i dont understand how people, mainly people on the news and politicians say there are no reasons for civilians to have an assault rifle.. last i checked assault rifle is fully automatic and an "assault weapon" is a semi only version... so whats the problem o.o take a semi-auto hunting rifle and its not that different from an AR? am I right or just being ignorant i dont own an Ar or any civilian civilian versions of assault rifles I personally dont see the point in having one but I dont mind other people having the right to own and purchase them. Any comments even negative are welcome, I know i dont know everything and any input is appreciated, if i said anything wrong or ignorant please tell me

 

[teratos]

on the topic of assault rifles i dont understand how people, mainly people on the news and politicians say there are no reasons for civilians to have an assault rifle.. last i checked assault rifle is fully automatic and an "assault weapon" is a semi only version... so whats the problem o.o take a semi-auto hunting rifle and its not that different from an AR? am I right or just being ignorant i dont own an Ar or any civilian civilian versions of assault rifles I personally dont see the point in having one but I dont mind other people having the right to own and purchase them. Any comments even negative are welcome, I know i dont know everything and any input is appreciated, if i said anything wrong or ignorant please tell me

A semi-auto AR or AK is not an assault weapon unless you use it to assault someone. There is no difference in terms of deliverable firepower
between an AR and a Mini-14. The fear people have is from the cosmetic appearance of the gun and not from functionality. Someone can do a tremendous amount of damage with a good hunting rifle. The 2A protects weapons that are on common use by the military (for the people, not the military) far more than it protects the shotgun you hunt with. The government could ban hunting tomorrow, and that is still not a 2A issue.

 

[john_bud]

Bullets don't kill people, the loss of blood kills people

Blood loss doesn't kill people, inability to transfer oxygen from the lungs to cells around the body, kills people.

 

[WeaponsCollector]

We have got to ban those evil cop-killer bullets and those shoulder things that go up.

 

[smugfree]

i voluntarily shun tv, have been doing it for 3years. its too abrasive for me too watch anymore. for entertainment, ive got my dvd's, netflix, my car, and most recently guns.

when i do get randomly exposed to news tv, its appalling. the more i look at it, the battle on the 2A will always remain. the people have already been disarmed mentally, all thats left is physically.
i always recommend the movie "zeitgeist". on netflix and youtube. even if you dont agree with everything in it, it is very good at offering a counter opinion/facts, which you cant get on tv anymore.

 

[bitterkenny]

This is just my simplistic opinion to describing the problem: the issue not knowing the difference between correlation and causation.

Statistics is just a tool to show correlation between variables, but use it to jump to a causation conclusion or conclude that there is at least enough of a link to say manipulating one variable can lead to changes in other variables.

We skip the critical or scientific thinking requires statistical correlation to become conclusions. Simply put, we don't often test for causation or other links, rather we assume through intuition a link exists. If we do test, the test are often flawed (bias, mistakes, etc.) or the results are often ignored.

If we go into the Way Back Machine, the proper gathering of statistics, drawing correlations, and testing and retesting is how correlation studies became statistical models, which in turn became equations. We can't even seem reach solid models any more.

Now throw in policy and politics in to the mix, and we can all see how so many laws get passed the don't actually solve any problems...but hey, as one of my more non-technical friends is fond of saying, "At least they did something!" Groan.