Episode link: https://soundcloud.com/youarenotsosmart/092-bullshit-rebroadcast
Takeaways:
- Methods of thinking are more important than raw intelligence. The people who were burning witches probably didn’t have a lower IQ than the people who went to the moon. They thought about the world in a different way.
- Bullshit and lying aren’t the same. Bullshit may contain lies, but the purpose is different. Lies intentionally deceive, but bullshit’s goal is impressing the listener.
- Falling for bullshit isn’t a good indicator for someone’s intelligence.
- People may fall for bullshit for non-obvious reasons, such as reading too far into it or projecting their own beliefs onto it.