See there was no problem, none whatsoever

The Supreme Court is speaking with one voice in response to recent criticism of the justices’ ethical practices: No need to fix what isn’t broken.

The justices’ response on Tuesday struck some critics and ethics experts as tone deaf at a time of heightened attention on the justices’ travel and private business transactions. That comes against the backdrop of a historic dip in public approval as measured by opinion polls.

Deeply divided on some of the most contentious issues of the day — including abortion, gun rights and the place of religion in public life — the court’s six conservatives and three liberals seem united on this particular principle: on ethics they will set their own rules and police themselves.

Charles Geyh, an Indiana University law professor and legal ethics expert, said everything the justices detailed Tuesday evening about ethics was essentially outlined in Chief Justice John Roberts’ annual year-end report from 2011, more than a decade ago.

“They’re basically saying ... What we’ve been doing is just fine. Let’s just re-say it for those of you at the back...That just strikes me as, you know, pretty empty,” Geyh said.

The most recent stories about the questionable ethics practices of justices began earlier this month. First came a ProPublica investigation that revealed that Thomas has for more than two decades accepted luxury trips nearly every year from Republican megadonor Harlan Crow without reporting them on financial disclosure forms. Thomas responded by issuing a statement saying that he was not required to disclose the trips.

https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-ethics-clarence-thomas-2f3fbc26a4d8fe45c82269127458fa08

#SCOTUS in #denial #ethic #issues

From their headline to G-d's ears.

Opinion: The GOP's magic words have lost their magic

Amazing to hear the #GQP #seditionists spouting off - without yet even knowing the charges - about how "Americans will never stand for this!". B.S. The same people who celebrated #sedition and #insurrection aa tourism and patriotism are surely on board with MTG and Tucker, revving up gun-talk and leapfrogging over #justice, #accountability, #truth, #reality, into #MTG LooneyLand powered by #Fox and #TrumpVirus variants still spreading the hate, Big Lie, denial, and division. #indictment #crime #treason #cult #denial

#GQP - Business as usual

I.e., lies, fear/hate mongering, #disinformation, #sedition, #denial, #projection, gibberish and dog whistles, fueled by FoxMike Lee feigns shock at the suggestion of what he actually said... "facts are funny things".... And fact is, many #GQP / #TrumpVirus cultists are out to destroy the things dearest to most (non-billionaire) Americans. Be mindful, even if you'll be ridiculed as woke for seeing reality.

#SocialSecurity #MikeLee #USC #corruption #GQP #Medicare #Medicaid #democracy #retirement #seniors #dignity

A true indicator of just how pathetic and mean spirited this country is...
#Photo
#Photography
#Photographer
#MyWork
#JulianAssange
#VivienneWestwood
#Funeral
#denial

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/jan/09/julian-assange-denied-permission-to-attend-vivienne-westwood-funeral

Meanwhile....

TrumpVirus surges back on the offense with refreshed word salad sound bites ...

... and the most terrific of #delusions #denial and #projection - #psychopathology on parade, "like nobody's seen before".

Technical term: #Unhinged - Symptoms: "There was no January 6th insurrection". There's no evidence. Nasty liberals....

#Jan6 #sedition #treason #accountability #truth #justice #democracy #reality

Dec 9, 2022
#MichaelVlahos and #DouglasMagcregor meet in the library of the illustrious Army-Navy Club, Washington, D.C., the Imperial City, to reflect on the war in #Ukraine.

Part 2 examines the the strategic choices that have led to NATO strategic failure in Ukraine, #conflict with #Russia, and lays bare how deliberate deceit and #denial have #misled the American #people.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=qvYCxK8THbg

#TrumpVirus contagion still alive & well in #DeathSantis/#GQP land. Sad. Sick.
Finally we are returning to #truth and #law and so the #seditionist choir are screaming to stop, & that the enemy is OUR FBI. Law.

Liz Cheney blasts GOP's 'sickening comments' about FBI's Mar-a-Lago search warrant

I can't believe I'm saying this but G-d Bless Liz Cheney! She has nothing to lose & has gained a lot of respect, regardless of history, affiliation. etc. She sees #truth and speaks it to #corrupt power, AKA the #GQP / #Fox disinformation, division, & hate machine.

#MakeAmericaSaneAgain #truth #accountability #law #TruthToPower #denial #mindfulness #disinformation

There are different levels of #reality #denial among Trump supporters:

1) Realists: On the left is the cheering crowd at #Trump's #inauguration and on the right is #Obama's.
2) Conspiracy ideologues: The images were taken at different times to make Trump look worse.
3) Alternative facts: Obama on the left and Trump on the right.
4) Hardcore Trump fans: Left is Trump but it's more people than right.

---

#usa #society #problem #split #politics #Washington #democracy #difference

Although it has been "canceled" by #Fox/#GQP/#GymJordan et al...
"Nothing to see here, especially from us!" - Jan 6 #seditionists inside & outside oF #Congress

January 6 Committee Hearings: Who Will Testify, How to Watch

Those already in #denial will just lie-fest out with #CarlsonTucker and co-#biglie promulgators.
Biggest act of #treason in our lifetimes, maybe history, but - yawn - they'd rather talk about their delusional version of what they're not watching but already know what they believe. And guess what - the #traitors are in power, in USC, and in the #media disinformation wars.

#MakeAmericaSaneAgain

So true....

As social psychologist Zimbardo says, heroism and altruism involve action.
Will we ever learn? It is not hard to find the right button. (
Hint: "Do Something!") Or we can just enjoy our tacit enabling of the vicious cycle of #violence and hate.
And yes, it may be easier said than done on large scale, with such a large swath of populace now dealing w/ PTSD. Bur vital.

Cartoon by E&P Cartoons

#StaySafe #BeMindful Stop the #TrumpVirus - #ViciusCircle of #hate / #disinformation / #denial - #MakeAmericaSaneAgain

How The Mainstream Media Enabled Climate Denial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b8dllBNbRg

"The #media is at the top of my list of #climate #villains."

#georgemonbiot #monbiot #aaronbastani #mainstream #msm #denial #climatechange #environment #fossilfuels #co2 #politics #protests #corruption #secrecy #lies #energy #charter #treaty #control #decolonization #colonial #debt

Imperial Abyss ~ Yanis Varoufakis, Richard D Wolff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN6ac59G6Bo

'It has been one year since #JoeBiden came into office. While he is at COP26 making weak and unconvincing commitments on the climate, the #collapse of the #world #order as we know it — from #environment to #geopolitics — seems #imminent. #RichardWolff and #YanisVaroufakis examine #Biden’s first year in office, and share their perspectives on the current #political and #economic order and its #future, from #techno-feudalism to the new #ColdWar on #China. They also speak about the ongoing #pandemic and the profound #transformations taking place in our time.'

#imperial #abyss #varoufakis #wolff #working-class #workers #labor #unions #strikes #capitalism #oligarchy #financialization #digital #system #foreign #policy #hegemony #us #eu #nordstream2 #empire #decline #denial #fdr #lbj #socialism #organize

Lord #TrumpVirus react to the finding of a clear win in Arizona for Biden:

'We won': Trump and his allies barrel ahead with election lies despite Arizona review confirming his loss

"It is clear, in Arizona that they must decertify the election, you heard the numbers," Trump said. "It's a disgrace. We won on the Arizona forensic audit yesterday on a level you wouldn't believe." As one journalist responded, "you're right. We wouldn't".

#MakeAmericaSaneAgain #psychopathology #denial

Gunfighter Nation Meets Haitian Migrants

https://www.counterpunch.org/2021/09/27/gunfighter-nation-meets-haitian-migrants/

'Our response can no longer remain confined to the #fear of #negative #cultural #representation and #denial. Every time #migrants and #refugees are under attack, #humanrights are under #attack. Every time #human #rights are under attack, so is our #morality as a #nation, our #humanity.'

#gunfighter #nation #haitian #migrants #us #delrio #texas #border #patrol #RichardSlotkin #humanitarian #crisis #asylum

"No, It's Not Your Opinion. You're Just Wrong"

An excellent oldie-but-goldie from Jef Rouner. It begins with this quote:

I have had so many conversations or email exchanges with students in the last few years wherein I anger them by indicating that simply saying, "This is my opinion" does not preclude a connected statement from being dead wrong. It still baffles me that some feel those four words somehow give them carte blanche to spout batshit oratory or prose. And it really scares me that some of those students think education that challenges their ideas is equivalent to an attack on their beliefs.

...

There’s a common conception that an opinion cannot be wrong. My dad said it. Hell, everyone’s dad probably said it and in the strictest terms it is true. However, before you crouch behind your Shield of Opinion you need to ask yourself two questions.

1. Is this actually an opinion?
2. If it is an opinion how informed is it and why do I hold it? ...

--Mick Cullen

Rouner continues:

You can be wrong or ignorant. It will happen. Reality does not care about your feelings. Education does not exist to persecute you. The misinformed are not an ethnic minority being oppressed. ... No, it’s not your opinion. You’re just wrong.

...

To quote John Oliver, who on his show Last Week Tonight referenced a Gallup poll showing one in four Americans believe climate change isn’t real:

Who gives a shit? You don’t need people’s opinion on a fact. You might as well have a poll asking: “Which number is bigger, 15 or 5?” or “Do owls exist?” or “Are there hats?”

http://www.houstonpress.com/arts/no-it-s-not-your-opinion-you-re-just-wrong-7611752

See also "On Being Wrong" by Kathryn Schultz:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=QleRgTBMX88

Key takeaway: there's no shame in being wrong, discovering you're mistaken, and then correcting the error.

Doubling down on bullshit, though... Yeah, nah.

Denial and Identity

The psychology of being wrong, both individual and group, has been much mused on. There's a credible argument that this is strongly based on both denial, most especially of inconvenient truths or of the invalidation of beliefs which have come to define one's own worldview, and of a set of beliefs and behaviours or rituals which have come to define group identity. If your chief reasons for a belief, or a rejection of a statement or model, are that it makes you feel uncomfortable or that your own designated group (family, tribe, community, religion, political party) rejects that belief ... odds are high that you're grounding your belief system in ideology rather than empiricism and pragmatic tests of truth. Note that strongly held, strongly contourfactual beliefs are especially effective as strong and credible signalling devices within groups.

Previously

Based on an old Ello rant: https://ello.co/dredmorbius/post/YXkR941EKbv-Ho-m4gssDQ

And see also my "On nonsense: Forms thereof, falsifiability, pseudoscience, bullshit, youth culture, and other craziness" at the Dreddit.

#Bullshit #opinion #OnBeingWrong #Nonsense #Denial #Signalling #Dogwhistle #Shibboleth #CredibleSignal #GroupAffinity #psychology #sociology #GroupPsychology #Dreddit

Reddit bans anti-vaccine subreddit r/NoNewNormal after site-wide protest

Reddit has banned anti-vaccine and anti-mask subreddit r/NoNewNormal and has quarantined 54 other subreddits associated with COVID denial. A week ago, the company’s CEO said in a post that Reddit was meant to be a place of “open and authentic discussion and debate,” even for ideas that “question or disagree with popular consensus.” In today’s post, the company has clarified its rules with regard to health misinformation.

The subreddit NoNewNormal has been cited by many in the Reddit community as a source of vaccine misinformation, and it was known for “brigading” other subreddit’s discussions by butting in on conversations about COVID or related policies in other communities. NoNewNormal was the source of 80 such brigades in the past month, according to Reddit security, and the behavior continued after the community was warned, leading to its ban. The community had previously been quarantined. For the 54 other subreddits that have been quarantined, Reddit warns potential visitors that medical advice should come from doctors rather than forum members. ...

Reddit continues to insist that its sitewide administrative policies are based on behaviour rather than content, though it appears that this is a somewhat narrow distinction, and that behaviours which draw attention ... tend to be associated with questionable content.

I'm not criticising the action. I support it. (The reasons are complex and difficult to articulate, though what I had to say ... on Reddit ... about limitations on speech some six years ago seems strongly appropriate.

The more so as what I'd based that argument on at the time --- falsely claiming no harm where a harm clearly existed is precisely at the centre of current discussions of the topic. This also seems to be a major, though under-discussed mode, of deceptive speech, and more pointedly a mode in which the downplaying of risk accrues benefits and gains to the parties promoting that message.

That said, Reddit's lack of principled leadership and very-late-to-the-party redress continues to erode trust. Which is one of the key challenges the firm faces: neither of the two principle sides in this matter are or will be happy with how it aquits itself.

I'll note as well that the principles of "free speech" are not synonymous with the US first amendment, that speech on a privately-operate platform is both not the same as government censorship, but also not dissimilar in many regards. I've been thinking in terms of a set of related, though often conflicting principles as #AutonomousCommunication (discussed in "Which has primacy?"). The rights to privacy, free-assocation (both positive and negative), against self-incrimination, of obligated disclosure, and to accurate information, all collide, though there are some common principles which might help in adjudicating amongst them. I'm not aware of others offering any similar construction.

See: https://joindiaspora.com/posts/622677903778013902fd002590d8e506

https://www.theverge.com/22652705/reddit-covid-misinformation-ban-nonewnormal-health-policies

#reddit #FreeSpeech #disinformation #misinformation #covid19 #ClearAndPresentDanger #denial #InformationalAutonomy

#eyeopening #insightful #listen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glwT7YS8KMo
#biospherecollapse #disastercapitalists #control #pacify #polarise #pollute #climateengineeringpollution
" #geoengineering " " #solargeoengineering " #weathermanipulation #weatherwarfare " #climatechange " #extinction #headinthesand #denial #delusion #societaldelusion #nopolinatorsnopeople #bees #aluminum #aluminium #altzheimers #dementia #bookburning #brainburning #thosewhoforgethistory #thegreatreset #moreleaches

... and what's more, it's all unecessary.

and people wonder why i have #stultophobia, amidst this insane asylum of dangerous idiots, accelerating #eccocide.

#danewigington #environment #technology #government
#wakeup #weareinalotoftrouble
but we're not doomed yet. we can still mend this.

I don't agree with everything said (nor the philosophy/epistemology behind it). I think it important to listen and consider more/all perspectives. I do think it vital to be wary of the one true "truth" we're not allowed to waver from.
~ "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend, to my death, your right to say it."

listening to this immunologist https://sp.rmbl.ws/s8/2/H/h/N/H/HhNHb.caa.1.mp4?u=0&b=0

reminds me of ... https://joindiaspora.com/posts/18175698 ... long before he mentioned the #nuremberg code.

#civilliberties #existential #humanrights #coercedmedicalproceedures #antivaxxers #anyvaxxers #neither #immunology #health #rights #logic #coercion #silence #duress #morality #moralconscience #moralcoward #selfcensorship #censorship #decide #freedom #noveltechnology #humantesting #plandemic #geneticengineering #fuseagenicprotien #warn #warning #worrying #coagulation #arrogance #stonewalling #denial #marketing #clots #thevaccineisnotavaccine #humancull #thinkaboutit #costriskanalysis #medicalethics #manslaughter #massmurder #softkill #eugenics #tyranny #vaccinepassport #digitalidentity #privelidgelevels #coerce #totalitariancontrol #behaviourcontrol #mindcontrol #obey #disobey #tonybliar #killbill #canttrustgovernment #corporateterrorism #epidemiology #topupvaccine #howstupidarewe #stultophobia #wealthextractionmaximisation #regulatorycapture #regulatoryskip #hippocraticoath #donoharm #depopulation #nocullnecessary #prisonplanet #unethical #toxicology #costbenefit #riskanalysis #doctorsmustknow #nursesmustknow #avoidabledeaths #hierarchy #massmedia #howthefewcontrolthemany #experimentaltreatment #treatment #mistreatment #nurembergcode #councilofeurope

frustrating how suppressed such messages have been getting... and more frustrating how many succumb to the danger of the little bit of information they're allowed, epistemologically missing that absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, and blundering into a dozen other fallacies and unquestioning group think, saturated in the propaganda parroted back, not even questioning who's making bank, who's got conflicts of interest, not following the money, not considering cui-bono. very disappointing, humanity, very disappointing, and all the more for all you keep quiet for the fear of what other people think. you would hand us all over to eugenicists and tyrants just to play play along for an easy life. ... "First they came..."

I don't agree with everything said (nor the philosophy behind it). I think it important to listen and consider more/all perspectives. I do think it vital to be wary of the one true "truth" we're not allowed to waver from.

Listen to those who seek the truth, run from those who claim to have found it.

yet, "no valid medical reason whatsoever" & "no chance, impossible" & "not viable, not plausible" surely needs give you pause for concern and consideration. and he can say "I don't know" often too, and consider possibilities and uncertainties. Sounds like someone who investigates rather than parrots unquestioningly. still some flies in his ointment still, but far less than the jar of flies-only on offer.

remember they already bought themselves #NoLiability ... :-[

achieve totalitarian domination, AND triple your billionaire wealth, risk-free? no-brainer for the #ruthless.

#wakethefuckup #weareinalotoftrouble

and still the words of that middling insider from years ago caught on audio recording scoffing something like "after the terrorist thing wears off, we're going to have people running scared of a disease without symptoms".

... and initiated at the end of the year with the biggest % of the world population protesting. and largely protesting the banker/corporate-polluter/politician class... same folks who promote #thegreatreset #geoengineering and ploys text-book copy of simulations like #event201 ... got enough smoking gun yet? got enough pieces in place to make a reasonable guess at the picture yet? or is it still as those who have most to gain and most to lose say to you?

we needn't have this bs, we needn't keep succumbing to their terrorising us into accepting, even pleading for, their toxic paternalism. we could have anarchism, and that would be a #good thing.

"hope will be ok" #positivityninnyism #no #wearenotdoingthatanymore

"They can't believe people can be that evil. I remind them, Pol Pot, Stalin, Hitler, they do exist."

#beliefism #denial #evil

"All it takes for evil to succeed is for good people to do nothing."

"One death is a tragedy; a million, a statistic." ... numb yet? :-/

"I don't believe anything I'm told anymore." YAY! non-belief. best protection to deceivers. #keepquestioning

#relax #keeplearning
#goodlisten

In the frame of Moralising Pathology, what went wrong at Boeing?

"Boeing’s 737 Max Is a Saga of Capitalism Gone Awry":

... What made the crashes so vexing is that it was impossible to pin the blame on one central villain. Instead, the whole company seemed to be at fault. Time and again, Boeing executives and engineers didn’t take warning signs seriously enough, opted against adopting additional precautions and made decisions for the sake of saving money or raising profits. ...

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/24/sunday-review/boeing-737-max.html

In this case, maybe, morality is to blame. There were individual technical, regulatory, design, and management errors, yes, but the common underlying cause is a fundamental misalignment of moral values. Of engineering excellence and passenger responsibility versus short term profits, bonuses, and above all, Milton Friedman's murderous bugbear, "shareholder value".

Or was it just short-sightedness, short-term thinking, denial, and scapegoating?

See previously: Treating systemic problems as moral failings … is why California is on fire.

#boeing #737max #MoralisingPathology #CorporateCulture #ShareholderValue #EngineeringDriven #ShortTermism #ShortSightedness #risk #trust #RegulatoryCapture #blame #denial #scapegoating #distributedResponsibility #BigProblems #ethics #morals #MiltonFriedman #JackWelch #DennisMuilenburg #HarryStonecipher #DaveCalhoun

The Denialist Playbook

... In brief, the six principal plays in the denialist playbook are:

1. Doubt the Science
2. Question Scientists’ Motives and Integrity
3. Magnify Disagreements among Scientists and Cite Gadflies as Authorities
4. Exaggerate Potential Harm Appeal to Personal Freedom
5. Reject Whatever Would Repudiate A Key Philosophy

The purpose of the denialism playbook is to advance rhetorical arguments that give the appearance of legitimate debate when there is none. My purpose here is to penetrate that rhetorical fog, and to show that these are the predictable tactics of those clinging to an untenable position. If we hope to find any cure for (or vaccine against) science denialism, scientists, journalists and the public need to be able recognize, understand and anticipate these plays. ...

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-denialist-playbook/

#denial #denialism #antivaxxers #ClimateDenial #covid19 #epistemology