Mon Jul 6, 2020, 12:42 PM

Cause and effect: say what?

Ever since I was a kid, I've been fascinated by people who don't seem to have a sense of cause and effect: "If I do this, that may happen." I've known a lot of them, and many were in the "Well, it may, but it shouldn't" camp.

But I seem to be noticing this more and more today -- stuff like cops doing stuff with their body cameras rolling, or people flying off the handle while being videoed, or road rage, or just dumb stuff. So I don't know if I'm just seeing more of it because of the internet, or because it's happening more and more. Or both.

But I just find it fascinating.

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4 replies	Author	Time	Post
Cause and effect: say what? (Original post)	grumpyduck	Jul 2020	OP
You have to factor in the idea of notoriety and the desire for individual expression too.	Caliman73	Jul 2020	#1
Also, there's the logical fallacy	Cirque du So-What	Jul 2020	#2
Actions Have Consequences	MagickMuffin	Jul 2020	#3
Like: If I vote for an immoral moron for president	Walleye	Jul 2020	#4

Response to grumpyduck (Original post)

Mon Jul 6, 2020, 12:46 PM

Caliman73 (11,264 posts)

1. You have to factor in the idea of notoriety and the desire for individual expression too.

I think that the rates are probably not too different than before the rise of phone cameras and social media. There is likely a small bump from the desire to be "internet famous".

Our brains are wired in odd ways, with the understanding of cause and effect, but a lot of emotional processes that nullify that logical structure.

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Response to grumpyduck (Original post)

Mon Jul 6, 2020, 01:09 PM

Cirque du So-What (24,753 posts)

2. Also, there's the logical fallacy

of implying that correlation equals causation. I was an electrical / electronic troubleshooter in a previous life. I lost count of times that people made ludicrous suggestions while I was trying to work.

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Response to grumpyduck (Original post)

Mon Jul 6, 2020, 01:21 PM

MagickMuffin (15,400 posts)

3. Actions Have Consequences

ALWAYS!

You cannot escape it.

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Response to grumpyduck (Original post)

Mon Jul 6, 2020, 02:03 PM

Walleye (27,148 posts)

4. Like: If I vote for an immoral moron for president

It may destroy the United States?

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