Are skeptics proud of being bigoted against unconventional claims?

[Open Mind]

Sparky posted this in another topic ....

'...This does not apply to me. I am a member of the “reality based community”. Ridicule, bewailing, and scorn are my favorite techniques. I am an arrogant, closed minded, Western trained, tool of the medical industrial complex. And proud of it.... ' -Marc Crislip.

I get the impression from reading 'skeptic' forums that many self named 'skeptics' feel proud of being prejudiced, proud of attacking claims on a-priori grounds , proud of scoffing, calling others 'woo woos', proud of dismissing contrary lab evidence, proud of being part of a 'skeptic' group ....

What is this all about? What is the psychological explanation for such behaviour?

[Sniffy the Atheist]

Is everything alright Open Mind, you sound a little sad, hope all is well with you.

[Open Mind]

Originally Posted by Sniffy the Atheist

Is everything alright Open Mind, you sound a little sad, hope all is well with you.

Sniffy it is not me who is mentally ill .... but I do question those who are acting like bigots, dismissing thngs with evidence to the contrary due to either ignorance of the prior literature, trusting other bigots or having a prior conviction on what can and cannot exist.

[Sniffy the Atheist]

Originally Posted by Open Mind

Sniffy it is not me who is mentally ill .... but I do question those who are it is acting like bigots, dismissing thngs with evidence to the contrary due to either ignorance of the prior literature, trusting other bigots or having a prior conviction on what can and cannot exist.

No Open Mind, i didn't mean to imply you were mentally ill, you just sounded a little sad.

I disagree that skeptics just dismiss things, have a look at this, David Gorski wrote up a long and well researched three part review of the dubious Burzynski therapy.
Science-Based Medicine Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski, antineoplastons, and the selling of an orphan drug as a cancer cure

[Open Mind]

Originally Posted by Sniffy the Atheist

I disagree that skeptics just dismiss things, have a look at this, David Gorski wrote up a long and well researched three part review of the dubious Burzynski therapy.
Science-Based Medicine Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski, antineoplastons, and the selling of an orphan drug as a cancer cure

The reason people seek alternatives is that conventional medicine is rather poor at curing many medical conditions.

With regard to cancer. For people trained in conventional medicine to insist they kill most people over a period of years with supposedly the best medicine instead of allowing patients the freedom to seek an alternative ... is not something I approve of.

The only way to fairly test claims is to split patients into groups .... receiving the best conventional therapy ... versus others with Burzynski treatment .....conventional medicine cannot just claim ownership of science it has to prove itself superior in a dedicated trial ... not based upon theory, which is irrelevent .... but purely upon empirical outcomes.

[Arouet]

Ummmm, think that Marc was being a little sarcastic there OM...

You might not have listened to him before (he does the podcast Quackcast.) He's got a pretty dry sense of humour. But he sites his sources and his podcasts seem well-researched. He doesn't just dismiss out of hand, he'll refer to actual studies and explain the significance of them.

[really]

Originally Posted by Open Mind

Sparky posted this in another topic ....



I get the impression from reading 'skeptic' forums that many self named 'skeptics' feel proud of being prejudiced, proud of attacking claims on a-priori grounds , proud of scoffing, calling others 'woo woos', proud of dismissing contrary lab evidence, proud of being part of a 'skeptic' group ....

What is this all about? What is the psychological explanation for such behaviour?

It's a reaction against persistent unfounded claims and at times of wooish irrational thinking. It's not against the claims themselves in some cases.

[really]

Originally Posted by Sniffy the Atheist

Is everything alright Open Mind, you sound a little sad, hope all is well with you.

Judging from his constant whining over the skeptical position it's clear to me OM does not like skeptics or skepticism.

[Sniffy the Atheist]

Originally Posted by really

judging from his constant whining over the skeptical position it's clear to me om does not like skeptics or skepticism.

lol .........

[Open Mind]

Originally Posted by Sniffy the Atheist

lol .........

Sniffy at least I am not a sneaky liar like you ....wasting my time sending me mail ... you should be ashamed of antics on this forum.