Is Everyone a "Woo-Woo" To Someone Else

Nyarlathotep · 8th September 2003, 10:47 PM

Something I have noticed on this board is a tendency to lump everyone into one of two categories: "skeptic" or "woo-woo". Some may use other terms (especially for the latter category, since it is considered derogatory to some people), but the classification remains.

Some things I have noticed lately have made me wonder if everyone doesn't have some idea, quirk or belief that seems a little woo-woo to someone else. First I have found out that someone I greatly admire holds a few...odd...beliefs. For the most part he is one of the most intelligent and rational people that I know. However, if the subject of crop circles comes up, let's just say that rationality goes out the window. On just about any other subject he is as well reasoned and skeptical as anyone I know. So how would you peg him, believer or woo-woo? Especially since, listening to him talk, I get the impression that he has reasoned it out. I do not agree with his conclusions, but I am pretty sure he based his ideas on some sort of logic, rather than blind belief, it's just that I find his logic flawed.

Another incident is that a friend of mine remarked (and a couple others agreed) that I reminded him of Mel Gibson's character in Conspiracy Theory. Now I do not trust the government, big business, organized religion or any similar organizations and I have never made any secret out of it. I have studied grand conspiracy theories (i.e. the Illuminati) mostly out of curiousity, rather than out of belief. I do not consider myself a conspiracy nut. However I apparently came across as enough of a conspiracy woo-woo to a couple of my closest friends (friends that have known me for a long, long time) that they called me one in a back handed sort of way.

So this make me wonder if everyone, even the most die hard skeptic, doesn't either harbor some sort of belief that others would consider woo-woo but seems perfectly logical and reasonable to them. What do you think?

T'ai Chi · 8th September 2003, 10:57 PM

Alls I know is that I is a woo-woo!!!

Yesssiireee!

8th September 2003, 10:47 PM	#1
Nyarlathotep Philosopher Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 7,514	Is Everyone a "Woo-Woo" To Someone Else Something I have noticed on this board is a tendency to lump everyone into one of two categories: "skeptic" or "woo-woo". Some may use other terms (especially for the latter category, since it is considered derogatory to some people), but the classification remains. Some things I have noticed lately have made me wonder if everyone doesn't have some idea, quirk or belief that seems a little woo-woo to someone else. First I have found out that someone I greatly admire holds a few...odd...beliefs. For the most part he is one of the most intelligent and rational people that I know. However, if the subject of crop circles comes up, let's just say that rationality goes out the window. On just about any other subject he is as well reasoned and skeptical as anyone I know. So how would you peg him, believer or woo-woo? Especially since, listening to him talk, I get the impression that he has reasoned it out. I do not agree with his conclusions, but I am pretty sure he based his ideas on some sort of logic, rather than blind belief, it's just that I find his logic flawed. Another incident is that a friend of mine remarked (and a couple others agreed) that I reminded him of Mel Gibson's character in Conspiracy Theory. Now I do not trust the government, big business, organized religion or any similar organizations and I have never made any secret out of it. I have studied grand conspiracy theories (i.e. the Illuminati) mostly out of curiousity, rather than out of belief. I do not consider myself a conspiracy nut. However I apparently came across as enough of a conspiracy woo-woo to a couple of my closest friends (friends that have known me for a long, long time) that they called me one in a back handed sort of way. So this make me wonder if everyone, even the most die hard skeptic, doesn't either harbor some sort of belief that others would consider woo-woo but seems perfectly logical and reasonable to them. What do you think?
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8th September 2003, 10:57 PM	#2
T'ai Chi Penultimate Amazing Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 11,235	Re: Is Everyone a "Woo-Woo" To Someone Else Alls I know is that I is a woo-woo!!! Yesssiireee!
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