How Rational Are You?

SafeSurfer · 07-11-2012 01:35AM #1

I saw an interesting experiment where members of a Rational and Skeptics association were in a room and asked about how rational they felt they were.
They all completely dismissed sentimentality,superstition,karma etc etc.

Then they presented them with a photograph of a relative or friend and asked them to stab it.

None of the participants were willing to stab the photo even though rationally they knew that it was just ink and paper and no one would be harmed.

If I was to suggest that something bad would happen to anybody who thanked this post?

Would you thank it?
Would you ignore it?

Its easy to ignore chain letters because you just ignore them. But if you had to actually opt in to act rationally, like the people with the photograph could you do it?

(Or would you thank the first comment as alternative?)

cherryghost · 07-11-2012 01:36AM

I thanked you, I like to live on the edge.

And yes. I feel I'm pretty rational.

bgrizzley · 07-11-2012 01:37AM

No bother thanking you. Still don't think I'd stab a loved ones picture...

SafeSurfer · 07-11-2012 01:39AM

I don't think I could stab photos of people I don't know, never mind people I love.

But I consider myself rational.

Chevolution · 07-11-2012 01:39AM

I like to think I'm pretty rational

But I also seem to be quite superstitious

Some serious cognitive dissonance going on there!

ColeTrain · 07-11-2012 01:39AM

SafeSurfer wrote: »

None of the participants were willing to stab the photo even though rationally they knew that it was just ink and paper and no one would be harmed.

Maybe they didn't want to stab the picture because it was just a stupid thing to do?

caste_in_exile · 07-11-2012 01:41AM

What's your perceived reality?

OneArt · 07-11-2012 01:41AM

What's wrong with them stabbing pictures is a great fun. And so is doll making. And chanting, and buying pins...

Johro · 07-11-2012 01:41AM

I didn't thank your post because I don't want to add to your thanks count, but I'll thank it here to show I ain't scared.

Where To · 07-11-2012 01:42AM

I wouldn't stab a picture either.

In case it would blunt the knife that I use for stabbing irrational people.

kowloon · 07-11-2012 01:42AM

I'm sure I don't notice most of my irrational tendencies. So I, like most people, think I'm seeing everything clearly in the majority of circumstances.

MistyCheese · 07-11-2012 01:44AM

SafeSurfer wrote: »

How rational are you?

Banana.

Wacker The Attacker · 07-11-2012 01:44AM

I like cake

Pherekydes · 07-11-2012 01:46AM

Stab this post to prove you are rational.

Yep, works fine.

caste_in_exile · 07-11-2012 01:46AM

My rationale, will always strike mere mortals as irrational

Rigol · 07-11-2012 01:49AM

Could it be that they just thought it was disrespectful.

I mean if I, in full view of you, jizz on a pic of your ....well ...i wont get personal ...but you see where this is going.

You might get angry in that situation. Even though in rational thought its just a picture.
The thing about rationality is that it can be relative to your morals/desires in this life.

SafeSurfer · 07-11-2012 01:51AM

Rigol wrote: »

Could it be that they just thought it was disrespectful.

I mean if I in full view of you if jizz on a pic of your ....well ...i wont get personal ...but you see where this is going

Tell me more....

Jesus Wept · 07-11-2012 01:54AM

Is sentimentality irrational? I wouldn't put it in the same bracket as superstition and karma. I find karma an ridiculous and offensive concept tbh.

Johro · 07-11-2012 01:55AM

Wacker The Attacker wrote: »

I like cake

Cake ftw.

caste_in_exile · 07-11-2012 01:56AM

SafeSurfer wrote: »

they presented them with a photograph of a relative or friend and asked them to stab it.

None of the participants were willing to stab the photo

monkey see / monkey do.

cha cha cha / cha cha cha

Johro · 07-11-2012 01:56AM

Andy Carroll wrote: »

Is sentimentality irrational? I wouldn't put it in the same bracket as superstition and karma. I find karma an ridiculous and offensive concept tbh.

Oooooohhh... I wouldn't like to be you..

Sofaspud · 07-11-2012 01:57AM

Rigol wrote: »

Could it be that they just thought it was disrespectful.

This, I have no shred of superstition in me but wouldn't like to stab a picture of a loved one simply because it's disrespectful to the person.

Even as a kid, when somebody didn't believe me about something and told me to "swear on my ma's life", which is infallible as a kid, I'd refuse because it's disrespectful. Nothing to do with a bizarre voodoo-doll type belief.

eth0 · 07-11-2012 01:57AM

Rational enough to know anyone who feels the need to join a 'Rational and Skeptics' association is a feckin eejit.

Chuck Stone · 07-11-2012 03:39AM

Let's try to break this down a little shall we?

The image is of a loved one so, naturally, you're going to think about the loved one when you view it. So someone asks you to stab the image of your loved one. The act of 'stabbing' the image is going to feel uncomfortable because it's probably going to make you imagine physically stabbing your loved one which is, no doubt, disturbing.

With that in mind couldn't we equally ask what exactly is irrational about avoiding the uncomfortable feelings stabbing an image of your loved one might engender? Surely not wanting to stab the image of a loved one is more 'rational' than happily doing it without a second thought?

beks101 · 07-11-2012 03:45AM

Pretty rational when it comes to other people's problems.

An emotional car crash when it comes to my own.

im invisible · 07-11-2012 03:54AM

I'd turn the picture over and stab them in the back.

flutterflye · 07-11-2012 04:06AM

Yeah, it really doesn't go into the same bracket for me either.

You have religion, superstition, karma, homeopathy, chain mail and so on - they are all the same silly nonsense.

But then you have stabbing a photo of a loved one.
You aren't thinking "oh I'm not going to stab that picture because something bad will happen", it's more just as someone already said, that you're thinking of that person while doing the stabbing, and it just doesn't feel right.
I'm sure if I had to do it, I would, but it would feel uncomfortable.

Sorcha16 · 07-11-2012 04:20AM

Blatant thanks whoring -I guess that makes me a sceptic!

Senna · 07-11-2012 04:32AM

But is it rational to stab a piece of paper just because some stranger asks you to?

Sorcha16 · 07-11-2012 04:41AM

Chuck Stone wrote: »

Surely not wanting to stab the image of a loved one is more 'rational' than happily doing it without a second thought?

Surely, a rational person would realise no harm would come of it and could do so if asked, so why not?

Scruffles · 07-11-2012 04:44AM

very interesting post OP,especialy for AH at night.
it is amazing to see rational people hold such dedication over a throwaway piece of paper, though am not understanding the last half/the question on thanks [own difficulty/problem].

a picture is just a picture but people mentaly attach a lot of stuff to it.

if it was a picture-the only one that had,woud not cut it up purely due to memory having been destroyed and using photos to remember moments,if it was one that had various copies woud have no problem doing so for an experiement,however itd make more sense to use recycled paper and perhaps cartridges that produce less ink for a big experiment like that.

How Rational Are You?

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