Evolution syndrome is the tendency of some people to insist compulsively that human evolution from animals must somehow be true, and to spend nearly all of their time pushing that belief on others. It is reflected on the Internet by people who devote over 90% of their edits and postings to pushing their belief in evolution and insisting on censoring alternative views of the issue. They are particularly against teaching any alternative theories to children in school. A childish insistence on last wordism is a common characteristic of evolution syndrome.
Evolution syndrome particularly afflicts people who have some educational background without having the intellectual depth of more accomplished peers. Evolution syndrome can be seen on wikis, Usenet groups, faculty positions below full professorships, and some less selective doctoral programs.
There is a high incidence of atheism among this group and indeed, most atheists suffer from evolution syndrome.
Keeping an open mind, not obsessing about one's own views and avoiding the insistence that others should share his/her view is the key to avoid suffering from evolution syndrome.
65 comments
Because you know, people are not animals...
teaching religion masquerading as science isn't in children s best interest.
So avoiding debate, critical thinking and just accepting your false science is what we should do?
Fat chance pally.
I'm not opposed to teaching alternative theories, provided such alternative theories can stand up to minimal scientific standards, such as peer review and reasonability.
Such alternative theories, as pertain to the theory of evolution, simply do not exist. Anything out there today that purports to be an alternative theory as, at best, an exercise in philosophy and not science.
"Evolution syndrome"?
Hahaha, priceless!
"Keeping an open mind, not obsessing about one's own views and avoiding the insistence that others should share his/her view is the key to avoid suffering from evolution syndrome."
Again, hahaha. These people lack any form of self reflection and self distance. Mirror, mirror...
Oh, it's Conservapedia. Move on...
(BTW, I've recently started suspecting that it's called "conservapedia" because they all have fruit conserves instead of brains)
They are particularly against teaching any alternative theories to children in school.
There is no alternative theory. "God did it because it says so in a 4,000 year old book by some anonymous bronze age Arab goat herders" isn't a theory.
I don't think it's a lack of an open mind on my part that's the problem here. . . . I can't help it if you don't have the proper educational background to understand the arguments those of us with "some educational background" (I hold a biology degree) make, and why (which we explain in pointless detail, since you guys ignore it) it's not acceptable to teach your "alternative theories" in science class. Take some junior-level evolution and ecology classes at your local university and then we can talk.
This beats all.
I especially like the statement: "most atheists suffer from evolution syndrome".
Surely that would in reality be ALL atheists. Otherwise you'd have an atheist who didn't believe in evolution, who believed in ... what? Godiddit? But there is no God. Then who?
Keeping an open mind, not obsessing about one's own views and avoiding the insistence that others should share his/her view is the key to avoid suffering from evolution syndrome.
And with this sentence, I have decided to forego use of an Irony Meter, as the financial drain of replacement has become too much to bear. I'm just going to have to wing it from this point forward.
What a great way to add content to your "encyclopedia", make shit up (evolution syndrome, professor values, second generation atheists) and don't cite a damn thing.
It's been said before, but come up with actual evidence for creation and people will take you seriously.
That last line there is so hypocritical.
Keeping an open mind, not obsessing about one's own views and avoiding the insistence that others should share his/her view is the key to avoid suffering from evolution syndrome.
Oh fuck! Guys... something's wrong with my Irony mete......
image
So, by your logic, can I say Christianity is a syndrome? Also, can you please follow your own advice, regarding the last sentence? Irony...
The folks at Conservapedia suffer from BrainDead Syndrome.
This unfortunate condition is characterised by:
- taking poorly-transcribed oral myths of a bronze age culture, and later written accounts by politically self-serving cult-leaders, as gospel (pun intended);
- deliberate and willful ignorance on most subjects--particularly science--coupled with rabid anti-intellectualism;
- the need to try to force their worldview on the rest of humanity and to denegrate and threaten anyone who dares to express a differing view;
- reliance on innuendo and outright lies to bolster their desperately held views about religion and politics;
- a childlike notion of literalism of their texts and the refusal to attempt an more mature anaysis that may lead to an understanding of the metaphorical nature of religious writings;
- a fear to engage with real life that drives many to join fundamentalist death cults that further increase their paranoia and mental deterioration.
They are to be pitied.
Related "diseases" include Round Earth-philia (the belief that the Earth is round) Helio-mania (that said Earth orbits the sun) and Stupidity aversion( the almost irresistable need to hit morons on conservapedia with large frozen Cod)
Treatment includes coming up with the "answer" you like best and then "finding" proof after the fact , treating personal prejudice as fact, and losing any ability to see irony, especially in your own words.
For instance, insisting that "others keep an open mind" when one's own is so clearly closed.
Of course, conservapedia wouldn't be hypocritical in obsessively adopting a stance of the opposite view, would it? An opposing view that has no scientific standing, I might add.
What's a poor atheist to do I wonder? Shall he or she opt to support the rational, scientific view of evolution? Or shall he or she choose to support the obscurantists with their supernatural assertions? Hmmm? I wonder? What to do? What to do?
@ lolguy: Would that it were. Google upon Andy Schalfly, who runs Conservapedia, and marvel at the depths of human stupidity. He is, alas, entirely for real.
"Keeping an open mind, not obsessing about one's own views and avoiding the insistence that others should share his/her view is the key to avoid suffering from evolution syndrome."
You broked my irony meter.
"Keeping an open mind, not obsessing about one's own views and avoiding the insistence that others share his/her view is the key to avoid suffering from evolution syndrome."
So... every Christian fundie has evolution syndrome? Neato.
Note to Andy Schlafly, Ed Poor, Ken DeMyer and crew:
I notice your budget for Swiss Formula is through the roof. Usually when you get chapping on your frenulum, you're wanking too much. Do us all a favor and go down to the XXX arcade and get a blowjob through a glory hole instead.
You know, sometimes I think Conservapedia is some liberal's attempt to make Conservative Christians look bad.
But no, no it isn't.
And that's sad. And hilarious.
Creation syndrome is the tendency of some people to insist compulsively that human creation from God must somehow be true, and to spend nearly all of their time pushing that belief on others. It is reflected on the Internet by people who devote over 90% of their edits and postings to pushing their belief in God and insisting on censoring alternative views of the issue. They are particularly against teaching any alternative mindsets to children in school. A childish insistence on last wordism is a common characteristic of Creation syndrome.
Creation syndrome particularly afflicts people who have some educational background without having the intellectual depth of more accomplished peers. Creation syndrome can be seen on wikis, Usenet groups, faculty positions below full professorships, and some less selective doctoral programs.
There is a high incidence of fundamentalism among this group and indeed, most fundies suffer from Creation syndrome.
Keeping an open mind, not obsessing about one's own views and avoiding the insistence that others should share his/her view is the key to avoid suffering from Creation syndrome.
Fixed.
@ CailinBan: Just because one's an atheist doesn't mean they accept evolution. Some atheists believe it's as much a load of crock as creationism, and Bhuddists are atheists simply because Bhudda was an enlightened human being - but they don't necessarily accept evolution.
Tt appears that you are oblivious to your own inconsistencies, therefore rendering you irrelevant through your vicarious nature.
When mountains of evidence support a idea, compared to an idea with little to no evidence, one would seem foolish to chose the idea with no evidence. But isn't such foolishness what we call faith?
Another stupid fundie who thinks that we BELIEVE in evolution. We don't, we ACCEPT THE EVIDENCE for evolution. Fundie got a better idea? Okay, fundie can present the evidence, we'll pick the more convincing of the two.
"... People who have some educational background without having the intellectual depth of more accomplished peers."
There you have it, Conservapedia in a nutshell.
Strange that no psychological publication I can find recognizes this "evolution syndrome". Maybe you're ahead of the curve on...
Wait, it's conservapedia. Never mind.
It's like the Guilty O.J. Syndrome - once the stupid L.A. cops found over 1,000 items of evidence pointing to Mr. Simpson as the killer, for some hard-headed reason, they just would not stop squeezin' The Juice and go searching for a terrorist team. Sheesh! What does it take with some people?
When you come up with an alternate theory please let us know. If it passes muster it will be taught.
Oh wait, you meant Intelligent Design? Hahahhahahahahahah, wooohooooo, phew.
Never mind.
What's with some Americans and their fear of education? In most other western countries evolution is not an issue, any more than gravity or masonry is. It's just there, intertwined in most facets of biology.
It's like these folks have collectively contracted Evolution Phobia.
There ARE no strong enough alternative theories to the theory of evolution to teach alongside it.
There is certainly no scientific theory of Creationism.
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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