You’ll never be able to please everyone, but trying to convert the skeptics is a losing battle. Writer and entrepreneur Seth Godin has a different strategy.
In a post on Seth’s blog, he explains:
Here’s the thing about proving sceptics wrong: They don’t care. They won’t learn. They will stay sceptics. The ones who said the aeroplane would never fly ignored the success of the Wright Bros. and went on to become sceptical of something else. And when they got onto an aeroplane, they didn’t apologise to the engineers on their way in.
Instead of working so hard to prove the sceptics wrong, it makes a lot more sense to delight the true believers. They deserve it, after all, and they’re the ones that are going to spread the word for you.
Hit the link to read more.
Proving the sceptics Wrong [Seth’s Blog]
Comments
9 responses to “‘Instead Of Proving The Skeptics Wrong, Delight The True Believers’”
This article is vague and ambiguous. Skeptical can mean many things, for instance should I not be engaging global warming skeptics? Should ignore holocaust denial because someone ‘truly believes’? What is the point of this article?!
If you don’t understand it by now you never will.
There’s a difference between a Cynic and a Skeptic. Godin is describing a Cynic. Normally the 2 words are interchangeable, however modern Skepticism has become a more about evidence and science based argument, rather than flat our denial. You can always change a proper Skeptics mind on a topic with evidence. The modern day Skeptical movement would be better off adopting the name Critical Thinkers. Especially as the word Skeptic has been hijacked by climate change denialists.
Um but many climate deniers were once climate alarmists. They looked at the evidence critically and decided that it was insufficient. In other words, the deniers are the Critical Thinkers.
You’re the reason my posse can’t have a cool name. You keep stealing it.
Spot on ga! Skepticism is a positive thing, and is about not taking things on face value, about questioning and looking for facts. Skepticism is the foundation of the scientific principle.
Climate change denialists are not skeptics. They are fundamentalists and denialists. They are not interested in questioning, they are only interested in denying and FUD.
One should always try and convince the skeptics because they are the ones who are most likely to change their mind if you show them sufficient evidence. One should never waste one’s time with a fundamentalist.
I’m skeptical of that.
Fair call. I should have said “almost all climate change denialists are not skeptics”. A very large proportion of them are just pawns or victims of industry released FUD from big businesses who don’t want the currently overwhelming evidence supporting climate change to get in the way of corporate profits. Some, on the other hand, honestly have come to a view that human led climate change may not be happening.
The sad thing for that small number of real skeptics lost in the maelstrom of anti climate change fundamentalism is that they are like needles in a haystack.
Scepticism (requiring evidence before accepting) is definitely a positive mindset to have in my opinion. Gullibility leaves you open to a whole world of misinformation.