This is possibly one of the largest problems with problem solving in our society in general, and bleeds into politics on a daily basis. It's a complete lack of logical problem solving skills...

I don't know who to blame... I'm not sure if it's schools who failed a generation, or if it's the devolution of politics into something more similar to a sporting event (discussion of which team is best involves more emotional attachment to locations and fealty to a team than actual logic frequently)....

But this is what we're left with:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/02/09/oxford-study-saying-trump-supporters-share-more-fake-news-is-fake-news.html?ICID=ref_fark 

So.... a study was put out by researchers at Oxford identifying Trump supporters as being the highest consumers of "fake news" (ie, they are reading articles which provide either false, or misleading information, or present completely unsupported information as if it were "facts"). As this is a university study, there are methods, data collected and a rationale to the conclusions they made.

But Fox News decides to put out an article claiming the study is "fake news". They link an article from Free Beacon (one of the news outlets identified as "fake news" in the study) which they apparently lifted word for word (without any editorial changes)... let that sink in a little... with no sense of irony, Fox News re-published the first 5 paragraphs (ie, the part with just unsupported statements)of an article from a site which is being debated as to whether it's "fake news" and published it as their own.

http://freebeacon.com/issues/the-oxford-study-saying-trump-supporters-share-more-fake-news-is-fake-news/ 

Now if you dig into the free beacon article, which seeks to rebut the "fake news" claim... their argument is this:
"There were 90 conservative news outlets and 6 liberal news outlets identified as fake news, and the liberal ones were just fringe sites... therefore the study is biased"....

So... with no other information available to them, their conclusion that more conservative sites were identified as "fake news" through a study than liberal sites was that the study was biased. They didn't actually bother discussing the method by which the researchers classified a news site as "fake news" ... no, they just claimed that because more conservative sites were labeled as "fake" it must be biased.

None of them stopped to think for a second, or as a question... "what if more conservative sites are passing false information"?

So, by default, their article would fit under "fake news" as it claims, without any support, that the research is biased and should automatically be disregarded...

Then fox re-publishes it word for word...

If you are a consumer of either of these sites and are not seriously bothered by the lack of logic involved in the decision making, you're probably part of the larger problem we have in our country today.

so....the conclusion is ....that Fox News is biased?

That's news

This thread is fake news. Go figure

I think there is a level beyond "biased".

If you are publishing an article in a manner that suggests that completely unsubstantiated information (not "leaks", not "unidentified sources"... literally opinion) is a fact, you are no longer just putting a biased slant on news.

This article, is not "biased". It is false. Fox news is publishing it for consumption as if it were a fact. That would make them "fake news" in my opinion.

let the adults talk quacker. You're literally described at the bottom of the original post.

Isn't that what they do every day?

I draw another inference from the Oxford study as well as yours. There are a lot of stupid people. As far as critical thinking it seems that very few people are capable of it. It really is s shame. I wonder if it has something to do with the dumbing down of math in the USA.

I been wondering for a while now if it was something in the water or the food honestly. I have seen people that had to quit schools while in the 5th and 6th grade but yet have problem solving skills that rivel college graduates for quite a few years now.

There are definitely a lot of stupid people. There are stupid people on both sides...

I guess I'm less bothered by an individual being stupid (don't get me wrong, I'm very bothered by an individual being stupid... ) than by an institution which is theoretically vetted internally, and carries some level of credibility pushing poor critical thinking. This will create more stupidity....

And yes... I've said before, one needs to have a handle on basic algebra to be able to properly handle basic logic...

Meh.... there may or may not be a problem with the upcoming generations... I don't know.

But we have old fogeys here who have demonstrated very poor critical thinking skills...

I think it is common for every generation to claim the one coming up just isn't as smart as they are, because they don't do X (x being whatever was most recently obsolesced due to tech)... they may sometimes be correct... but I don't think I would like to bet on it.

This problem seems more widespread than just generational...

According to the definition of the Dunning Kruger Effect there are many "people who are too stupid to know how stupid they are".

God, Victor's trying to make RTFA again.

Ok, so your saying that most the sh1t you see on the web is trash? Welcome to the internets!

I will have to agree that it is a problem that is more widespread than just generational. I also feel that it is just not schools and math that is an issue. I feel that it also has to do with life experience both at home and away, technology, Parents willing to give their kids technology but not a life away from under them for a short time.

A child in most cases does not have to leave home to work on social skills they do it from a phone or PC while living in their bed rooms.
A child does not in most cases have consequences of their actions because of over protective parents. Etc and so on.

Thus we are now seeing more and more of this being an issue of ignorance and stupidity. They try to solve their problems by Youtube, Google, talking with friends on Xbox.

A person can not read another, or can not see the writing on the wall.
A person does stupid things then wonders why chit hits the fan
A person tries to read between the lines but cant do it properly then sits in awe because they got it wrong.

Yes in the generations we had some idiots now we got the old idiots and Young idiots added together which seems like more and it is. Plus this I think gives the old idiots a tailcoat to ride on.

Then add in the education issues as well then more is added. Years ago it was not just the schools responsibility to educate. Now people seem to think that it solely falls on the schools but yet do not take responsibility at home.

I feel the people are at fault here. My wife and I get into very heated arguments over this issue about my son. Her and I come from different upbringing. I come from the you fall it hurts you learn while mom and dad sit back and watch to see if you learn. She comes from the Mommy and Daddy will fix it all so be an idiot and it will be OK... My son well he don't know which way to go lmaooo. (Sorry Frank but I did really.)

I would rather see him do stupid **** now and me be there to help pull him out IF he needs it Key word being IF and I am talking life or death. My wife would rather be the oooo SAVE HIM NOW but yet he never learns and by this I mean save him from a skint knee.

just MHO is all which don't mean squat.

Ewok, most parents have different ideas/approaches as to how to raise their kids, right? I've come to learn, the very hard way, that how my child sees his parents working out the different approaches is a big azz life lesson. Seeing his parents approaching things from two opposite directions in a loving, caring manner (for eachother) is probably a social skill that will serve him well.

“The bigger problem is we’re proud of not knowing things,” Nichols writes. “Americans have reached a point where ignorance, especially of any public policy issue, is an actual virtue.”


From
https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/opinion/columnists/2017/08/17/americans-proud-getting-dumber/104679454/ 

Dunny Kruger is the guy with the striped sweater and knives for fingers, right? [gonzo]

Ya don't mess with Dunny.

Very Very True, As with myself I was lucky enough to get that with both my parents and have gained from both. My father work ethics, Family first, Discipline, etc From my mother to stop and enjoy the small everyday things in life. My father the hard ass my mother well a lot like my wife in some ways. As of yet I can not say that in all honesty I am disappointed with my son. Some things he takes his mother's approach and some mine and some his own which is a great sign in my book.

Like you say though in a loving manner and to know that yes while we are here he will make mistakes and he will learn from them and we will help but only if needed. To many I see or seem to see are just not willing to let the child, teen or even some adults now learn by getting hit in the ass and I feel that is a big mistake. People for the most part do not learn by being told. They learn from mistakes and to take that from them well I just feel it denies them the chance to learn. I had to grow up fast due to my father was a hard ass then I lost him at the age of 21. I wouldn't trade nothing in this world for what he taught me. You do what you have to do no matter what. If a problem is in the way you figure out a way around it or suffer through it because greater things are at risk such as the family's well being. Now so many quit right off or are not willing to go through the red tape.

I get so frustrated at with these types of people and the mentality that comes with it. I truly feel the issue starts at home. Can't save the world if I can't keep my own house together and running right. To many want the easy route. Its nuts because I get so emotionally involved because I know these morons are the future. They are the future rulers of the world. All I can say is God Help em cause when the time comes I will be sitting on my little cloud asking the lord to hold my beer and watch that idiot while I take a leak over by the golden gate.🇨🇮

False political news seems to me to be a form of doublethink. We were warned of this a long time ago by George Orwell. The minions are to dam dumb to understand this.