Pick one topic, learn everything you can about it, and school them. Don't let them change the subject. Cocksure libs need to have their arrogance dragged through the mud before they'll listen to you. I don't mean you need to be rude, but you should call their attention to why they're wrong and make them explain why they held such a strong opinion derived from overt propaganda. Make them explain what led them to believe it.
The reality is that they heard it on some source they trust and never considered that it might be bullshit, so they did no skeptical investigation. This fact is at odds with their self-image as a sober science-following critical thinker. They must confront the contradiction - and if you're lucky they'll become more humble and therefore have less terrible takes.
Also, keep a record of their bad takes so that you can remind them how wrong they were
On this vein, once you have actually focused on one subject, and you've somewhat proven a point on an issue, especially if it disproves what they initially thought it's worth asking something like 'how come when we talk about stuff like this what you've learned from just skimming newspaper articles is taken as concrete fact while I have to cite sources like I'm writing a fucking essay?'
That can sometimes get them thinking about what else they might have just accepted without any question.
Yeah I mean you're never gonna convince someone single handed that what they believe about their country is a tissue paper collage of lies, half truths and memory holed events but you might get them to think a bit more critically come the next 'oh my god look at what these crafty forrins are up to better bomb their cities' bullshit.
Pick one topic, learn everything you can about it, and school them. Don't let them change the subject. Cocksure libs need to have their arrogance dragged through the mud before they'll listen to you. I don't mean you need to be rude, but you should call their attention to why they're wrong and make them explain why they held such a strong opinion derived from overt propaganda. Make them explain what led them to believe it.
The reality is that they heard it on some source they trust and never considered that it might be bullshit, so they did no skeptical investigation. This fact is at odds with their self-image as a sober science-following critical thinker. They must confront the contradiction - and if you're lucky they'll become more humble and therefore have less terrible takes.
Also, keep a record of their bad takes so that you can remind them how wrong they were
On this vein, once you have actually focused on one subject, and you've somewhat proven a point on an issue, especially if it disproves what they initially thought it's worth asking something like 'how come when we talk about stuff like this what you've learned from just skimming newspaper articles is taken as concrete fact while I have to cite sources like I'm writing a fucking essay?'
That can sometimes get them thinking about what else they might have just accepted without any question.
Yes, this is a good strategy!
Yeah I mean you're never gonna convince someone single handed that what they believe about their country is a tissue paper collage of lies, half truths and memory holed events but you might get them to think a bit more critically come the next 'oh my god look at what these crafty forrins are up to better bomb their cities' bullshit.
At minimum you can shake their confidence that they can support their opinions when talking to you. That has a lot of great knock-on effects.
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