How do I explain to a person that the "red pill mentality" is stupid?

Presi300@lemmy.world to Ask Lemmy@lemmy.world – 139 points –

This is a genuine question, as every time I have an argument about this with someone they bring a point so utterly stupid that it leaves me stumped...

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There is no disagreement, I just feel kinda sad seeing people that I've known for years fall into being red pill bots and try to act "cool" (like morons) any time anyone disagrees with them or dares say anything negative about that one rich asshole...

Okay you've known them for years. That's a large time investment.

So when they do something you disagree with at a fundamental level, ask them to explain oh why do you support that? And then when they give you a high level answer ask them why that is there answer. Like peel the onion to get to their core issues. And if people's core issues that's just what other people say and they haven't thought about it, you're going to help them think about it for themselves. Which may not convert them but will at least get them to apply some intellectual rigor to their thinking

Ahh the Socratic Method. One of the most effective means of teaching is playung just dumb enough, asking the right questions and getting them to provide some evidence. Make them convince you of their point of view and just keep pointing out the flaws once they start making contradictions.

What do you tell them right now? Do you ague or tell them they’re idiots?

Mostly the ladder, as I've exhausted my strength to argue with them

That will achieve nothing but getting them to dislike you. That is an option, but I think two better ones are to either accept that you're not going to change their minds because they're too far down that rabbit hole and either just cope or cut off contact or spend a lot of time and effort constructing rational counter-arguments. I recommend the former.

I have some very crazy friends. That's okay because they're crazy in ways that don't offend me. If they offend me with their crazy, I'm not going to waste my time with them anymore. It's not worth the effort to try to change them and it isn't really my job.

Edit: as a total off-topic thing regarding red pill/blue pill. In the Matrix universe: What happens if you take both pills?