RationalWiki: Difference between revisions

# Analyzing and refuting pseudoscience and the anti-science movement.

# Analyzing and refuting crank ideas.

Functionally, it's more like a group blog than an encyclopedia (which they themselves acknowledge), though it also has quite a lot in common with Robert Todd Carroll's [http://www.skepdic.com Skeptic's Dictionary].

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{{tropelist}}

** The article on types of people that go to hell states that on the lowest circle of hell you find traitors, child molesters, and [[Firefly|people who talk in the theater]].

** There is a rather passionate hatred of Objectivists (or "Randroids") and of [[Ayn Rand]] too. In the name of synergy and [[Refuge in Audacity|absurdity]] there is short section on the Objectivism article that claims that Ayn Rand (or one of her followers) claimed it was a moral responsibility to smoke since she smoked. [[Poe's Law|Ironically]] even some of the people there didn't know whether this was a joke or not at first. What the founder of the philosophy had to say about smoking four decades ago has to do with the philosophy itself is never really explained.

* [[Catch Phrase]]: Goat. This is probably a reference to Matthew 25:31-46, where Jesus says that in the end times he will separate the sheep (his followers) from the goats (his detractors). Or maybe it's just because goats are awesome and tasty. Take your pick.

* [[Cheese-Eating Surrender Monkeys]]: They actually (jokingly) mention the term in their [http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/France France] article.

* [[Cursed with Awesome]]: If you've been around long enough (a few weeks or days) and are generally thought to be [[Conservapedia|trusworthy]], you will be demoted to janitor (i.e. sysop). (Frivolous block wars are common, and encouraged; fortunately, in addition to non-serious block reasons (such as one that outright says "block war") there are options to make said blocks last only a few seconds, which help differentiate them from serious blocks.) If you anger the gods sufficiently, you may even be further demoted to the lowly, despicable position of bureaucrat.

** In the [http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Global_flood#Fossil_layers article disproving a global flood]: "How was the fossil record sorted in an order convenient for evolution if they were laid down in the turmoil of a single flood? That is usually dismissed with a hand wave by saying the animals quickly sorted each other out based on their ability to compete for the shrinking high ground. The theory also fails to take into account fossilized plants, which show the same type of order as animal fossils, and which are not noted for their ability to flee rising floodwaters."

** A similar example of deadpan snark is found on the page regarding the [http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Peanut_butter_argument Peanut Butter Argument] that life should arise naturally in a jar of peanut butter if evolution is true: "Critics of the argument have pointed out that sealed jars of peanut butter are not, generally speaking, billion year-old volcanic environments rich in ammonia and methane, being bombarded by high energy cosmic rays."

* [[Edit War]]: On RW, edit wars and even wheel wars are extremely common. So common, in fact, that ''accidental'' edit wars have become an issue - sysops assuming vandalism where there is none and performing knee-jerk reverts of edits without reading them, the original contributor re-adding the edit, and things kicking off from there.

* [[The Fundamentalist]]: Described [http://rationalwiki.com/wiki/Fundamentalism here.]

** Rational Wiki was created to criticize Conservapedia. Take a look at the recent changes and block log at Conservapedia. Then take a look at the recent changes and block log at Rational Wiki. Take a look at the Rational Wiki Chicken Coop. Which one is more rational?

** Rational Wiki and Conservapedia both delve into [[Unfortunate Implications]] regarding their usual treatment of Christians and non-Christians, respectively, though Conservapedia is a lot harsher about it.

{{quote|"[http://rationalwiki.com/wiki/Indigo_child Indigo child]" is not to be confused with "In dingo child", which is what your child might become if you misplace it in Australia.}}

* [[Kicked Upstairs]]: Any user who sticks around for a while and regularly makes edits will be saddled with the tedious responsibility of being a (ugh) Sysop.

* [[Makes Just as Much Sense in Context]]: As described in the [[Jack Chick]] article:

{{quote|This panel from a Chick tract makes even less sense in context. (It really does, [http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0094/0094_01.asp check if you don't believe us].) Also, goats.}}

* [[Overly Long Gag]]: [http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Ted_Haggard Ted Haggard's article] constantly states that he is [[Have I Mentioned I Am Heterosexual Today?|not gay]].

* [[Poe's Law]]: [http://rationalwiki.com/wiki/Poe%27s_Law Here].

* [[Promoted Fanboy]]: Editor Pal MD is a fairly well-regarded medical blogger, first on Science Blogs and now on [http://scientopia.org/blogs/whitecoatunderground/ Scientopia].

* [[Rule of Funny]]: In full effect.

** Goats

** Referring to Conservapedia as Schlafly's blog.