• garretble@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    106
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    6 days ago

    I keep having this feeling like all these GOP idiots think musk is really super duper smart because he can at a really basic level speak in some technical terms they just don’t understand. So as a result they think he’s just sooo smart.

    This is a party full of ancient people. “A series of tubes” party. So anyone who has a little bit of technical knowledge will sound like a wizard to them with the bonus that they might be able to grift off of it all.

    Or musk is just a rich asshole and they all want to be rich assholes so they cozy up to him.

    • Carmakazi@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      55
      ·
      6 days ago

      I know this is damning to admit here, but back when I was willing to watch Joe Rogan I distinctly remember during Elon’s episode (the one where he hit a joint and tanked Tesla stock, not the latest one), the topic went to electric airplanes. Elon was talking technical about it and Joe was sitting there wide-eyed like he was revealing the secrets of the weave of the universe, sure that aerospace was going to be revolutionized by this man.

      Maybe I’m the stupid one here, but I’m pretty sure he was just talking about how airfoils generate lift. You know, the stuff the Wright brothers figured out in the 19-aughts. Its in high school physics textbooks.

      • krashmo@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        37
        ·
        6 days ago

        Most technology is magic to the average person. It doesn’t take much to sound like an expert.

        • KnightontheSun@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          27
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          6 days ago

          For a number of years now, work has been proceeding in order to bring perfection to the crudely conceived idea of a transmission that would not only supply inverse reactive current for use in unilateral phase detractors, but would also be capable of automatically synchronizing cardinal grammeters. Such an instrument is the turbo encabulator.

          Now basically the only new principle involved is that instead of power being generated by the relative motion of conductors and fluxes, it is produced by the modial interaction of magneto-reluctance and capacitive diractance.

          The original machine had a base plate of pre-famulated amulite surmounted by a malleable logarithmic casing in such a way that the two spurving bearings were in a direct line with the panametric fan. The latter consisted simply of six hydrocoptic marzlevanes, so fitted to the ambifacient lunar waneshaft that side fumbling was effectively prevented.

          The main winding was of the normal lotus-o-delta type placed in panendermic semi-boloid slots of the stator, every seventh conductor being connected by a non-reversible tremie pipe to the differential girdle spring on the “up” end of the grammeters.

          The turbo-encabulator has now reached a high level of development, and it’s being successfully used in the operation of novertrunnions. Moreover, whenever a forescent skor motion is required, it may also be employed in conjunction with a drawn reciprocation dingle arm, to reduce sinusoidal repleneration.

        • vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          6 days ago

          I have literally baffled people with my knowledge of Neolithic technology, the fact people stuggle with modern technology isnt exactly surprising.

      • masterofn001@lemmy.ca
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        8
        ·
        6 days ago

        I understood lift pitch roll yaw etc in grade school when I became obsessed with making paper airplanes.

        I speak house now?

    • Avid Amoeba@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      20
      ·
      6 days ago

      This is pretty standard, and not limited to Republicans. A significant part of Jordan Peterson’s appeal came through the same process.

    • osaerisxero@kbin.melroy.org
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      17
      ·
      6 days ago

      Hey, don’t paint mister Series of Tubes with that brush, that analogy is still more accurate than 99% of the bullshit about the internet coming out of DC

      • mosiacmango@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        10
        ·
        edit-2
        6 days ago

        Yeah…let’s not canonize Ted stevens. He was a massive piece of shit.

        That meme was him rallying against net neutrality while head of the senate commitee that regulated the internet.

        • osaerisxero@kbin.melroy.org
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          3
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          6 days ago

          Yeah, I’m not trying to call him a saint, only that he (or maybe more accurately his staffers) actually took the time to understand the thing he was talking about to some extent.

          • mosiacmango@lemm.ee
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            4
            ·
            edit-2
            6 days ago

            Hard disagree.

            Listen to the whole rambling speech. Its a barely contained mess, a geriatric kaleidoscope of madness about of how the internet works, clearly filtered through whatever the Comcast lobbyists told him to think.

    • qantravon@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      12
      ·
      edit-2
      6 days ago

      I think it’s just secular prosperity gospel. He’s rich, therefore he must be smart. Right?

    • circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      12
      ·
      6 days ago

      I’ve always thought that Elon Musk is a stupid person’s idea of what a smart person acts and looks like.

      He never really says anything of substance, but he says it while using big words and some unfamiliar accent (at least unfamiliar to those idolizing). That’s enough for many really stupid people. The fact he always pretends to be thinking about anything for the first time completes the aesthetic.

      A similar effect can be seen with Trump himself. A lot of dumb people read his nonsensical, stream of consciousness rambling style as intelligence. To someone with a brain, Trump is clearly just babbling with no overall point, except maybe repeating sound bites. But to many of his supporters, the fact he jumps around so much means they can’t keep up, and if they can’t keep up, welp, he must be real smart.

      • WaxiestSteam69@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        6 days ago

        The same can be said about Trump and his supporters idea of a strong brave man. The bravado and insults are just covering up for fear and insecurity.

    • WaxiestSteam69@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      6 days ago

      I was just thinking about listening to an unedited conversation between these two. Musk with his stammering incomplete sentences and Trump with his stream of run on nonsensical sentences. I don’t think I can handle it.

      The only way I can listen to Musk is on Common Sense Skeptic’s YouTube channel where he destammers Musk talking.

    • tal@lemmy.today
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      arrow-down
      23
      ·
      6 days ago

      GOP idiots

      Speaking specifically about Rand Paul, I’m pretty sure that Rand Paul has an MD, worked as a specialist doctor of some sort prior to entering the Senate, as I remember reading from his first race.

      checks Wikipedia

      Yeah, he’s an ophthalmologist, an eye surgeon.

      Says he went to Duke.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_University_School_of_Medicine

      Duke University School of Medicine is recognised as one of the best medical schools in the United States and the world. It is currently ranked #3 in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report’s rankings for best research medical schools in 2022.[15] Several Duke programs are ranked as some of the highest in the country. Top-ten nationally ranked programs for 2022 include surgery (ranked #2), anesthesia (ranked #4), internal medicine (ranked #5), radiology (ranked #6), pediatrics (ranked #7), obstetrics/gynecology (ranked #8), and psychiatry (ranked #10).[16] Historically, the Duke University School of Medicine consistently ranks in the top ten medical schools in the United States.[17]

      Admission to the school’s medical degree program is highly competitive, with more than 7,500 applicants for approximately 115 openings each year.[18]

      I doubt that he’s an idiot.

      If you’re speaking more-generally about people who may or may not be supporting Musk having a House role…shrugs don’t know who they are, so can’t know much about 'em.

      • reddig33@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        35
        ·
        6 days ago

        Have you heard Ben Carson speak about politics? He’s an actual brain surgeon. And an idiot. Just goes to show that having a medical degree doesn’t make someone a genius.

      • curbstickle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        17
        ·
        6 days ago

        I doubt that he’s an idiot.

        I know quite a few people who are brilliant in their field, yet absolute morons at everything else.

        He’s an idiot. He’s also an asshole.

        Just like his dad.

        • Carrolade@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          5
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          6 days ago

          I may have disagreed with Ron on almost all things policy, but at least the man had a spine and stood up for his values with consistency. Rand does not.

          • curbstickle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            9
            ·
            edit-2
            6 days ago

            Values… Rooted in stupidity. His entire health care position was based on “well it used to be affordable for the poors, so its obviously medicare thats the problem”.

            Ron Paul is a dipshit of the highest caliber.

            But yes, I agree entirely that Rand has absolutely zero values. He’s also a top tier dipshit though.

      • AbouBenAdhem@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        17
        ·
        6 days ago

        He’s the son of an influential congressman who also got a medical degree from Duke. You think that might have affected his chances of admission?

      • FiremanEdsRevenge@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        14
        ·
        6 days ago

        Just because you have a degree doesn’t mean you’re smart. That’s like saying Elon is a genius because he’s a billionaire. The two are not mutually exclusive.

        • otp@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          6 days ago

          The two are not mutually exclusive.

          While true, I don’t think that’s what you’re trying to say. Maybe I’m having a brain fart, but not being mutually exclusive just means that he can be both a genius and a billionaire.

      • Gumby@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        7
        ·
        6 days ago

        I briefly had to fill in for some helpdesk tech support for doctors, and oh boy let me tell you, a LOT of them were absolute idiots, at least when it came to technology.

      • garretble@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        6
        ·
        6 days ago

        I feel like if you ask any nurse they know of at least a few doctors in their hospital that may be brilliant at their specific field but absolute dumbasses anywhere else. And often doctors - because they have a doctorate - think they are delicate geniuses themselves (shoutout Seinfeld).

        Like redding33 said: Ben Carson is very stupid, but he can separate conjoined twins like no other.

        • moody@lemmings.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          5
          ·
          6 days ago

          Most medical doctors do not have a doctorate. They will have an MD and/or some other credentials.

      • dream_weasel@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        edit-2
        6 days ago

        Heres a hot take: you didn’t have to be that smart to be any kind of medical doctor. Good at memorizing? Hell yes. Persistent? You bet. Good at associations and drawing on things you’ve seen before? Absolutely. Good at reading between the lines and really solving the tough cases? Sometimes. Magic hands? Definitely if you’d like the big big money.

        At the end of the day most doctors are walking on ground someone else already traveled, and of course there are some greats who expand the field, but that’s not everybody. If youve got the tenacity to do any medical degree, kick butt. We need you and you earn your take with pride. You don’t need to win a nobel prize to be valuable.

        It is, however, NOT a job you get for being a great thinker. It’s a lot of college and a lot of residency and a lot of shoveling crap. A lot of thinking? Not compared to other education tracks or professions. You can absolutely be a medical doctor and be an idiot.

        This has been a soapbox rant about professional doctorates.

      • FoxyFerengi@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        6 days ago

        I know several professors (so they have PhDs) that are absolutely idiotic or regressive about things outside (and sometimes within) their PhD interests. For example: I have one who has been begging me to work on his study about language in autistic children, and I keep refusing because he has said “neurodivergent people don’t have empathy”. That’s a massive misunderstanding of what neurodivergance is, and the way empathy can present.

      • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        edit-2
        6 days ago

        On the topic of being an idiot - you know how UHC denies so many health claims? They have doctors on the payroll to deny them.

        It’s surprisingly easy to be an idiot with a fancy title - just look at Elon Musk or King Chuck.