(January 26, 2019 at 3:46 pm)SteelCurtain Wrote: It's really not the idea of "thoughts and prayers" that's galling. It's the recitation of the phrase in lieu of the things you can actually do to help.
It's become particularly tiresome in America as the token response to the massive amount of gun violence. There are things conservatives can do that will be a lot more effective and helpful to victims than thoughts and prayers. How about vote to end the ban on researching the causes and predictive factors of gun violence in America? How about common sense gun laws that close loopholes wherein people who wouldn't otherwise be able to purchase a gun can?
This is why the phrase has become a lightning rod for derision. Social context matters. The phrase is tainted by the way it is used in a widespread sociopolitical context. It's not that every time someone says "thoughts and prayers" it's white hot liberal rage. I recently lost my beloved pupper, Tanner, and many of my religious friends and family members told me they were praying for me. I know what they mean---and there is nothing they can do, so let them have at it.
Ok, but also in that if you keep repeating the same actions, but nothing changes or gets worse, it would seem the sample rate would indicate your guess at what you think works does not, and is nothing more than a placebo.
I cant argue "thoughts and prayers" from a legal human rights standpoint no, but when humans dare to consider that 50 to 60 million humans die worldwide on average from everything, it would indicate to me at least, that there is no super natural cognition helping humans, and if we want to reduce harm to our species I'd argue the better option than "thoughts and prayers" would be to study the thing that harm humans and take that data and work on reducing it.
