#like yes obviously that is why it is important to update information - science isn't and shouldn't be static

[ms-demeanor]

I feel like this is missing my point. I'm not rejecting spiritualism [which, to be clear, I am not using 'spiritualism' to describe spirituality as in the general belief in the supernatural or spiritual forces in the universe, but the specific mid-1800s to early-1900s spiritualist movement] because of chiropractic, chiropractic is simply one example of harms that have come from spiritualism. It's difficult to even say that I'm rejecting spiritualism because it's not something I consider enough to even reject it. It is simply not true. It doesn't reflect reality.

The other examples here are pretty bad because we DO reject false premises that lead to real world harms. There has been a decades-long project to rehabilitate sharks in the public eye and educate people about them and if anyone talks about how dangerous or scary sharks are you'll likely get three people popping their heads up and going "actually XYZ was a myth that was popularized by the bad science in Jaws and Peter Benchley and Steven Spielberg have both apologized for the impact that Jaws had on sharks." Look at how the majority of the scientific community treats Charles Murray if you want an example of science rejecting bad information about genetics (I'm not sure what you mean by your reference to modern human x archaic human interbreeding; it is a fact that humans carry some neanderthal DNA and it is a fact that some people use this fact to be racist; i hope you're criticizing people who do second thing in that statement and not dismissing the first part of the statement as true).

The problem at the root of all three of these things - chiropractic, the impact of Jaws on sharks, and people using genetics to justify racism - is people harming others based on falsehoods.

I actually think the line is very easy to draw: you draw the line when harm is done.

i was listening to a podcast yesterday and one of the hosts was talking about how she used new age beliefs to fill a void left by leaving christianity and how when she left the new age beliefs behind she was talking to some friends who were skeptics and asked them about "the great mystery" and if they thought science could explain why we were here and how even as a skeptic now she thinks people need some kind of spirituality to connect them to the universe and seek an answer to that question.

And I cannot explain enough how no, not everyone needs that and not everyone believes that's a question that has an answer or is even a question worth serious consideration. "Why are we here?" Why would there be a reason that we are here????????????? "What is the meaning of life?" Why are you assuming life has a meaning??????????????

I just really dislike the attitude that people are incomplete or are scared or self-deluding or *bitter* if they don't think the universe has a purpose. The universe doesn't! The universe is doing its thing!

I have a purpose because I made one for myself! Because of the people around me who I loved and cared about and who loved me and raised me and are a part of my community and who deserve compassion and companionship and autonomy and comfort and peace and joy and contentment! I learned what I wanted to do and to be because of us! I do not need a supernatural or spiritual or intuitive connection to the universe in order to know what I'm about!

And I'm absolutely not upset that the universe isn't giving me answers or guidance; I don't feel alone or abandoned or adrift. There are eight billion people on the planet! I'm not alone in the universe there are eight billion people why would I want or expect anything else?

It's literally fine?