Skepticism in general

I consider myself an armchair skeptic, I think that living a rational life is the best way to go but I have a problem with the skeptic movement. Namely, most of them are smarmy cunts. I think this puts people off, which is entirely understandable. It's a fine line between being a rational person and a know it all wanker. Recently I've been listening to Point of Inquiry, the official podcast of the skeptic's inquirer magazine. They have some good interviews with people like Richard Dawkins and Joe Nickell, which are worth listening to, but they spend half their time shoving this secular humanist atheist shit down my throat which makes them hard to listen to. I understand their plight, I'm an atheist myself, but I think that as long as we can teach people to be rational enough to get the most out of their existence as they can then we don't need to bring God into it, they can comfort themselves with a meaninful existence. It's scary to think about how fleeting and impermanent mortality is, I don't blame them for wanting something to hold onto. I do think that where faith and reality conflict then reality must by definition be the ultimate victor and the faith should rightfully be disparaged.

I love The Skeptic's Guide to Universe, because they are skeptical nerds, and nerds are, generally, the nicest people their are. Steve and the rogues are funny and interesting, and the late Perry DeAngelis espoused viewpoints that I personally hold, but I think that Dr. Steven Novella is the best poster boy for skepticism their is, because he is so dedicated and so humble and above all clever. I listen to other skeptical podcasts because I personally am interested in skepticism but the SGU is, to be frank, good shit. I love it, I listen to it when I fall asleep at night. And they aren't smarmy cunts! The New England accent does take some getting used to though, but eventually you can tell his voice apart from Ray Romano's.

Anyway, I have to go call Eloise... goodbye.

The Cad