CURTIS, Nebraska - The only health clinic here is shutting down, and the hospital CEO has blamed Medicaid cuts in President Donald Trump’s signature legislation. But residents of Curtis - a one-stoplight town in deep-red farm country - aren’t buying that explanation.

“Anyone who’s saying that Medicaid cuts is why they’re closing is a liar,” April Roberts said, as she oversaw lunch at the Curtis Area Senior Center.

  • Wytch@lemmy.zip
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    18 hours ago

    It’s not thinking at all, really. It’s feeling. They don’t know the difference. They feel like Trump should, or will, do something. So that makes it true for them.

    The “participation trophies are bad” crowd have embraced the idea that all opinions are equally valid rather than judged on merit. So they get to live in a world where they can shape reality on vibes. They have no use for critical thought.

    When they say “I think…” what we should hear is “I wish.”

    • Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world
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      17 hours ago

      The “participation trophies are bad” crowd have embraced the idea that all opinions are equally valid rather than judged on merit.

      This is an interesting sentence. It is accurate, but seems contradictory. People who are bad at sportsball don’t deserve recognition, but people who are bad at thinking should be treated with the same respect as scholars and people with real world experience.

      • sawdustprophet@midwest.social
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        12 hours ago

        people who are bad at thinking should be treated with the same respect as scholars and people with real world experience.

        This reminds me of a quote from Isaac Asimov:

        Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.’

      • taco@piefed.social
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        16 hours ago

        Of the people I know, this goes well with the self-centered worldview (e.g., things finally click once they’re personally affected).

        Participation trophies in sports are bad, because they’re good at sports which makes them feel superior. Thinking shouldn’t be competitive though, because they suck at it.

        • Wytch@lemmy.zip
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          16 hours ago

          Yes. They have complained for decades that trophies shouldn’t go to losers, because it breeds weakness and complacency. But they only apply that to others. It’s classic projection. It goes hand in hand with the devaluation of education and expertise.

          • TheReanuKeeves@lemmy.world
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            16 hours ago

            As if people are proudly displaying participation trophies rather than tossing it out in shame and getting back to training

          • taco@piefed.social
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            15 hours ago

            It goes hand in hand with the devaluation of education and expertise.

            Another excellent point of hypocrisy, in my experience. There’s a massive (complete?) overlap between people I know who think “no child left behind” is a good thing (despite making high school diplomas, effectively, participation trophies) and people who think a high school diploma should be sufficient education qualifications for any job.