That is a very astute observation.
Will AI lead to a basic minimum wage?
- Thread starter Jarod
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T. A. Gardner
Serial Thread Killer
Maybe it will end up like one of those dystopian cyberpunk things where the productive and monied live in protected communities insulted from the masses that are kept under constant surveillance in oppressive conditions to ensure they only kill off each other...
So you say.
Calling me "sloppy and lazy" for using Grok misses the point.
Using Grok is doing my homework. It's faster and more systematic than I could be. The advantage is speed and scope. Google can't match it, IMO.
Just so you know, I do verify Grok's outputs if something seems "off". If a source seems biased or questionable, I can ask Grok to double-check. Because Grok is conversational, I can have a back-and-forth. A search engine, a news story, or a book can't do that.
Humans aren't objective.
Observationally, I've learned that people in a hurry to post a reply can be prone to skimming, cherry-picking, and motivated reasoning.
BTW, I've been here since 2009 in one form or another, so I can and did survive before Grok was around. I just didn't do it as efficiently.
People throughout recorded history have cited references, used libraries, calculators, or search engines for the same reason.
For me, the test is whether the evidence holds up under scrutiny, not who presents it.
My position on anecdotal claims stands on its own merits - regardless of the source.
I don't call a man lazy for riding a bicycle to town when he has a car.
T. A. Gardner
Serial Thread Killer
I could visualize even worse.
Grok:
Cognitive biases explain why humans are wired to overvalue anecdotal reasoning despite its weaknesses.
These mental shortcuts (heuristics) evolved for quick survival decisions in small-group, pre-statistical environments—but they lead to systematic errors when evaluating claims like unverified personal stories, forum credentials, or "I saw it work" advice.
Key Biases Driving Overreliance on Anecdotes
- Availability Heuristic (Availability Bias)We judge the likelihood, importance, or truth of something by how easily examples come to mind. Vivid, recent, emotional, or personally relevant stories (anecdotes) feel more "real" and probable than dry statistics or abstract data.
- Why it favors anecdotes: A dramatic personal story about "my counseling experience" or a forum post sticks in memory far more than base-rate data on credential verification rates or study outcomes. Plane crashes feel common after news coverage, even if statistically rare.
- Link to reasoning: Leads people to generalize from one case ("This worked for me/my friend") to broad conclusions.
- Confirmation BiasWe seek, interpret, favor, and remember information that confirms preexisting beliefs while ignoring or downplaying contradictions.
- In anecdotes: If a story aligns with your worldview (e.g., "experts are out of touch" or "this political opponent seems impaired"), you're more likely to accept the claimant's self-reported qualifications without scrutiny. Challenges ("Show your license") get dismissed as attacks.
- Compounds with forums: Tribal reactions amplify confirming stories within echo chambers.
- Affect Heuristic (Emotional Reasoning)Judgments are heavily influenced by immediate emotions. Stories evoke empathy, outrage, or relatability far better than data.
- Why anecdotes win: Personal narratives about harm, success, or expertise trigger strong feelings, making them seem more persuasive and "human" than impersonal evidence. Research shows people view experience-based arguments as more rational and harder to challenge ("unimpugnable").
- Motivated Reasoning & Self-Serving BiasWe process information in ways that protect ego, identity, or desired outcomes. Claimants overstate their own experiences; listeners accept supportive anecdotes.
- Forum example: A poster drops credentials during an argument to gain status or score points. Supporters accept it because it fits their narrative; skeptics are seen as biased. This includes desirability bias (overestimating positive personal claims).
- Other Contributing Biases
- Anchoring: The first story or claim sets a mental baseline that's hard to adjust.
- Narrative Fallacy: Brains love coherent stories over messy, probabilistic reality—making anecdotes more memorable and persuasive (up to 22x in some studies, though the exact multiplier is debated).
- Dunning-Kruger Effect: Less competent individuals overestimate their abilities and may confidently share flawed anecdotes.
Why These Biases Persist and Matter
Evolution prioritized fast pattern-matching and social cohesion over statistical rigor. In ancestral environments, a tribe member's vivid warning story was often the best available info. Today, they make us vulnerable to misinformation, pseudoscience, scams, and poor decisions (e.g., health choices based on celebrity testimonials or forum "professionals").
In the context of anecdotal claims (like the original forum exchange): These biases make unverified stories feel compelling, especially when emotionally charged or identity-aligned. Dismissing them isn't rudeness—it's a corrective against these predictable errors. Mitigation strategies include seeking base rates, demanding evidence, considering counter-anecdotes, and actively looking for disconfirming data.
Understanding these biases helps build better reasoning habits: prioritize systematic evidence over compelling stories.
If I was on the walls manning one of these, I couldn't.
In the Night
Contributor
Go out and make something of yourself, Pretender. People will actually pay you for it!
In the Night
Contributor
Go look at payment services attached to the Alexa service for an example,Tball.
In the Night
Contributor
So you make enough to drive a car...or at least did when you bought the car.
At his age? I heard his ex really took him to the cleaners. (Anecdotally, of course)
In the Night
Contributor
What 'Darwin's Theory'? Can you state one?
A few years after I spent my time exposing pump and dumps, the dotcom scam started to unravel. AI investors figured out how to keep the shell game going longer so they can make a lot more money.
In 2008 congress passed a law so banksters no longer had to beg for a bailout, it's given to them automatically in QE. We went back to the future.
In the Night
Contributor
Illiteracy: Misspelled words. Period used for commas.
Get your money back. Your college degree is worthless.
I don't believe you have any degree past a high school diploma. You obviously know nothing about business or electricity.
Stop making shit up, Pretender.
In the Night
Contributor
Age is not a concern.At his age? I heard his ex really took him to the cleaners. (Anecdotally, of course)
Whether an ex took him to the cleaners is not a concern.
I was up in Sonoma County and saw all the 20 something millionaires walking around as if their shit didn't stink. What goes up must come down.Are you taking credit for the dot.com crash?
In the Night
Contributor
Ditch diggers, plumbers, carpenters, cabinet makers, electricians, truckers, ranchers, farmers, sewer workers, welders, sheet metal workers, HVAC technicians, food truck workers, fairground ride operators, riggers, heavy equipment operators, sailors, firefighters, police, etc.
And if you STILL can't find a job, MAKE one! Start a business! It doesn't have to be much, but it's YOURS. You make it break it on your own skill and initiaitive.
One really has only themselves to blame if they remain employed.
So you say. Irrelevant. Answer the question you were asked. Are you taking credit for the dot.com crash?