Fair enough. I appreciate your pro-science stance and your disdain for CT's and other forms of woo. My sense is that anyone who exists in the real world instead of some fantasy bubble is at least worthy of my attention even if I don't agree with their opinions all the time. Such people are unfortunately harder and harder to find these days.
A rational logical person will adjust their world view to fit the available facts. A tribalist political/religious cult member will deny or alter the facts to fit their worldview.
While this is a very human condition we all suffer from, I strive to counter that as much as possible.
I'm not always right. But I want to be regardless of my own ego or preconceived beliefs. To do so I must be willing to adjust my worldview to fit the facts.
One of the largest worldview changes I've had in the last 10 years was about racism.. Until I studied it I had my head in the sand in denial. I rarely saw it, outside of what other people claimed, therefore it didn't exist on a systemic level to me. Yet the science here is undeniable as well. There is a clear consensus on this in the US. And when you look at just the raw data, it is heartbreaking and untenable for anyone with even a smidgen of empathy.
Being conservative with a libertarian lean, I absolutely believe in individual human rights. Systemic racism and bigotry are clear violations of those rights. Morally, I cannot demand my own, without standing up for anyone else's. So, I am staunchly, rabidly anti-racist.
Is that preachy enough, Fenix?