RationalWiki:How I found RationalWiki/2016

=2016=

December 2016

 * I was on vacation at Myrtle Beach. I was spending some inside the hotel room, looking up some stuff about the existence of God, and somehow I ended up here. I lurked around for a while before joining at the end of 2016.


 * I used to truly believe Asaac Isimov (talk) 18:11, 21 December 2016 (UTC)


 * I Googled Conservapedia, found the Rational Wiki entry, and promptly laughed my ass off. Pseudoscience4prez (talk) 02:10, 21 December 2016 (UTC)


 * I honestly don't remember. Perhaps it had something to do with Donald Trump. Stalin1953 (talk) 22:57, 14 December 2016 (UTC)Stalin1953


 * I'd been watching a lot of Alex Jones (ironically of course, the guy's hilarious) one day in November and whilst looking for an article or two I found his page on here. My activity on here then just turned into a slippery slope of reading a crap ton of articles on here about Focus On The Family, the elections, and so forth. PPRMasked (talk) 17:26, 13 December 2016 (UTC)


 * I was watching a football game while browsing Twitter. Someone tweeted about #aleppo, which led me to investigate the Syrian Civil War and its general awfulness. I spied an interesting contrarian twitter handle on the #aleppo thread, whereby I proceeded to vet her credibility online, to see if she was worth following. I started watching a video of her discussing Gamergate with Paul Joseph Watson. Unfortunately, it turned out she was also an alt-right conspiracy wacko, but at least I found RationalWiki. AgentBlackX (talk) 10:08, 13 December 2016 (UTC)


 * Got linked here by someone in an ExplainXKCD talk section, and stuck around because I found myself in a website full of people who actually seem reasonable. I'll admit, I was really put off-balance by the results of the 2016 US Presidental election, and finding a group of sane people around the same time really helped me get back on track. Menoshe (talk) 19:20, 9 December 2016 (UTC)


 * I was on another site (IT news etc.) and the Lenski Affair was mentioned and linked to your article here. Always glad to find a bastion of reason in a world infested with mysticism. 216.253.4.10 (talk) 18:59, 7 December 2016 (UTC)


 * I can't remember the first time I came here, exactly. I remember someone on Reddit linking here as a source, and someone else pointed out the website (as if it was biased). I've been lurking here and reading Conservapedia as satire for a while. I started to contribute when I realized RationalWiki was more incomplete and more snarky than Wikipedia. Placebo1234 (talk) 13:04, 5 December 2016 (UTC)


 * I was lurking here for about 2 Years, when i was looking for something to counter Gamergate asshats. Benaresh (talk) 11:45 03 December 2016 (UTC)

November 2016

 * I got here from reading about visual thinking, and that somehow led me to the mandela effect article here at rationalwiki MariAdkins 21:59, 28 November 2016 (UTC)


 * I got here through arguing with an creationist and needing info.-BB-8 (talk) 00:34, 21 November 2016 (UTC)


 * I'm a long time lurker here, and can't remember exactly how I came to this site first though it was likely through looking for material whilst in an argument with a friend about the cause of 9/11. I have lurked here ever since ~teganski (talk) 16:19, 20 November 2016 (UTC)


 * I don't remember when I found RationalWiki, but during the last weeks I have used it a lot. Today I was bored and decided to start quacking around here. QuackMan (talk) 18:32, 4 November 2016 (UTC)


 * I don't remember well, too, exactly when and why I found this wiki but I think it was looking for an article about the many inconsistences that can be found on the Bible (EDIT. Probably was because of the TVTropes article that mentions you). After lurking some time reading articles, finally came both a wish to help the wiki editing articles -as per TVTropes and Wikipedia- as well as thanks to you a journey to the darkest pits of Fundamentalism, where growing stupidity and eventually brain damage await. --Panzerfaust (talk) 15:08, 18 November 2016 (UTC).

October 2016

 * I remember that, about a year ago, I was looking up information on the FEMA camps conspiracy theory, when I either came across an article that linked to our article on the subject or stumbled across our article directly. I thought it was great, so I continued reading the Conspiracy Theory section before branching out into the rest of the wiki. I eventually decided to create my own account, and now I'm here. RoninMacbeth (talk) 22:14, 29 October 2016 (UTC)


 * My memory is fuzzy, but it was at the time when I was starting to despite the atheist community, with The Amazing Atheist in particular. I wanted to find as many slam articles against him, and I found RW's page on him. I continued surfing the wiki due to interest and here I am; present day (Not to mention that it's full of articles that actually cite sources). Director Black (talk) 17:30, 23 October 2016 (UTC)


 * I found RationalWiki whilst searching for amusing things to use in a "debate" on an online forum discussing Donald Trump with batshit crazy Alex Jones disciples and foam mouthed right-wingnuts. Your articles on both Trump and Jones have proved extremely useful, as has the WIGO:Elections page. Obi-Jon (talk) 20:09, 15 October 2016 (UTC)

September 2016

 * I found RationalWiki once by searching a logical fallacy. Later I searched for "Sargon's law" and found a honest and rational evaluation of Sargon Of Akkad (here obviously). I spent weeks reading other pages :') User:TigreDeMetal 13:37, 19 September 2016


 * I found RationalWiki around three years ago while researching ways to dismantle conspiracy theories. I believe the first page I ever saw was the hilarious Alex Jones page. I've loved you hip cats ever since *smooches* Deadwing (talk) 16:34, 14 September 2016 (UTC)

August 2016

 * I found rational wiki when trying to prove to my friend that "Before It's News" was not an actual news site. To this day he thinks that story with the frozen dragon was real. *sigh* by User:WhiteWolf


 * I found rational wiki when looking for information about BS religions and political talking points. Landed on an article a few months ago on theism(funny) Greatest wiki I have ever read&mdash; Unsigned, by: Dretch01 / talk / contribs


 * I came hear looking for a long list of crap spewed out by Faux News


 * Found the TV Tropes page on Conservapedia somehow, which had a link to the RationalWiki page. Checked it out, and I joined. YpsiFang (talk) 24 August 2016 (UTC)


 * From an article at Snopes at which I landed from Skeptics.stackexchange. &mdash; Unsigned, by: 77.74.48.68 / talk / contribs


 * I was in a bookstore a few months ago--April, I believe--where I picked up a book titled "Not Even Wrong" about the failure of string theory. After reading the back, I looked up the phrase and landed here. Tbump (talk) 01:53, 21 August 2016 (UTC)


 * Was looking for info on the Glenn Beck Boston Marathon defamation lawsuit. On the fifth page of the google search I found a great wiki on the topic as well as justice done on the subject's demagogic rhetoric and vain punditry. My next click was "Main Page" and the one after that was "Create Account." (Polemicist (talk) 14:18, 10 August 2016 (UTC))


 * I was making a point on Facebook and wanted to use Louie Gohmert as an example of the GOP's ilk that ends up in the HOR/Senate. Saw the RationalWiki link, used that entry and stuck around. This is place is now on my "Fave" ribbon.Abcbill (talk) 12:59, 14 August 2016 (UTC)


 * Found it originally when looking for good sources to explain to a friend why his latest conspiracy theory was crap. Stayed for the humor.  I've been lurking for a couple years now and only recently made an account.  Arawn Emrys (talk)


 * Found IronChariots a long time ago, that linked me here and after years of knowing about this place I've finally decided to make an account just to add something to the Kent Hovind page. Rivendellyan (talk) 21:03, 6 August 2016 (UTC)


 * There was a link to a RationalWiki article from ... place I forget. I started reading and then fell into a wikihole. I'm now making my way through the Annotated Bible. (Spoilers: Genesis is long and kinda boring...oh, and there's no way anyone should think it isn't an allegory.)


 * I found a link on a Facebook page (A Science Enthusiast) to a Rational Wiki article called Occam's razor... I started reading and exploring more and i absolutely love this place. Louiseiridium (talk) 02:18, 3 August 2016 (UTC)Louiseiridium

July 2016

 * I forgot how I found this website. I DO know that I've lurked around here a while, often going on 10-tab research binges spurred on by the WIGO section. Now I'm here! Chipbag01 (talk) 20:08, 23 July 2016 (UTC)


 * I was reading about Chile and I noticed a disturbing lack of links on the Salvador Allende article. I'm a fan of TVtropes, you see. I can't wait to contribute! Applesauce (talk) 21:03, 21 July 2016 (UTC)


 * On July 20, 1969, our astros landed on the Moon. They were able to perform this feet by using an intelligently designed apparatus made by other humans.  The lunar lander and other artifacts used to enable this historic event didn't randomly assemble themselves. It seems self evident to me that Intelligent Design is an intrinsic part of the human experience.  I don't understand why ID is not accepted as a fact of life. JohnFornaro (talk) 12:40, 21 July 2016 (UTC)


 * In my continuing search for an honest man, I was looking, after the police shootings in Baton Rouge and St. Paul and the sniper attack on police in Dallas, for the origin of the (to me) tendentious definition of racism as “prejudice plus power.” The Flying Spaghetti Monster reached out his noodly appendage and led me to the Prejudice plus power page here. Now that I’ve found this site, there is much, much more here that interests me beyond just that narrow original topic. I can see I’m going to be spending a lot of time here from now on. —Diogenes (talk) 18:46, 13 July 2016 (UTC)


 * I was doing research on sexual prohibitions and calls to violence in both the Bible and the Quran. There was a link to this website on one of the pages. Glad you're here and I am happy to be here.


 * I read the Conservapedia article on homosexuality, then saw RationalWiki on the Wikipedia article on aforementioned subject (Conservapedia, that is, not homosexuality). I came here to cleanse my mouth of that foul taste. Andralker (talk) 14:34, 21 July 2016 (UTC)


 * Google. Itallian Princess (talk) 15:01, 21 July 2016 (UTC)


 * I was happily trolling some brainless fundie on Facebook. He suggested that I come here as I'd "[O]bviously be happier associating with your fellow travellers and other heathens. I pray that you'll spend an eternity roasting in the deepest pits of hell! I'd obviously proven him wrong to the point where he couldn't wriggle out of it no matter what he tried. I consider that a victory, personally. Now we may not agree on everything, but rest assured, it's going to be a delight debating the finer points of whatever is up for debate with people who will not plug their ears and go "Nanner nanner can't hear you you're going to hell lol". Personally, I REALLY look forward to rational discourse as opposed to what passes for rhetoric and debate in the various fora on the internet. Roger.lee (talk) 18:43, 29 July 2016 (UTC)

June 2016

 * I attended a dinner party in 2014 in which someone chatted me up about the blood type diet, which I had never heard of. Not knowing anything about it, I just nodded with growing suspicion. When I got home, I found that RW had a reasonably good description of it. Bongolian (talk) 20:42, 23 June 2016 (UTC)


 * Found this site after googling the definition of "innumeracy", my new favorite word!


 * I found this site almost a year ago while looking for LessWrong criticism from outside of LessWrong. I'm finally making an account to fix a spelling error. Nsjacques (talk) 00:49, 23 June 2016 (UTC)


 * Was linked via twitter some time ago, signed up to make minor corrections, think I ended up here in regards to the 'manosphere' (had no idea what it was, sounded like a monster from a doom mod)


 * I found the site researching the concept of "Social Democracy" and it practice in the Nordic counties, Which is have the the general believe is really Liberal corporatism. In doing so I came across the ideal of Social Corporatism from Rationalwiki site, and was rolling on the floor on the last part of the definition:

"'Social corporatism'[wp] has sometimes been used to describe social democratic economic models, where both private property and labour interests are protected. While this has been used by some libertarians as 'proof' that liberals are actually 'deep cover fascists,' it doesn't explain why Angela Merkel hasn't worn a toothbrush moustache, suspended the Bundestag and bombed Greece yet."

I still haven't stop crying. §Steeleagle01:13, 6 June 2016 (UTC)


 * I discovered this will months ago while doing work on a school project for Food, Inc while at the same time looking up why anti-GMO activists sounded like they had no idea what they were talking about. Boring fact: I never joined this wiki until I noticed someone offended for being blocked from it (and even suggested adding it to the record). Biologically Mad (talk)


 * Found this site while looking for for counterarguments to Global warming deniers. It proved very helpful, so helpful that I decided to stay. Kodak (talk) 21:27, 23 June 2016 (UTC)


 * I had a real enlightening conversation with some individuals who informed me that evolution was false because monkeys would not exist. It was so fascinating, that I had to read up on at a wiki that was rational. (Sovereign 15:15, 1 December 2016 (UTC))

May 2016

 * I found RationalWiki via their counter-apologetics section. I can't remember which page, however. Probably the cosmological argument or pascal's wager. Lord Aeonian (talk) 03:28, 28 May 2016 (UTC)


 * I can't remember how I first ended up here, but I remember I stayed because of your snarky point of view. I decided to create an account because I have some content to add. Chromanebula (talk) 00:16, 28 May 2016 (UTC)


 * I was bored during the science unit for genetics, so I searched "GMO conspiracies" to piss of my science teacher and ended up on the "List of Conspiracies" page.ChikinRamen (talk) 21:16, 24 May 2016 (UTC)


 * Found this wiki from We Hunted the Mammoth...clicked a link and BAM! Landing Article: Manosphere glossary - DiamondDisc1 (talk) 22:28, 17 May 2016 (UTC)


 * Fact-checking a Facebook meme, I googled "100 million Native Americans were slaughtered by the US government" and ended up here. —Peter Chastain [¡háblame!]  01:03, 17 May 2016 (UTC)
 * RationalWiki was mentioned in Sadri Hassani's excellent commentary in the May 2016 Physics Today. Nywxguy (talk) 20:30, 16 May 2016 (UTC)nywxguy
 * I somehow landed on the Climategate page and haven't left the site since. Demosn (talk) 15:40, 5 May 2016 (UTC)

April 2016

 * I have seen RationalWiki referenced several times on Facebook and other forums. XaurreauX (talk) 12:38, 28 April 2016 (UTC)XaurreauX


 * I've been reading RationalWiki off and on for a few months now. The first article I came across was Adolf Hitler when I was just doing some random reading about Nazi Germany, it's always been a curious subject to me. I made this account for fun because why not. What's with the goat anyway? Char.illum (talk) 13:26, 15 April 2016 (UTC)Char.illum


 * Been binge reading this site on and off for about two or so years now, discovered it through Encyclopedia Dramatica, which I had been reading with amused horror after an ex-acquaintance linked me to a truly awful image page. Made the account because there was a missing letter "p" in a word. I fixed it. InquisitorVevrain (talk) 07:35, 2 April 2016 (UTC)


 * My brother told me about it. He said 'Hey, check out RationalWiki,' and I did. And now I've got this cool account.


 * I have been a lurker for quite some time. I discovered RW from researching/debunking myths and source checking wing nuts/crazies. Compliments to RW and it's users for making this site an intellectually appealing place! I look forward to contributing articles!


 * I was reading about ethology and then checked out this video on silverfish. The video creator had a weird collection of videos on his YouTube page, so I Googled his name to see his background. RationalWiki had a page on his conspiracy beliefs. Joe (talk) 00:23, 26 April 2016 (UTC)


 * To my best recollection, I have bumped into this awesome wiki when I explored and questioned my past quack beliefs. You guys have done a GREAT deal of awakening the skeptic in me and outright debunking many of my past paranoid views on a vast amounts of conspiracy theories, for which I am super glad as it help me battle the depression the paranoia has fueled. Keep up the amazing contribution to the global rise of rational skepticism, Peace. ---Плуто-0-Пи- 02:47, 27 April 2016 (UTC)


 * I have been researching the subject of "red rooms" online, and came across a related article on RationalWiki. I thought, "I'd like to help out with that!"  I look forward to doing more editing, and perhaps even writing an article at some point.&mdash; Unsigned, by: Facilinks / talk / contribs

March 2016

 * I found this site in because I wanted to see if Conservapedia was a joke. I decided to look it up and RationalWiki was mentioned on the Wikipedia page. I clicked the link and have been here ever since. Boatman17 (talk) 01:54, 31 March 2016 (UTC)


 * Knew of this site for years through Patheos and http://atheistforums.org. It was fairly recently that I became aware of a lot of noise between some very irrational and dishonest SJWs and Thunderfoot, who makes valid points despite the somewhat over-the-top and FauxNewsish tactical soundbite editing. The guy really does sound a little unbalanced, but his detractors are no better - I came here hoping to find some balanced straight dope on this dude's career, not fanboyism for that ignoramus and ass-licker PZ Meyers and his girlfriends who cook up steaming piles of bullshit just to advance their careers! Watson's story wasn't necessarily a page straight out of the chronic liar's playbook, and I'm not denying that women are frustrated by insensitive clods who don't understand how to relate to women, but she does no good service whatsoever to the millions of American women who have experienced true harassment and much worse with her polarizing and very self-serving positions. Whether that doo-doo pile on the elevator floor was from a male or a female, it stinks equally! There's simply nothing rational about those who cannot make their case without ruthlessly shouting down and blackballing all who disagree with them, there's no place on a site with this title for that, therefore I must dig in and help those who would sort out the ugly, stinking pile which it has been devolving into and make it rational again. Mister Shovel (talk) 08:05, 30 March 2016 (UTC)Mister Shovel


 * Somehow, friends found the site and I too found this interesting. Known about this for a nuber of years, though only now registered to edit Wakefields article on the bit about his film screening at Tribeca. Will be on and off. Infinitynoka (talk) 03:46, 27 March 2016 (UTC)


 * I know this site since December 2015. I was looking for facts supporting or weakening gun nuts' arguments.Paronomase (talk) 22:11, 26 March 2016 (UTC)Paronomase

January 2016

 * I found out that RW is great for improving one's bullshit and woo-woo detection skills. This happened while watching religious folks debating secularists demonstrating logical fallacies aplenty. Tekunojutsuka (talk) 18:27, 30 January 2016 (UTC)


 * I think it was a long Wodka fueled roaming of TVTropes that got me here. I was intrigued by some of the articles and enraged by others. I hope we can do something about the latter ;-) Pizzameister (talk) 02:23, 27 January 2016 (UTC)


 * Roamed the net about articles about logical fallacies, creationism, pseudoscience and political extremism and thanks to Skynet Google, I came to this site. Hope for a constructive collaboration.--Kugelschreiber (talk) 21:32, 25 January 2016 (UTC)


 * Internet search for rebuttals to local theist, creationist, conservative arguments in june 2011. landing page was the homepage.FAMAS (talk) 14:31, 24 January 2016 (UTC)


 * Having spent years nodding along with Thunderf00t's poorly informed nonsense about feminism, and then coming back to him with a more rounded world view, I started looking him up to see if something had changed. The man I remembered as a genius pundit had shifted into a reactionary moron. In the process I stumbled across RationalWiki's article on Thunderf00t and realised my youthful 'feminismz is badz and hates menz' philosophy had been what was wrong those few years ago, and Mason had always been that much of a -blam!-. Started reading more and more since then. This site's fascinating and a great source of information and has really helped me develop into a more rational, skeptical individual. Thanks, RationalWiki! --AdmiralBangle (talk) 20:50, 18 January 2016 (UTC)


 * I tried convincing my friend that Alex Jones was conspiracy and lies. It didn't work, because he's human centipeded to his bum-hole, but I found RationalWiki in the process. Read the Alex Jones article top-to-bottom, and in the process, couldn't leave. Thanks for trapping me in this truth prison. OrangeMint (talk) 13:15, 13 January 2016 (UTC)OrangeMint


 * During my teens I used read a lot of paranormal and leftist conspiracy theories and from time to time I used to encounter articles from this wiki. At first I didn't bother because this wiki dismissed those things as B.S. But then I noticed the B.S. and discovered the err in my ways. Now I can, in the words of the late Michael C. Ruppert, "separate the ice cream from the B.S.". Thanks to you guys. --InfoWorX (talk) 12:01, 13 January 2016 (CAT)


 * Pretty sure I was researching a woomeister for an article, a couple years ago. I think I next caught sight of the words "Batshit insane" as a category, and read my way through the alphabetical listings to R (I believe) whenever I had wifi and idle time. Got sidetracked by the fascinating history with CP and realized you lot would probably appreciate be able to tolerate me.Noah Snark (talk) 22:08, 9 January 2016 (UTC)


 * I was looking for information about logical fallacies and I ended up here to waste a lot of time, but in a good way! NameThatNobodyTakes (talk) 20:28, 9 January 2016 (UTC)


 * To troll, basically. :P Nekrif58 (talk) 04:34, 8 January 2016 (UTC)


 * So, there it was this neonazi motto "Anti-racist is a code word for anti-white" and I wanted to see how far an idea so stupid can run over the Internet... I googled it and that article came up. I loved it. Ivan,_the_historian (talk) 05:42, 7 January 2016 (UTC)


 * I came here because I'm stupid and mommy says I should hang out with smart people. In all seriousness though, I came because I had to do this essay on pseudoscience, so I came here, started reading the articles, forgot to finish the essay and failed.--ProbablyStupid (talk) 12:03, 7 January 2016 (UTC)