RationalWiki:How I found RationalWiki/2013

2013

December 2013

• Many years ago, I edited some pages on a wiki called the SkepticWiki. This wiki had a lot of pages about evolution, but pitifully little else. One day some years back, I went to look at the SkepticWiki again to see if there'd been any updates, and much to my dismay it had disappeared! The old page simply pointed the reader to this weird wiki I'd never heard of before called "RationalWiki". I noticed that RationalWiki had articles on Wilhelm Reich and orgone energy (subjects I'd made pages on the old SkepticWiki about), but they needed my (ahem) golden touch. Incidentally, if you visit "skepticwiki.org" today, you get a website that tries to sell you automobile insurance. --Tracer (talk) 21:09, 30 December 2013 (UTC)

• I went to google "homicide bombing" and found your page. I seem to have stepped into an odd universe that's part Wikipedia, part MSNBC afternoon programming, part Encyclopedia Dramatica. :) But you at least helped me on this one so kudos where they're due. Janosz (talk) 19:04, 30 December 2013 (UTC)
• Found it accidentally. Now I need it to keep me sane through all the muck, lies and bullshit on the internet. Without it, I would've devolved into a conspiracy spouting, paranoid wreck.—Aya (talk) 04:11, 27 December 2013 (UTC)
• I have been increasingly disgusted with Wikipedia, or the "Christian History Restoration Project" as it should be rightfully called. The "religion of Adolf Hitler" page put me over the top, and I got lucky tonight. Thank you to those that made this site.--Brendan Liam (talk) 11:14, 24 December 2013 (UTC)
• Was trying to find out who put out the BS claiming 1E6 people died from Chernobyl, was quite succesful. But then I surfed over to Michael Mann's Hockey Stick. It was what I DIDN'T see there that convinced me not to come back to rational wiki192.212.253.128 (talk) 21:57, 22 December 2013 (UTC)BigFish92672
• Google fueled serendipity.

Via RW article Pyrrhonism.

Via Wikiquote William James...

"There is but one indefectibly certain truth, and that is the truth that pyrrhonistic scepticism itself leaves standing, — the truth that the present phenomenon of consciousness exists."

Via Susan Blackmore giving James props—in passing—in The Self Illusion.

i.e. Google fueled serendipity. :  }

--DaKev (talk) 08:35, 19 December 2013 (UTC)

• Just bad luck ^{— Unsigned, by: Allyo123 / talk / contribs}
• TvTropes, same link as two below (Dystopia => problems with dictatorships). Having worked on Dkosopedia I am in awe of what you've achieved here. No other comparable site has reached the "critical mass" where a reader can "wiki-walk" all day, nor has anyone managed such a balance between educational value, readability, organization, and plausibility. PatriotismOverProfits (talk) 00:26, 5 December 2013 (UTC)

November 2013

• Was googling Jack Chick for Wikipedia or TvTropes probably. A short Wiki Walk later I found the Fun category aaaand uhhhhh weeellllllll I-uhhh... kind of got hooked on Fun:You have two cows. --Pex (talk) 18:31, 2 December 2013 (UTC)
• TvTropes got me here, actually. Their article on how Dystopias are difficult landing me in the reasons why a dictatorship is less sustainable than a democracy. I fell in love. I usually find shape to my thinking by putting it into words, and these informal essays just put me in the frame of mind to tackle and recognize where I stand, whenever I think "Yeap, exactly" or "Humm, no... I think...". That they are fun is just the cherry on top. --Zanahoria 03:01, 21 November 2013
• I've always loved reading about nutjobs and crackpots, and used to revel in SomethingAwful and more recently TV Tropes (tvtropes.org), but had sponged up most of their content and was looking for another informative, skeptical, humorously-written wikia-style site to feed my ravenous need for information and entertainment... I googled the words "conservapedia insane" and wound up on the Conservapedia page here, and then just started wiki-wandering throughout the site. I usually go under the handle OtherSyde on forums/wikis/game networks, except on XBox Live I use OtherSydes because somone had already taken the former. 138.163.128.42 (talk) 17:50, 20 November 2013 (UTC)
• When I first met my wife (a Southern Baptist preacher's daughter) she was on the fence about everything. RationalWiki helped me complete her corruption. --Dowdicus (talk) 02:48, 17 November 2013 (UTC)
• The concentrated awesome that was Non-materialist neuroscience was my landing point here. I found it when I was discussing at a forum (don't ask, I left it). --Ray´s Super Fun Hellhole! ^{g͘͡r̸̀a̸̶̡n̶̶͜ţ̡ ̀҉̴̨͡m̀͘͜͢e͡ ̸͟҉̷̢ỳ̸̡̀͞ơ̡̢̡ų̧r̴̀͡͝ ̡҉҉̧̛s̵̕͏̡ǫ̀́͢ų́l̵̕҉} 17:50, 12 November 2013 (UTC)
• Google searching for an example of a Godel statement 96.241.52.187 (talk) 21:54, 7 November 2013 (UTC)
• I was on a Runescape Wikia (I edit on various Wikias under the name "Harmonex"), and someone mentioned that Conservapedia didn't look too kindly on the gods of the game. Googling the site after trying to figure out what the Hell I just read led me here. Good times. 76.106.251.87 (talk) 05:31, 6 November 2013 (UTC)

October 2013

• Watching BBC Sunday Morning Live, I was a little shocked that David Vance was showing an un-christian attitude about Gypsies. I then made the mistake of looking at his website and went down the rabbit hole of what seemed to be crazy nonsense. Thankfully, RationalWiki restored my faith in sanity and my own [detector]. Then made the mistake of reading on and on and on. Great site. --Barryjon (talk) 19:59, 31 October 2013 (UTC)
• While having too much time on my hands, and remembering some bad things that arrogant religious people have done, I did various web searches, and after some of the results were from AiG and JiS, I felt compelled to find something that debunked them. Been an avid lurker/reader for months, but I thought it was time that I set up a login and discussed other whackos I've come across. Super Saiyan Musashi (talk) 16:08, 25 October 2013 (UTC)
• I came across it in the bottom page of a DuckDuck Go page, after getting over interested in the Elevatorgate Drama, and have found it a handy reference manual, the added humour and fun pages, just adding to it. I edited wikipedia as an Undergrad and got irked at the 'Balance and Neutral Voice', of the ranroids that run it, also I got into Guitar again. 11:35, 24 October 2013 (UTC)
• I was reading the TV Tropes page on Troll Fic, which makes a reference to Poe's Law in the introduction. Not being familiar with this, I followed the links which directed me to this site's entry on Poe's Law. I already contribute proofreading and fact-checking edits to both TV Tropes and Wikipedia (I know, losing battle, but unprofessional writing and misinformation bug the hell out of me, and I'd rather light that single candle than just curse the darkness), and I'm looking forward to being able to do the same here. Quantumpanda (talk) 01:39, 8 October 2013 (UTC)
• Back in June or July I think, I did a Google search of Heterophobia after listening to a bit of Caiden Cowger's bullshit. (who I was surprised we didn't have an article about back then). I registered in September, but my editing has been a bit slow due me not knowing that much about science beyond evolution and global warming, general laziness and my poor understanding of MediaWiki formatting. I'm still too used to the simple format that TV Tropes uses. Nuclearneo577 (talk) 21:55, 04 October 2013 (UTC)
• I was on TV Tropes and, after searching Troll Science and going through a page or two of search, I found Conservapedia. Around 20 minutes ago I made an account and corrected the Adolf Hitler page with something that wasn't complete idiocy, and got subsequently banliterated. I read a bit further on their article on TvTropes and thusly found you, and made an account. Thankfully, I've dabbled in MediaWiki and I know stuff from most fields of science, especially physics. That and I want to find the Conservapedia bashing I was promised. MisterTrope (talk) 23:14, 6 October 2013 (UTC)
• I was getting into constant arguments with a couple of friends over conspiracy theories. They believed in the Illuminati, had begun to listen to Alex Jones and had taken to regurgitating whatever nonsense was in vogue in such circles at the moment. Although I was capable of gutting their views on a logical level, I was in need of some factual refutations of their speculative silliness about 9/11 as an inside job. Lo and behold, RationalWiki had already compiled a beautiful repertoire of arguments against 9-11 conspiracy theories already, not to mention on a whole range of other conspiracy topics. Although I was ultimately unable to convince them to join the world of empirical reality (at least not entirely, and not yet,) I did find this delightful little wiki. Baronvladdy (talk) 13:16, 14 October 2013 (UTC)
• I found Conservapedia via ED, and then subsequently checked out its TV Tropes entry, which mentioned RationalWiki. I checked it out and read some articles, and decided to join. I've been correcting little errors what with my OCD-ish tendencies and whatnot. Anyway, beautiful stuff ya got here. Meltyface (talk) 15:45, 14 October 2013 (UTC)

September 2013

• I used the term “false dichotomy” in an essay I was writing and then began to wonder whether the meaning I intended by that term is, in fact, what the term means. So I Googled it and followed a link that landed me on your False Dilemma page. There I discovered “woo” (I don’t get out much). I proceeded to the “Style Over Substance/Pseudoscience” category for an engaging and helpful explanation of "woo"—thank you! Ann Arbor (talk) 00:11, 1 October 2013 (UTC)Ann Arbor
• I discovered this site watching a couple of those 'Freeman-on-the-land'/'Sovereign Citizen' videos on YouTube, I wanted to find out who was responsible for starting the nonsense and how it has changed as it has moved from country to country. Mr whiskers (talk) 18:27, 11 September 2013 (UTC)
• I unfortunately discovered this site from a google on Thomas Szasz and read this atrocious misrepresentation of a genius. http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Thomas_Szasz Although some changes have been made since I started my protest. But I am passionate about science and rational thinking and despite my multiple bans I return from time to time.. --82.2.75.224 (talk) (aka User:Dirk Steele) 06:21, 10 September 2013 (UTC)
• I discovered this site looking desperately for something that could offer an intelligent refutation to this smug libertarian on a site I frequent (he's a Rand-inspired one, the worst kind). He's the guy who taught me to hate John Stossel and Peter Schiff (more so the latter one for being a grade-A con artist). I stuck around and made an account, because you guys seem very intelligent, unlike the plethora of rank-and-file lefties who talk out their asses in the blogosphere. ConfusedLiberal (talk) 07:43, 5 September 2013 (UTC)
• I discovered the site through a YE creationist's attempt to list 101 reasons to believe in a YE. I then found the article debunking all of those reasons, and happily read through them, enjoying the explanations and rational arguments. Scord (talk) 16:24, 9 September 2013 (UTC)
• I discovered this site in a Google result searching for "Alex Jones" (the resulting article was my landing point). If I recall correctly I was watching Immortal Technique music videos on youtube, and someone commented that there was a sample of "Alex Jones" in the track, and someone else commented that their favourite Alex Jones prediction was the one that didn't happen, i.e. all of them. I found that amusing so googled Alex Jones, and here I am (several amusing videos later).JT 06:03, 10 September 2013 (UTC)
• I found this Wiki a while ago. I was looking up porn or something, and this just happened to be there, so I thought "Sure, why not?" Messiah of Doom ( For me, thou shalt fall) 12:04, 15 September 2013 (UTC)
• I discovered this site while Googling information questioning the historicity of Jesus. Bzero (talk) 18:58, 24 September 2013 (UTC)
• RationalWiki was cited by Char42 on the debate of Damsels and tropes: Re: MrRepzion Damsels Part II -- Non-User:PLG

August 2013

• Looking for info on qualia. A friend is a philosophy major and I'm trying to keep up. Philhersh (talk) 01:59, 2 September 2013 (UTC)
• I think Andy Schlafly's an asshole, so I started looking for Conservapedia's enemies to join. Found em :) (PS i'm not really jimmy wales) --Jimmy Wales (talk) 19:39, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
• I frequently debate Creationists on YouTube, and I saw a fellow Atheist provide a link to RationalWiki's article "The Fine Art Of Baloney Detection". I decided to follow the link, and learned a lot of counter-arguments in the process. I've been a frequent visitor ever since. Teraku (talk) 21:24, 12 August 2013 (UTC)
• My younger brother introduced the site to me, and after reading the article on Logical Fallacies, I became hooked. TokenSkepticMagician (talk) 17:59, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
• When some quacks and politicians ended up in the news, I noticed that people tended to cite their "records" on RationalWiki. Wykked Wytch (talk) 03:32, 29 August 2013 (UTC)

July 2013

• I saw a reference to Rationalwiki on P.Z. Myers' Pharyngula site and thought I would take a look. JHobson2 (talk) 18:53, 30 July 2013 (UTC)
• I was researching Buddy Holly and Richie Valens deaths and came across RationalWiki's article about the "27 Club"; those musicians who supposedly died at the age of 27. It was such an enjoyable read overall that I shared it on Facebook. Excellent job. Thank you! ~~ Ann Webb
• Following recent news (and a racist petition on the White House website) I was investigating the people behind "White Genocide" propaganda, and ended up with RationalWiki's critique. --Yisfidri (talk) 23:23, 22 July 2013 (UTC)
• I was investigating whether WorldNetDaily is a trustworthy news site because I got linked to their article on Microsoft's 'NSA key in advapi.dll' and ended up reading RationalWiki's article on them. It seems like a rather interesting site, so I went on to read more articles. Nullahnung (talk) 10:30, 16 July 2013 (UTC)
• A friend pointed me to CP for a good laugh, and I followed my way here, landing at the CP WIGO page. - GrantC (talk) 22:21, 7 July 2013 (UTC)
• TV Tropes, where else? Madama Butterfly ^{The shadow remains cast!} 20:10, 6 July 2013 (UTC)
• Years ago, I was recruited to Wikipedia by User:David Gerard. Followed his blog about the place, found some of the articles amusing, and finally made an account, even though I'm skeptical about all the wrong things. - Smerdis of Tlön (talk) 03:53, 26 July 2013 (UTC)
• I was reading an article on Salon.com and they linked to an article here. What I saw was both funny and depressing, but I was sucked in.DarthBinky (talk) 20:01, 26 July 2013 (UTC)
• Googled "Poe's law". Kamizushi (talk) 00:21, 5 August 2013 (UTC)

June 2013

• I guess I should belatedly write this up. I found what's now the Fun:Flying Spaghetti Monster page while searching for Pastafarianism prayers and decided to add some shitty and shittily-coded snark. It was all downhill from there. FuzzyCatPotato of the Mirthful Sweet and sour chickens (talk/stalk) 04:20, 27 October 2015 (UTC)
• Was looking for articles that handled libertarianism and related economics in a non-hagiographic way. Needless to say the thrashing of said things made me extremely pleased. Mathetesalexandrou (talk) 02:47, 5 June 2013 (UTC)
• I was looking for critical analysis on the subjects of aspartame and acupuncture. They relate to rather personal matters, but at least I got the low-down on the subjects (which was pretty much in line with what I already knew). --Trar (talk) 19:47, 12 June 2013 (UTC)

May 2013

• I was googling for lesswrong.com criticism. 79.104.6.228 (talk) 01:14, 31 May 2013 (UTC)
• I was searching for 'Pleiadians' on google and then I found the pleiadians article on RationalWiki Lalumierebleue (talk) 15:19, 21 May 2013 (UTC)
• I Googled Breatharianism', which linked me to the RationalWiki article on the subject. Roseofjuly (talk) 23:56, 13 May 2013 (UTC)
• I googled 'Water powered car" which brought up Rational Wiki article on the subject.
• By reading the Wikipedia article on Conservapedia. Faunas (talk) 12:19, 9 May 2013 (UTC)

April 2013

• I think I found this site via Wikipedia. I had probably visited you before, but I can't remember exactly when I did. I am 13 years old, and goddamn this is a good site. I don't mind the opinions here. I won't follow them blindly, because on both sides of the coin (the other side being CP, naturally) that is stupid. Although for me for some reason CP is convincing, at least when you don't think about them (which obviously is probably what most wing nuts there do), and read them casually. But I digress. This site is good. Nobody's an extremist, the logo is clever, and it doesn't even get you sucked in when you read it casually! Keep up the good work. 198.53.40.249 (talk) 14:05, 9 April 2013 (UTC)

• I googled 'Cristina Rad wiki" which brought up her name and the Rational Wiki Namby (talk) 14:55, 19 April 2013 (UTC))!
• I found RationalWiki from the TVTropes page on you. Soon I got addicted to RationalWiki instead of TVTropes. -- _ssfly 22:57, 10 April 2013 (UTC)

• I was searching the web for a better understanding of 'negative energy' specifically in the case of virtual particles involved in Hawking radiation. I remembered Hawking saying in 'A Brief History of Time' that the virtual particle with negative energy will fall into the black hole reducing its mass but I couldn't find much on what kind of energy would be negative and contribute to the total negative energy of one of every pair of virtual particles. Anyway a Google search brought up your rather cranky page on how virtual particles break thermodynamics and I was intrigued by you.EricSaumur (talk) 15:17, 6 April 2013 (UTC)

March 2013

• Blame User:David Gerard. I suppose it was only fair turnaround - I got him into Wikipedia, so it was probably inevitable that he'd be the one responsible for sucking me into RationalWiki. Arkady (talk) 12:57, 24 March 2013 (UTC)

February 2013

• Pashley is one of the more intelligent, erudite and calm editors at en.wikivoyage.org and so I was interested to take a look at some of the other wiki's where he participates. Since many of the topics discussed here are way above my level of education, I'll probably just lurk in the hope of learning something. --_singaporeAlice 05:00, 2 February 2013 (UTC)

I'm sorry - I forgot to say that Richard Stallman was the first article I read here. --_singaporeAlice 05:03, 2 February 2013 (UTC)

• Ahahahaha! You're never gonna believe this... In a random twist of FateI was actually searching for the full lyrics to "Where Has All the Jelly Gone... Custard's Just Not the Same" (for reasons that will probably not become apparent again at this time) and lo and behold, this was one of only four (4!!) websites that would even mention the song. *shakes head* Those must be some heinous lyrics. They are mentioned around midway down of page 38 in the 2009 archives for the Bar. AISecurity^{All the Artificially Intelligent Security you can stand!} 06:26, 5 February 2013 (UTC)
• I learned of RationalWiki from reading the wikipedia article on Conservapedia. I was relieved to find that some people use their brains!
• Google search for The Daily Mail. Found RW's article fair and balanced. Evolutionismist (talk) 13:19, 16 February 2013 (UTC)

January 2013

• I was alerted to it on Twitter, because of the article on Errol Denton JoBrodie (talk) 22:20, 7 January 2013 (UTC)
• Found RW when looking for the biggest rational number described in 100 letters or less paradox. Article was ... mathematical paradoxes, I guess? -- Anonymous
• Was looking at conservapedia and thought someone had to be challenging this madness. Turned out I was right. - Al
• I found this totally rad website from my bro dudes. Dudeman (talk) 22:35, 18 January 2013 (UTC)
• Somebody (I can't remember who) summoned me here to help them with an article whose title I can no longer remember. I always answer calls for help. The Absent-minded Hero (talk) 08:47, 26 January 2013 (UTC)
• I was reading about William Lane Craig on Wikipedia and followed a link a found there. (Andr0idThePoet (talk) 17:37, 28 January 2013 (UTC))
• I found a link on Facebook, decided this is a worthy effort, and joined. JohnTaylor (talk) 19:22, 30 January 2013 (UTC)