Consensus Reality

GLORIOUSLeader

Basically, it's when a universally agreed upon opinion becomes the truth. See also: wikiality. 

What bugs me about it is that it's scary, and yet it's probably true.

For instance, does anybody question the fact that Aristotle was a Greek philosopher? Now does anybody dispute the fact that Aristotle was his real name? It's a small point, I know, but what's to stop big lies everybody believes in one day, in the future, becoming the truth?

TheMightyAnonym

Nothing other than the ever important desire to ask questions.

The day that people stop asking questions will be a sad time indeed.

GLORIOUSLeader

Of course, think about it this way.

We all laugh and point out conspiracy theorists as tinfoil-hat-wearing crazies. 

But what if they're right?

Now, I'm not referring to the true loonies that believe that 9/11 was a government conspiracy, or that the Holocaust was a lie, or that the moon landing was faked. I'm talking about more obscure ones, ones that believe very disputable things. For example, just the other day, I met a person who thought that Germany was a victim of WWI and did not deserve harsh reparations. I also think this. But what would the general American think of Germany during WWI? "Oh, who, the Nazis? Yeah, America kicked their asses!"

Though this speaks more on the failings of general education than consensus reality.

Wicked223

1984  already did this.

MoeDantes

This would bother me, except we've got that nice little "multiple cultures on the planet" thing, and each will have different consensus truths. Thus there will always be debate.

When Earth becomes monocultural like in Star Trek, then I'll worry.

Codename_M308

Do you know IGN said Vagrant Story had errors and hiccups, even when it doesn't? And that Wikipedia took this as fact?

EDIT:

Now, I'm not referring to the true loonies that believe that 9/11 was a government conspiracy, or that the Holocaust was a lie, or that the moon landing was faked.

Or that Osama Bin Laden is alive and well right now and that the government pretended he was dead to get Obama reelected, using the lack of pictures of his corpse and the ocean burial as evidence.

MoeDantes

^ Are you talking to me, or the thread in general?

Beholderess

On the other hand, that can be a good thing. Ideas like human rights only become reality because enough people thought them to be true.

Saigyouji

^^^ The only time I can see the article saying that is in a direct quote. It doesn't declare it as objective fact.

Codename_M308

^^^ This thread in general.

Gelzo

I'm reminded of the notion that broccoli is high in iron, which wasn't shown to be false for quite a while if I'm getting my facts straight.

GLORIOUSLeader

^^ I can tell you're making a point. I can't tell what that point is. 

^ You mean spinach.

Gelzo

Ah, yes.

Though broccoli doesn't seem to be all that high in iron either.

http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu/Handouts/dietary_sources_iron.html