Cory DoctorowMar 9

Even if rich people were no more likely to believe stupid shit than you or me, it'd still be a problem. After all, I believe my share of stupid shit (and if you think that none of the shit you believe in is stupid, then I'm afraid we've just identified at least one kind of stupid shit you believe in).

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If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this thread to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2026/03/09/autocrats-of-trade/#witness-the-firepower-of-this-fully-armed-and-operational-battle-station

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Show threadCory DoctorowMar 9

The problem isn't whether rich people believe stupid shit; it's the fact that when a rich person believes something stupid, that belief can turn into torment for dozens, thousands, or millions of people.

Here's a historical example that I think about a *lot*. In 1928, Henry Ford got worried about the rubber supply chain.

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Show threadMad EngineeringMar 9
@pluralistic I mean, it's arguably what killed the Roman empire. Rich Romans got fancy indoor plumbing, made of lead for easy maintenance. The lead leeches onto the water, giving them a strange line on their gums and a tendency to believe idiotic nonsense.
Show threadClayfoot
@madengineering @pluralistic The Romans knew about lead poisoning and to avoid it in drinking water. They preferred clay pipes over lead for drinking water, wherever possible. To the extent that lead poisoning was a problem, it was more likely because of the preparation and widespread consumption of must (grape juice) reduced to a half or a third volume in copper or lead containers.
https://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/Encyclopaedia_romana/wine/leadpoisoning.html
Lead Poisoning and Rome

Mar 9 at 9:08pmPhanpy
Show threadMicroblog CastellanoMar 9
@clayfoot
Thank you for the reference. I had a great time reading about wine in Rome.
@madengineering @pluralistic
Show threadMad EngineeringMar 9
@clayfoot @pluralistic
Til.  
Show threadAlexander Goeres 𒀯Mar 10
@Clayfoot
The Romans knew about lead poisoning and to avoid it in drinking water.
this is just not true. they were using lead to sweeten wine. and lead pipes whenever they needed pipes within their buildings  ...

#^https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defrutum
Defrutum – Wikipedia