"Calling Bullshit": Free syllabus and material for interesting topic to teach

Work Teaching English in Taiwan
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Or, for people allergic to usage of the word “shit”: https://www.callingbull.org/

Not sure if anyone here is in a position to teach such a topic, but I feel it could be highly beneficial in nowadays political climate. Plus, all materials etc. are provided for free, meaning less preparation time :slight_smile:

Bullshit involves language, statistical figures, data graphics, and other forms of presentation intended to persuade by impressing and overwhelming a reader or listener, with a blatant disregard for truth and logical coherence.

Calling bullshit is a performative utterance, a speech act in which one publicly repudiates something objectionable. The scope of targets is broader than bullshit alone. You can call bullshit on bullshit, but you can also call bullshit on lies, treachery, trickery, or injustice.

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Interesting. Never realised this was a thing.

The link you provided seems to be down. A DDOS attack perhaps? :slight_smile:

Bullshit is definitely completely out of hand. I just had a rancorous debate on a health website with an NHS professional who appears to be employed as a bullshit-spreader. The thrust of his/her argument is that telling the truth is now equivalent to hate speech, because telling the truth takes away people’s right to choose treatments that don’t work, or which make them more sick.

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Strange, the links seem to be fine. Is it still happening?

Yeah, we have a similar sounding “discussion” about homeopathy in Germany :joy:

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Read this on the BBC the other day:

The BBC! Daily Mail or similar wouldn’t surprise me.