I mean obviously there's fascism going on, but given this admin is it more likely that they intentionally fabricated a false study by this epidemiologist or that it's just an unchecked reference hallucinated by an AI chatbot told to write something in support of his position? Basically is this citation purely malevolence or stupidity in the service of greater malevolence?

[–] leftzero@lemmynsfw.com 3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Hanlon's razor: don't assume malice when stupidity is sufficient explanation.

Though, in this case, I think it's almost certainly both.

[–] OneWomanCreamTeam@sh.itjust.works 3 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (2 children)

Honestly, with this administration we should be using the reverse of Hanlans razor: Don't assume incompetence when malice is sufficient explanation.

[–] barneypiccolo@lemm.ee 2 points 5 days ago

I've been saying that whenever someone brings up Hanlon's Razor. There needs to be a new one, called The MAGA Razor - always assume the reason is deliberate malice, even enthusiastic cruelty.

[–] leftzero@lemmynsfw.com 2 points 5 days ago (3 children)

They are so very incompetent, though...

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

They're only incompetent if you think that governing is actually a priority of theirs

[–] OneWomanCreamTeam@sh.itjust.works 4 points 5 days ago

So incredibly, bafflingly, stupefyingly incompetent that even if you use the MAGA Razor they still look like pants-on-head-stupid, coconut-bonkers, clown-shoes dipshits.

[–] barneypiccolo@lemm.ee 3 points 5 days ago

I always describe MAGA as "virtuosically incompetent." It's breath-taking how stupid/ignorant they are, and yet they are so absolutely CONVINCED they are correct.

[–] Gsus4@mander.xyz 3 points 6 days ago

Depends on whether you take the mistake at face value or see it as yet another symptom of a disease taking root in the context of the whole administration's war against truth and accountability. But on its own it would muddy the waters to call it fascism.