RationalWiki is highly harmful to the responsible communication of science and progressive politics. Don’t let the ideologies fool you, they are a troll farm of the worst type.

Even if justified (for example, one answer here on Quora mentions their articles against a set of creationists) this manner of “snark” does nothing to solve problems or help build a consensus with those with different viewpoints, it just further divides political spectrums and instigates “tit for tats” with different viewpoints that are non productive.

What’s more, their users are known to impersonate their targets and intentionally flame them on the web to get reactions including lawsuit threats, which their founder then uses for fundraising.

Pro science reactionaries might think this is a good thing, that it helps the communication of science and exposes the harms of irrational thinking by shaming groups or individuals they believe are non compliant, but the reality of that strategy is that it just builds a consensus with those of like minds to further shame those with different viewpoints. It solves no real world problems and feeds into the worst of internet behaviors just like clickbait.

The attack of David Gerard’s 50ft troll farm and the RationalWiki hustle.