In 2015, we have compiled a list of our most viral posts on Facebook, as part of efforts to understand the humanist community better. Here’s a second round of compilation, based on the number of views per post.
A list of best-performing 40 posts are selected from 527 posts on our Humanist Society Facebook page from May 2017 to May 2019. We selected only posts that have more than 5,000 views.
Out of these 40 posts, half of them attracted more than 6,000 views and are specially featured with screenshots. Such posts help HSS punch above our weight as our page currently has only 5,800+ followers. Other posts with 5000-6000 views have also performed well, and are worth studying.
Some characteristics of these posts:
- They are often posts relating to the psychology of persuasion, happiness and bias. They probably provide much-needed explanations into something very personal but poorly understood.
- Information that has an impact on life and death. For example, disease outbreaks caused by anti-vaxxers, the danger of terrorism.
- News and letters relating to the protection of secularism in Singapore. Some posts defend the morality of the non-religious.
- New statistics about the proportion of non-religious in Singapore, and characteristics of this growing demographic.
- Other unusual topics, such as pastafarianism in Taiwan, and the man behind a few million edits on Wikipedia.
Top 20 posts by Chronological Order
Other worthy posts (views 5000+ to 6000 views)
“The success of the medicine means that if everyone with HIV were fully treated, there would be no further infections.” 5.1K
“Life of Brian was certainly considered blasphemous in 1979 – and the film itself makes references to the absurdity of blasphemy as a crime.” 5.3K
“A new study finds that if people start to exercise in midlife, even if they have not worked out for years, they can rapidly gain most of the longevity benefits of working out.” 💪💪💪 5.7K
Findings from IPS study: The vast majority of those with doubts still choose to believe. Among the non-religious, about a quarter believes in God. 5.9K
“Other Sharia punishments include the amputation of limbs for those found guilty of theft. Anyone found guilty of apostasy will be handed a death sentence.” https://www.gaystarnews.com/article/brunei-to-pass-law-that-will-punish-gay-sex-with-death-by-stoning/ 5.2K
Why did all-powerful/seeing/knowing gods appear in human religion? One explanation was that as societies got bigger, people began meeting strangers more often, making transgressions easier under cloak of anonymity. So an “eye in the sky” surveillance was invented. God was a CCTV. http://theconversation.com/big-gods-came-after-the-rise-of-civilisations-not-before-finds-study-using-huge-historical-database-113801 5.9K
A Malaysian has been jailed for 10 years for insulting Islam on social media. The sentence is believed to be the harshest such penalty on record in the country to date. 5.2K
Criticism can be hard to both the criticised and the critic, but there are ways to do it better. From Daniel Dannett: “1) You should attempt to re-express your target’s position so clearly, vividly, and fairly that your target says, “Thanks, I wish I’d thought of putting it that way. 2) You should list any points of agreement (especially if they are not matters of general or widespread agreement). 3) You should mention anything you have learned from your target. 4) Only then are you permitted to say so much as a word of rebuttal or criticism.” 5.2K
“Shanmugam also mentioned the importance of secularism, and how religion must not influence politics. He said: Our politics, our approach, is secular in nature. We have managed to balance the right to religious freedom, with the need to ensure harmony, peace and security.” https://mothership.sg/2019/03/shanmugam-cos-2019-foreign-interference/ 5.3K
What to say: Tell a story about the person who has passed on. “I know how much you loved him/her.” “I wish I had the right words for you.” “I can’t imagine what you are going through, but I am here to listen if you need me.” “I’m so sorry.” 6.3K
Was Raffles a “mini-Darwin”? During his 20 years in Southeast Asia, he amassed a vast naturalist collection. What did he discover? Find out more on Darwin Day, Feb 23. Buy tickets here: https://bit.ly/2RDMEs8 5.4K
How does it feel to have 20 years of work burnt up overnight? This disaster struck Raffles in 1824 when his homebound ship caught fire, destroying priceless drawings and natural collections collected over two decades in Southeast Asia. What was in his amazing collection? Find out more on Darwin Day, Feb 23: Buy tickets here: https://bit.ly/2GfVfjm Event information on Facebook: https://bit.ly/2StjErz 5K
How to fight the Dunning-Kruger effect, explained by psychologist David Dunning. 5.3K
“[I]t’s helpful to remember how flawed the human brain can be and how prone we all are to intellectual blind spots. When you learn about how the brain actually works, how it actually perceives the world, it’s hard not to be a bit horrified, and a bit humbled. We often can’t see — or even sense — what we don’t know. It helps to realize that it’s normal and human to be wrong.” 7.5K
“Every doctor I know has more than one story about a patient who died because they chose to try to alkalinize their blood or gambled on intravenous vitamins instead of getting cancer care. Data is emerging that cancer patients who opt for alternative medical practices, many promoted by companies that sell products of questionable value, are more likely to die.” 7.6K
“[P]sychological rigidity is not a sign of strength, it is an indication of weakness. These people are not choosing to stand their ground; they’re compelled to do so in order to protect their fragile egos. Admitting we are wrong is unpleasant, it is bruising for any ego. It takes a certain amount of emotional strength and courage to deal with that reality and own up to our mistakes.” 5.7K
“More than half of Singapore residents strongly agreed or agreed that religious views and opinions should not influence Singapore’s laws.” 5.9K
“[I]t is arrogance to presume that only moral positions laid down by divinity should shape human condition in society. In this age of science and technology, new discoveries and thoughts have kept us in a perpetual learning mode. We should probably be more receptive to new perspectives on human values.” 5.3K
“The cross-cultural similarities evinced by the Lethbridge study offer further evidence that being gay is genetic, which is, in itself, an interesting finding. But we as a society should challenge the notion that sexual preferences must be nonvolitional to be socially acceptable or safe from scrutiny. The etiology of homosexuality, biological or otherwise, should have no bearing on gay individuals’ right to equality.” 5.2K
“Science is based on what is testable, reproducible, and falsifiable. That’s called science. However, there are certain things that are not testable, not reproducible, and not falsifiable. And that would include the existence of God.” 5.5K
