Of cynical reasoning and ‘absurd conclusions’

Lucy Cooke defended her startling claim that atrocities committed in Ukraine were likely staged by Ukraine. She reasons that people who benefit from an evil are likely responsible for that evil. Since Ukraine reaped international sympathy and support from atrocities committed on innocent Ukrainians by Russia, Ukraine likely staged the atrocities.

If we apply Cooke’s thinking to other historic events, we quickly discover how dubious her reasoning is. (1) Israel’s desire to be recognized as a sovereign state benefited from the Holocaust, which made the world sympathetic to Jews. Cooke would claim the Jews likely staged the Holocaust. (2) The stature of the United States was greatly enhanced through WWII. At the war’s conclusion the US was the world’s sole superpower with the ability to quickly and easily conquer any and all rivals. Cooke likely would conclude Pearl Harbor was staged by the US to achieve world supremacy. (3) The coronavirus pandemic likely was staged by vaccine manufacturers which have benefited enormously from the pandemic. Joe Biden likely was complicit in the vaccine makers’ plot because through Trump’s incompetent management of the pandemic Biden won the presidency. (4) Lincoln is recognized as our greatest president because he masterminded the Union victory in our Civil War. Cooke likely would conclude Lincoln staged the Civil War because without it he’d have been historically insignificant.

What Cooke has shown us is that sometimes cynical reasoning leads to absurd conclusions.

— Dave Weiner, Chico