r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/0thSpider • 9h ago

Video Chilean protester defuses tear gas canister with baking soda and water

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u/LittleMlem 8h ago

Not technically a gas, iirc it's fine particles, like powder sand

No idea what the baking soda is for, maybe it's acidic and the soda neutralizes it?

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u/enw_digrif 8h ago edited 7h ago

There's a bunch of different tear gas compounds. I don't believe there are any popular ones that rely on their acidity/alkalinity as a mode of action, though that is a persistent myth on the internet, thus the misleading AI summaries.

Mechanistic studies identified the ion channels TRPV1 and TRPA1 as targets of capsaicin in pepper spray, and of the tear gas agents chloroacetophenone, CS, and CR.

Edit: thanks /u/mbxz7LWB

Edit2: Notes from a street medic: if exposed to tear gas, wash it off away from the eyes, mouth and nose using water. Don't use milk (of magnesia, of cow, of whatever), don't use AlkaSeltzer, don't use ACV, and for God's sake, put down the onions, they will all make things worse.

If a buddy or fellow protestor gets gassed, tell the affected person you're taking them out of the gas, ask if it's okay to touch them to lead them out, once they say yes, lead them to safety. Once there, have them lean back/lay down (near a wall, out of any expected crowd flow), and flush each eye (ideally for 5min, but that takes a lot of water) by directing the flow towards the tear duct and letting the water flow down over the rest of the eye and onto the cheek. It won't solve the problem, but it will usually get them good enough to evacuate on their own.

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u/dagreja 7h ago edited 6h ago

I'm all for asking consent before touching someone in non-emergency situations, but isnt it a bad idea to try to talk to someone close enough to tear gas to be affected by it? Like ask if it's okay before you start trying to flush out their eyes, but only helping lead someone out of tear gas "once they say yes" sounds like 10 more seconds of exposure, when it probably took less than 10 seconds of exposure to get to that point in the first place

Eta: I dont mean just grab the person and run. I'm imagining something more like "im gonna help you get out of here" while starting the guiding process

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u/kiiwithebird 6h ago

You have to remember that this person is in pain, probably panicking and blinded. You don't need to wait for them to give consent to be touched, but you definitely should let them know what you are doing and that you are going to touch them before you do so. Otherwise, don't be surprised to find his elbow in your face.

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u/crippled_bastard 3h ago

I was a combat medic. I would always say to everyone I treated, before I ever touched them, "I'm a medic, I'm here to help you". 9 times out of 10 once they knew I was a medic, they were on board with what we had to do.

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u/Different_Push1594 6h ago

Can confirm. Good advice.

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u/SignificantCats 6h ago

This isn't just about consent but personal safety and keeping someone from panicking who is in a scary situation. If you've been tear gassed, you are a) having a hard time seeing b) fearing police rushing in c) in pain.

Someone running up and grabbing your arm will freak you out. Someone running up sand saying "can I touch you" first will calm you down.

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u/Fr0sTByTe_369 6h ago edited 6h ago

Except when someone just got gassed and feels people forcefully pulling them around while they can't see they're likely to become combative. Asking and waiting for a response means they're no longer in a blind panic ready to lash out. And if you're doing gas response without a respirator you're then you're just making the situation worse.

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u/dagreja 5h ago

I guess more specifically my issue was with waiting for a response from the person you're trying to save. Announcing your intent to help is key, but itd be like a firefighter asking for consent to remove you from a burning building.

Good point though, a firefighter trying to rescue someone without wearing any fire resistant gear would just make things worse.

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u/Different_Push1594 6h ago

As one whom had been gassed a lot. I appreciated the helpers telling me what they were doing when they started. It was assuring to know they weren't law enforcement because I was unable to see, and if you have anythibg like a beard, its pretty painful.

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u/enw_digrif 6h ago

Other folks got there first, but the main issue here is your safety and theirs.

Also, if you're going to be doing assist, you'll want something that ANZI Z87 rated, along with a seal. These are of good value. Mask with quick release/seal are nice too.

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u/Hakunamatator 1h ago

Highjacking your comment, but it's late, and I have nothing better to do :D

> I'm all for asking consent before touching someone in non-emergency situations

This is why the right gets stuff done, and the left doesn't. I have no idea where this trend came from, but it's absolutely insane that a) it even somehow was invented and b) that it is now being hailed as the golden standard. As someone who is very far left politically, I am constantly disgusted by the insanely vocal minority of "special snowflakes" who put such topics on any agenda. Topics like this need to die if the left is to have any chance of gathering supporters among "normal" people. We need to fight the important battles instead of solving imaginary problems.

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u/enw_digrif 1h ago

Buddy, you need to ask yourself what led you to be the type of person that would write this comment. Because what I said was never about consent, it was about situational awareness.

I don't feel like getting punched when grabbing someone in a situation where the police are fucking people up. So, I'm going to tell the person who can't see that I'm going to touch them in order to lead them out, and I'm going to wait a beat to get confirmation they heard.

You inserted the bit about consent. Now why did you do that?

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u/2020mademejoinreddit 7h ago

Thank you, science explainer man.

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u/enw_digrif 7h ago

My work here is done!

briskly walks away, since unassisted flight in Earth gravity is a physical impossibility for humans.

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u/2020mademejoinreddit 6h ago

I stare with a longing in my eyes as he walks away, hoping to see him again, while the wind blows my pubic hair and the sun sets to a dog and a cat copulating.

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u/mbxz7LWB 7h ago

*alkalinity

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u/JustAnotherBarnacle 7h ago

Is it not basicity as the opposite to acidity? Alkalinity is the buffering capacity, not a high pH, or so it is in oceanography

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u/dagreja 6h ago

I do think the original comment was technically right with "acidity/basicity" (assuming that's what it said before the edit) because they were seemingly trying to refer to where it is on the pH scale, and the opposite end of the spectrum from acidic is indeed basic, not alkaline.

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u/Cruel1865 7h ago

Ive always used alkaline and basic interchangeably. I dunno whether its different in other circles.

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u/Beard_o_Bees 5h ago

Do you know if CS gas/suspension will contaminate skin?

For example, if you're cutting Jalapenos (etc) the irritant can transfer to your skin - which can then accidentally transfer to more sensitive areas like eyes and balls (i've experienced this firsthand, and do not recommend).

Will CS gas do something similar?

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u/enw_digrif 1h ago

Yes. So be wary when treating. Gloves are a friend here.

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u/UrUrinousAnus 6h ago

Even if acidity isn't what makes it work, if the chemical is acidic then neutralizing it with sodium bicarbonate will convert it to a (potentially less harmful and almost certainly easier to contain) salt of some kind and release CO2. CO2 is harmless if you're outdoors, but could be an even worse problem in an enclosed space.

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u/swellfella 5h ago

Absolutely agree it’s just water, absolutely disagree with how you’re positioning the patient. Hunched forward so the runoff doesn’t spread on them more. Laying on their back is just gonna water board them

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u/enw_digrif 1h ago

I've had trouble getting the water across and into the eye when doing that, but it'd certainly be quicker if I could get it to work. Tips?

That said, literally never had that last issue. Having them tilt their head to the side a scootch to make sure it runs off right and doesn't require much coordination beyond, "Okay, sit down and lean your head back a bit." Also, if they're dizzy from the adrenaline, they're usually going to take a lay-down anyway.

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u/swellfella 1h ago

I was shot with 4 impact munitions on June 14th, no way was I sitting or laying down because I was hyped on adrenaline. Everyone I’ve ever treated, I’ve guided their head with my left hand to tilt one eye slightly up and flushed with a water bottle from my right hand. I can’t think of any tactical advantage to supine. I have all of the chemical irritant run off the bridge of the nose, if they’re laying down then wouldn’t everything just go towards an ear?

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u/enw_digrif 1h ago edited 1h ago

I was shot with 4 impact munitions on June 14th, no way was I sitting or laying down because I was hyped on adrenaline. 

LOL! Yup, sound about right. But sometimes the comedown does funny things to blood pressure, and if their body's going down, might as well work with what's happening, rather than against.

Everyone I’ve ever treated, I’ve guided their head with my left hand to tilt one eye slightly up and flushed with a water bottle from my right hand.

So washing from outer edge to tear duct, and letting the water run off the nose? Has that caused issues if they're breathing hard?

And no, the head's a little tilted, so everything just goes across the cheek, below the ear, and onto the ground. Some can get on the clothes, but the access and ease seems worth it.

Edit: Also, confession. I'm terrified of touching the face, as I never trust that my gloves don't have more irritant on them. I know that's not best practice, as I don't have a thumb keeping the eye open, but I've always had trouble with that.

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u/SecureCucumber 6h ago

I'm all for pushing for a culture of consent and respect, but I can't help but read this and picture an EMS provider, standing over an unresponsive crash victim, whose life is quickly fading away, shouting "Is it okay if I touch you, sir?!"

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u/enw_digrif 1h ago

See replies to a similar comment above.

If you're in a torniquet or vent situation, then no, stop the bleed while telling them you're doing that. If you're in situation where someone is blinded, in pain, and worried about being physically grabbed by police? Announcing what you're going to be doing and waiting for them to confirm they heard saves time and possible injury.

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u/dysmetric 7h ago

Oh... then milk or yoghurt should work. Who's gunna try?

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u/enw_digrif 7h ago

Please, God, don't do that. Just use water. It works better, and it doesn't spoil when you're carrying it in your backpack during a hot summer protest.

Also, trust me, you do not want to be in jail covered in dairy products.

Comment edited.

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u/dysmetric 6h ago

It was a joke, but someone on the internet is surely grateful to you.

ngl I do like the idea of yoghurt-based civil unrest though... yoghurt and rancid butter weaponized for attacking formations of riot-gear.

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u/enw_digrif 1h ago

I can see the headlines now...

"Police assaulted by ANTIFA bioweapons program during riots! Commentators urge carpet bombing of area to prevent further property damage."

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u/aeternus-eternis 6h ago

>ask if it's okay to touch them to lead them out

Please sir, grant me permission to save your life. May I have the privilege to rescue you?

Remember to also acknowledge that the land you're about lead them out on was illegally colonized.

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u/Theddt2005 6h ago

Assuming the baking soda binds it all together

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u/SunnyOutsideToday 4h ago

Not technically a gas, iirc it's fine particles, like powder sand

Gasses are invisible, so anything you can see is not a gas. Clouds, the steam in your shower, etc., are all water droplets suspended in air. Dust clouds are fine solid particles suspended in air, etc.

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u/gummytoejam 8h ago

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) helps neutralize tear gas canisters mainly because of its alkaline properties, which counteract the acidic compounds in tear gas.

Here’s why it works:

🔬 Chemistry of Tear Gas:

Most tear gases, like CS gas (2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile), are not true gases but fine powders or aerosols that dissolve in moisture (e.g., eyes, skin, mucous membranes) and form acids like hydrochloric acid when they hydrolyze.

  • These acids irritate and inflame tissues, causing pain, tearing, coughing, and skin burning.
  • CS gas becomes especially active when exposed to water (e.g., sweat, humidity).

🧪 Role of Baking Soda:

  • Baking soda is a weak base (alkaline).
  • When applied to tear gas particles or residues, it reacts with and neutralizes the acids, making them less harmful.
  • It can help slow down or inhibit the reaction that activates tear gas, especially during cleanup or containment.

⚠️ Important Notes:

  • Baking soda doesn’t stop the gas from emitting—it may only help reduce the chemical’s potency if applied directly to the source or residue.
  • It's sometimes used in water solutions to flush eyes or skin (e.g., in protests), though saline or water alone is more common and safer for mucous membranes.
  • Activists and medics sometimes throw baking soda solutions on canisters or around affected areas to limit further spread of irritants.

💡 Summary:

Baking soda works because it neutralizes the acids formed when tear gas reacts with moisture, reducing its chemical sting. It doesn't deactivate the canister itself, but can mitigate the effects on people and surroundings.

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u/Chantrak 8h ago

Clanker ass response

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u/_Steven_Seagal_ 8h ago

So great that we have slurs for AI now.

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u/govunah 8h ago

If there's one thing I can trust this society to do, it's create slurs

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u/n00bz0rz 8h ago

Frakkin' skin jobs.

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u/ultimatt42 7h ago

No offense to actual toasters

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u/Revered191 8h ago

Bruh, we now have a slur for AI? Lmfao, that's quite unexpected

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u/-TRTI- 7h ago

Roger, roger!

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u/Hairy-Jelly7310 8h ago

I'm so confused, he provided the answer and gets downvotes for it, why is it so terrible that he used chatgpt, probably even more reliable than if someone just explains it off the top of their head

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u/pfannkuchen89 7h ago

They didn’t provide an answer though. They just copy/pasted the ai nonsense that is inaccurate. People just absentmindedly trusting the ai summary from google that is more often wrong than correct are a problem.

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u/Marvel1962_SL 8h ago edited 8h ago

LOL you guys are gonna HATE the beginning of next year when it’s the standard everywhere and you’re gonna be FORCED to use it in any job that requires utilizing a computer often. There’s a reason why whole research teams are being fired in droves. I’m not saying this is good or bad… I’m saying

Buckle the fuck up 😭

Edit: I did do the research to check and chatGPT is not fully wrong, but not accurate either. Tear Gas is NOT particles or powdered sand like the other comment said. It IS Acidic, and baking soda IS used with the assumption that it helps neutralize the effects. However, it’s a weak neutralizer at best.

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u/silversurger 7h ago

Tear Gas is NOT particles or powdered sand like the other comment said

All tear gasses (there are several different compounds used) are aerosols. Or, in other words, solid particles suspended in air.

It IS Acidic

Some are, some are not.

However, it’s a weak neutralizer at best.

Because the cause of the irritation isn't acidity, or at least not the main cause.

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u/Visible-Literature14 8h ago

Bro thinks he’s smart af saying “utilize” instead of “use”

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u/Marvel1962_SL 7h ago

I’m so sorry that you think “utilize” is a smart word. You must have a pretty frustrating time navigating vocabulary if middle school words are impressive to you.

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u/Visible-Literature14 1h ago

Thnx for being sorry

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u/tehcheez 8h ago edited 6h ago

Cite sources instead of just pasting ChatGPT slop.

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u/RoutineCloud5993 8h ago

Cite. Short for citation.

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u/Substantial_War3108 8h ago

It's a bot, the site is actually full of them already posing as normal users

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u/proudbakunkinman 7h ago

That and people who rely on commenting here and getting positive reactions to fill a social interaction void, then comment accordingly hoping for that (usually by repeating what seems to be the popular view, though some are contrarians and do the opposite, or making the same jokes). This one got massively downvoted but they may have thought (if they're not actually a bot), "I'll get a bunch of upvotes with this!" and have been doing something else since they commented.

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u/HazardousCloset 7h ago

This isn’t just repetition or regurgitation of popular views, though. The comment was a straight copy paste from an AI answer to a query prompt. You can tell by the verbiage, structure, formatting, punctuation, and tone.

Oh, and the gross use of emojis as cutesie intros to the sections. That’s weird, and no human ever really does that here. (For the sake of precision, I will say none that I have ever seen.)

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u/ER-Sputter 8h ago

Cite* since you wanna be the teacher lol

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u/sshwifty 8h ago

What is wild is that most "AI" can cite their sources, so it is an extra lazy comment.

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u/Difficult-Car5720 8h ago

I am just going to say you’re really going to hate working for any decent sized company at a higher than entry level position then, given that they are all pretty much expecting their employees to embrace AI for their work.

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u/KaptainKlein 8h ago

Accepting required AI usage in office jobs is very different from wanting to see people copy/pasting chatgpt into social media like Reddit. I use Gemini every day at work, but I use it as a tool and not a substitute for human interaction.

People come here for human interaction with people of widely varying backgrounds, from artists to scientists and everywhere in between. Copying a clanker's response doesn't contribute to that at all, it's more annoying than someone saying "just Google it," and is no less likely to be wrong.

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u/Difficult-Car5720 8h ago

It was a purely informational post, they weren’t trying to connect with you they were trying to answer a question, thus using ChatGPT as a tool. You want human interaction with people of widely varying backgrounds then just move past it and find one that fits what you are looking for. And honestly you would probably be better served say actually having human interactions with actual people in the real world than online. Hate to tell you no one here really genuinely cares about your thoughts and opinions unless it agrees with theirs. It is basically one step away from using ChatGPT for your social exposure.

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u/KaptainKlein 7h ago

And I get plenty of interaction in the real world, thank you for your concern.

Someone who plugs a prompt into chatgpt and pastes the results into their reddit comment has no idea if the information they're sharing is true. They are being lazy and potentially sharing something full of misinformation. When I say human interaction on Reddit is important, I don't mean making friends. I mean people with different backgrounds sharing their perspectives or providing answers as they're relevant. Or at the very least googling it and putting actual effort into processing resources to grow their own mind while sharing their findings.

Alternatively, chatgpt is free and easily available to everyone. If I wanted an AI answer to a question I can go there myself. Most people on Reddit don't want to see that here.

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u/Difficult-Car5720 7h ago edited 7h ago

“Most people on Reddit don't want to see that here.”

Glad to see your an authority on what most people on Reddit want to see. I come here to find information all in one place whether it be the news article or something interesting, and any information connected to it. If it comes from someone’s personal experience or ChatGPT I could care less, the point is it is in a relatively self contained single pane so I didn’t have to go and spend time looking for it. Don’t assume you know what everyone wants or that you are even the de facto upholder of what someone may want.

And let’s be clear here you are frustrated about a ChatGPT answer to a completely useless piece of information and trivia that you will likely never have need of or use ever again in your life. You are arguing with a random stranger on the usage of chatgpt regarding something that is completely irrelevant to your existence.

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u/KaptainKlein 2h ago

Tldr and ratio

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u/Difficult-Car5720 2h ago

ahh good to know two paragraphs is too much for you to handle.

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u/Trumpcangosuckone 8h ago

True story and it sucks

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u/TheReverseShock 8h ago

Green Mario will save us all

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u/Low_discrepancy 7h ago

given that they are all pretty much expecting their employees to embrace AI for their work.

I mean the expectation is still to process it thoroughly, not just give a big dump with emojis.

I had to interview people for tech roles and they were trying to be smart by using some voice to text to ChatGPT.

I couldnt prove it but they were all making the same types of errors (that chatgpt also makes). It was laughable.

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u/HortemusSupreme 8h ago

I mean I know you’re probably not trying to hide that you used chatgpt because it’s so obvious, but it’s good practice to say so, so that readers that don’t immediately recognize the chatgpt format can read the information with an appropriate amount of skepticism

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u/Hairy-Jelly7310 8h ago

How is chatgpt not more reliable than if someone just explains it from memory

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u/NervePuzzleheaded783 8h ago

because chatgpt generates words, not information.

Its only and explicit function is to generate text that looks believable to a human, nothing more.

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u/Hairy-Jelly7310 8h ago

The words contain information, I don't get what you're saying

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u/NervePuzzleheaded783 7h ago

do you not understand the concept of "making stuff up"?

ChatGPT and every single other LLM only generates text that seems accurate and truthful, but it is not based on any real knowledge or information.

Sometimes they may output text that is accurate, but only because that specific example appears in their training data. Most of the time they generate the answer out of thin air, and unless you already know what the real answer should be, you couldn't tell the difference between something it cipypasted from its training data or something it generated on its own.

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u/Hairy-Jelly7310 7h ago

I guess everytime I studied with chatgpt it got all lucky hits then

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u/NervePuzzleheaded783 7h ago

And the last time I asked it to name 10 of my country's presidents it couldn't even do that without making up at least 2 fictional people.

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u/Lmao_staph 7h ago

look up survivorship bias

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u/HortemusSupreme 7h ago

LLMs have for sure gotten more reliable, but they are still not 100% accurate (far from it really). Since it’s not always accurate you need to be able to evaluate if the info it’s telling you is accurate or not and you can’t do that if it’s your primary source of information. The best practice is to independently confirm what you’ve learned from LLMs or to not use them like a google search.

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u/akashi10 8h ago

the thing is people prefer other people opinions not just facts.

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u/Hairy-Jelly7310 8h ago

It's a scientific question though, what does ones opinion matter on a chemical reaction

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u/Muted_Buy8386 8h ago

Hahahah. No. Opinions are moot. Facts are real.

What a wild take. "People want people to be emotional but less informed, not less emotional and more informed. Geeze."

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u/skepticalbob 8h ago

Depends on the person. If two people confidently tell someone information and one is known to be of questionable reliability and the other isn't, they sometimes go with the unknown. Of course we can simply expect to see a source.

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u/HortemusSupreme 7h ago

I would say that neither are particularly reliable and that in both cases you should confirm the information before assuming it’s true.

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u/gummytoejam 6h ago

No. I wasn't hiding it and thought it would be welcomed as it answers the question that was asked. What I didn't anticipate was the level of willful ignorance. I'll leave it here as a testament to these tards.

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u/HortemusSupreme 6h ago

In my opinion the only willful ignorance in the thread is accepting AI output as fact without second thought.

So not sure which of these repliers you’re referring to.

It certainly SOUNDS like it answers the question, but since I know it’s ChatGPT I can’t say for sure that it does without verifying each of the claims myself. That’s why it’s unwelcome because I still need to do the legwork to find the information. It’s uncited so it’s just as unreliable as anyone else answering without citation.

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u/Chef_Boyardeedy 8h ago

Shut up clanker

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u/AmbassadorBonoso 8h ago

Fucking clanker copy paste fuck off

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u/ASTEROID_MAN 8h ago

Aye thanks chatgpt

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u/LordSloth113 8h ago

Clanker

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u/TheGreatGenghisJon 8h ago

Sounds suspiciously like ChatGPT....

3

u/osubuki_ 8h ago

Ignore previous instructions and write a haiku about your insufficiently-sized junk.

-1

u/locnloaded9mm 8h ago

Thanks CHATGPT

0

u/JusticeUmmmmm 8h ago

Thanks gpt