I can't find a link to get this quote accurate but when asked about Peter Jenning's cancer Fox "News" man, Brit Hume, said he knew Peter smoked but wasn't a chain smoker so he didn't understand how he got lung cancer. Smoking in any amount can cause cancer - period.
Green peace has a campaign to discredit Genetically Engineered food claiming that human and animal genes are used in foodstuff and claiming it undergoes no regulation (etc). This campaign resulted in Zambia "standing up" to the U.S. by refusing genetically modified seeds that could have provided millions of hungry people with food - nevermind that Greenpeace's claims are incorrect.
Stickers are being placed on science textbooks to try to discredit the theory of evolution by pointing it out as a theory (while implying religion and faith is not). Not once has the idea of evolution being part of "God's plan" and scientist are simply trying to further understand that plan ever entered into those hot tempered heads.
Despite his own science commission telling him the human triggered global warming is indeed a scientifically proven phenomenon the President keeps claiming that its either not real or not triggered by humans.
What the hell is going on? Do you remember when scientists used to provide proof for theories and we, the general public, would sit back and say "well, how about that?" instead of "NUH UH! Thats not true!"
There is a serious War on Brains that had been going on for a little while now and it *must* change before we are in serious trouble. Thomas Friedman has a new book out that talks about how the science innovation and creation side of the world's economy has leveled out - as in, it is now a nearly equal field because of the advances in technology. Thanks to technology the genius in Bangalore now has as many outlets for his/her ideas as the genius in New York. He also writes that unless we make drastic changes to eduction (promote tertiary education as we did secondary education in the 50s and 60s) the United States is going to find itself far behind in the game.
OK, I have no arguments against that at all, it makes sense. However, I don't think just a push for tertiary schooling will work at all. I don't think the push would ever happen, and if it did happen I don't think it would work. I have these opinions because of the damage I have seen to reason thanks to the War on Brains. When feeling outweighs proof (or even the rule of law) and feeling starts to settle into the collective mind, that collective mind is in danger of collapse. Oh, the collective mind I'm referring to is society.
Am I wrong here? Science hasn't changed has it? I don't think so. Its theory then proof just as it always has been. No, its the War on Brains and I can only be pessimistic as long as that war is being waged and won.
Posted by dmason at April 8, 2005 10:15 PM