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Computer Hobbyist · 06-11-2002, 05:32 PM

I don't believe in conspiracies either. They are just too hard to pull off and mostly they are unnecessary. Most people are not scientists. Most people don't know what is meant by a scientific theory, peer review, or the scientific method. Most people who report science news are not scientists. All they want to do is tell a good story. A good story from the media's point of view means a story with at least two sides. A story that will sell soap. All you have to do to trump a peer reviewed scientist's report is spout something to the contrary that sounds plausible. If it sounds like something the audience wants to hear, the audience will believe it, regardless of the amount of peer reviewed science you stack up on the other side. The media will report the contrary report because it makes a better story.

In the case of globial warming, most people don't want to believe it is possible for men to damage the environment. To do so means that men (and women) might be able to clean up the mess. If we can clean up the mess we created logically it would be our responsibility to clean it up. People don't want to take on that responsiblity. They don't want to hear about globial warming. They want to listen to the "scientists" and spokesmen hired by the polluters and others who don't want to clean up the mess. No need for a conspiracy. Just plain old human nature.

Anyway the media has contributed to the general distrust of scientists. Everytime you hear about the debunking of some unduplicated study announcing that this or that common substance "causes" cancer in rats, you hear a story that diminishes science in the minds of the average person.

On top of everything there is a lot the scientists don't know. For example, I heard last night that most big, wild cats (tigers, lions, etc) carry the virus that causes feline lukemia (related to HIV). For a long time the scientists who discovered this fact thought an epidemic would soon sweep big cats from the world. It took a decade for them to figure out that the big, wild cats also have an immunity. Before they figured it out they were wringing their hands trying to mobilize against the coming epidemic.

CH

06-11-2002, 05:32 PM	#30
Computer Hobbyist Member (11 bit) Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Blue Springs, MO Posts: 1,766	I don't believe in conspiracies either. They are just too hard to pull off and mostly they are unnecessary. Most people are not scientists. Most people don't know what is meant by a scientific theory, peer review, or the scientific method. Most people who report science news are not scientists. All they want to do is tell a good story. A good story from the media's point of view means a story with at least two sides. A story that will sell soap. All you have to do to trump a peer reviewed scientist's report is spout something to the contrary that sounds plausible. If it sounds like something the audience wants to hear, the audience will believe it, regardless of the amount of peer reviewed science you stack up on the other side. The media will report the contrary report because it makes a better story. In the case of globial warming, most people don't want to believe it is possible for men to damage the environment. To do so means that men (and women) might be able to clean up the mess. If we can clean up the mess we created logically it would be our responsibility to clean it up. People don't want to take on that responsiblity. They don't want to hear about globial warming. They want to listen to the "scientists" and spokesmen hired by the polluters and others who don't want to clean up the mess. No need for a conspiracy. Just plain old human nature. Anyway the media has contributed to the general distrust of scientists. Everytime you hear about the debunking of some unduplicated study announcing that this or that common substance "causes" cancer in rats, you hear a story that diminishes science in the minds of the average person. On top of everything there is a lot the scientists don't know. For example, I heard last night that most big, wild cats (tigers, lions, etc) carry the virus that causes feline lukemia (related to HIV). For a long time the scientists who discovered this fact thought an epidemic would soon sweep big cats from the world. It took a decade for them to figure out that the big, wild cats also have an immunity. Before they figured it out they were wringing their hands trying to mobilize against the coming epidemic. CH Last edited by Computer Hobbyist; 06-11-2002 at 07:51 PM.