Check yer sources, fool!

[bumab]

Originally Posted by paultrr

Putting on a lab coat does not translate to everything they do are say being 100% any more than the words spoken from some pulpit being always correct.

Certainly not, however, the question is about perception, not about what's really 100% correct. Has the public been trained to accept anything coming from the mouth of science, or was it a natural consequence of the knowledge required to understand advances getting too lofty for most people to understand?

[Fishteacher73]

I think it is a mix, Bumab... A bit of Big Brother mixed in with apathy and ignorance... What a lovely stew.

[bumab]

I agree.

The apathy and ignorance... very sad, but unavoidable in a large, complacent population where almost everything is easily availablity. We're too comfortable to be vigalent, many times.

The Big Brother is what worries me, since I'd imagine a lot of it starts in the schools. I know that subject has been in other threads, so perhaps there's another source as well?

When you think about how scientists are presented on TV, for example- always as authoritative. Would changing that image, from always right to always searching (more accurate!), cause a detrimental effect in the nations attitudes towards science? In other words, is this facade of the white coat a defense mechanism for science, which traditionally always has to beg for funding? Look smart and they'll trust you enough to give you more money type thing...

[Fishteacher73]

I think the current crop of students now falls into about three categories:

1) Total apathy. They don't care what you are wearing and don't care what you are saying.

2) Acceptance. They fall in line and follow the herd.

3) Knee jerk rejection. They eschew anything from "the man".

[bumab]

Jaded!

No, wait, you're right... although, there are those precious few who are genuine and curious. Precious, precious few....

What about adults? While it may start as a problem in childhood and student-hood, I don't think that excuses the adult from ignorant style "processing" of ideas.

[Fishteacher73]

I try to give at least a few minutes to allow the students to ask about whatever they want. (Although I ban sex and drugs to keep from losing my job...the two probably most important issues that they do need to ask some questions about.) Some spark some interest others do not, but it nice to see the occasional student "get it".

AS per adults, many once they get out of school tend to freeze up. Just look at many adults on their spare time. If you graduated in 1987 you still like oakleys, acid washed jeans and Van Halen. (Not always, but you can see a trend to a degree). This stagnation quells the drive to questyion anything.

[niviene]

bumab, such a great post! I often wonder... why do people accept certain persons' words to be the truth without knowing who they are or why their opinion matters.. seems that we just accept what we see on TV to be the truth, most of the time, and that is a scary thought, in my opinion. I would have never really considered this to be a valid thought if I didn't see your post - as someone in the science field, it must really upset you that this is the case; it bothers me, too. I have a tendency to call my brother (he's a nuclear physicist/engineer in the navy) when I question anything scientific - because I actually know his educational background and feel I can rely on it. I will from now on be watching for credits in anything scientific I watch!

[bumab]

Not just scientific shows- check political shows for their funding sources, check the news for their funding sources, check newspapers for their top contributors, etc etc...

[Fishteacher73]

I keep wanting to go to a museum in Glen Rose Texas. This is where Fossil Rim Park is that has a long series of fossilized dino prints. In the same town is a Creationist museum that claims to have fossil evidence of creation. I see it advertisd on the TBN or something like that (I have a odd obsession with pseudo-science shows on TV, especially religious ones).

[Fishteacher73]

Originally Posted by bumab

Not just scientific shows- check political shows for their funding sources, check the news for their funding sources, check newspapers for their top contributors, etc etc...

Don't forget Bush's latest "Town Hall" format speaches, with a scripted and selected audience...