Bridging Science and Society
Image courtesy of fastcoexist.com
I must say, this cartoon is teetering on the edge, halfway into the realm of hilarity, halfway into “tear your hair out this is so aggravating.” For, decades upon decades of research has come to the same conclusion. So expertly stated by presidential candidate Bernie Sanders: the biggest threat to our nation for future generations is not from a bunch of middle eastern hooligans in pick up trucks yielding ak-47s, but from us ourselves in our habits of consumption and overpopulation of this earth.
The authenticity of this cartoon comes from perhaps one of the most important aspects of science, the ability to convey the information to the public for the bettering of our society. It has throughout our history, from the church’s vehement opposition to Darwin’s postulations, to today’s issue of climate change and thousands of examples in between been one of scientists greatest struggles, convincing the general public of the authenticity and moreover importance of their findings. For, as long as humans remain human there will always be an enormous entanglement of special interests and agendas acting to try to disprove any scientist’s findings that could potentially cost someone any profit whatsoever. It is these special interests ever so apparent in any republican discourse regarding climate change; “yeah there has never been a time on the history of this earth that the climate wasn’t changing” “yeah I am all for clean air but we cannot neglect the economy”. Yeah that’s fine. Just completely disregard the fact that the extinction rates of this day are up to 10,000 times greater than a great amount of the fossil record. This illustrates just how, for the lack of a better term ignorant the general public can be, and the day to day challenges scientists face stemming from this.
This whole concept, of how to deal with the public, although it might be challenging must continue to be addressed if we are to pass on a habitable earth to our children and grandchildren. Finding a viable solution to this however is the tricky part, and a definitive solution remains ever so elusive. Scientists must walk the line between inspired dialog and the in your face talk that will surely turn almost everyone off to their cause; there is no in between on this spectrum. Darwin’s evolutionists certainly had to walk this line, and today’s scientists, although probably not fearing for their life or societal alienation altogether must still walk this line; bridging science and society might be the most daunting task faced by scientists. Patience is absolutely a virtue; there are still many to this day who object to Darwin’s postulates. However, patience is not something we can entirely afford when it comes to climate change. What will become of the human race when we inevitably reach the last of the earth’s resources? Won’t there just be a perpetual state of warfare over these last remains? For the love of everything, we absolutely must finish this bridge, for leaving this type of world to our future generations is immoral to the highest degree
The authenticity of this cartoon comes from perhaps one of the most important aspects of science, the ability to convey the information to the public for the bettering of our society. It has throughout our history, from the church’s vehement opposition to Darwin’s postulations, to today’s issue of climate change and thousands of examples in between been one of scientists greatest struggles, convincing the general public of the authenticity and moreover importance of their findings. For, as long as humans remain human there will always be an enormous entanglement of special interests and agendas acting to try to disprove any scientist’s findings that could potentially cost someone any profit whatsoever. It is these special interests ever so apparent in any republican discourse regarding climate change; “yeah there has never been a time on the history of this earth that the climate wasn’t changing” “yeah I am all for clean air but we cannot neglect the economy”. Yeah that’s fine. Just completely disregard the fact that the extinction rates of this day are up to 10,000 times greater than a great amount of the fossil record. This illustrates just how, for the lack of a better term ignorant the general public can be, and the day to day challenges scientists face stemming from this.
This whole concept, of how to deal with the public, although it might be challenging must continue to be addressed if we are to pass on a habitable earth to our children and grandchildren. Finding a viable solution to this however is the tricky part, and a definitive solution remains ever so elusive. Scientists must walk the line between inspired dialog and the in your face talk that will surely turn almost everyone off to their cause; there is no in between on this spectrum. Darwin’s evolutionists certainly had to walk this line, and today’s scientists, although probably not fearing for their life or societal alienation altogether must still walk this line; bridging science and society might be the most daunting task faced by scientists. Patience is absolutely a virtue; there are still many to this day who object to Darwin’s postulates. However, patience is not something we can entirely afford when it comes to climate change. What will become of the human race when we inevitably reach the last of the earth’s resources? Won’t there just be a perpetual state of warfare over these last remains? For the love of everything, we absolutely must finish this bridge, for leaving this type of world to our future generations is immoral to the highest degree