Why are scientists not as well known as athletes, entertainers and politicians? Sure, we can all name a few: Darwin, Einstein, Newton etc., just like we can all name Mozart and Marilyn Monroe and Hitler. But chances are our lists of modern scientists is far shorter than that of soccer players, actors and heads of states – even if we’re not football fans, movie buffs or historians. Similarly, if one would be asked to summarise the news of the day, one would probably include the latest comment made by the president on employment, a crime (decidedly sensational of course since it was committed by a celebrity or was unusually heinous) and of course the national sports team’s performance in a current tournament. Now, it is understandable that the general public may not be interested in theoretical physics, mathematics and other fields that don’t affect their daily lives directly. But this raises two issues: 1. Does sensationalist political, crime and celebrity reporting really add something useful to your life? And 2. The latest developments in certain scientific fields can actually affect your daily life. I mean, where are mainstream media reports of human disease research and agricultural advances? These are just two examples of scientific fields which should be more or at least as relevant to the average person as the sex lives of the President and Tiger Woods!
Scientific advancement affects everyone, not just scientists. It is equally ridiculous to say that economics only affects economists or that politics only affects politicians. Potential cures for diseases and new microchips and more resistant wheat crops affects you to same degree as the national budget speech, Liverpool’s performance in last night’s game or a revolution in Egypt...Doesn’t it!? Why is there such complacency when it comes to the masses’ general ignorance of science news? Is it the fault of the masses or the media? Science news is not difficult to find on the internet or other media platforms, but are people really looking for it? Why does mass media only devote a small corner for science and technology news? The sad answer, in my opinion, is that science news has too much sense and not enough sensation. What do you think?
Well,you know, many believe that money makes the world go round - not knowledge and the well-being of the whole of humankind and this planet. And money buys power. And knowledge can be dangerous to power...or abused by power. Fairness and balance in reporting are not the principles.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago a politician asked me why we should buy books on astronomy for libraries...
People are misled and confused. The media plays to their senses and shares irrelevant information that numbs them from understanding who they are and how they are part of the universe.
ReplyDeleteLook up Operation Mockingbird, a CIA project, to learn more about one reason why that is. The elite understand the power of the conscious mind and it's not hard for them to sway thinking of the mass.
It is because newspapers are edited by arts graduates who are worried by the fact that science students seemed to be working much harder than them when they were at university so they have never trusted them.
ReplyDeleteAnd newspapers are owned by people who don't much like unvarnished truth which is what many scientists are looking for.