The Remarkable Power of Superstition (Part I)
Few scientists are willing to expose themselves to the influences of modern mainstream media. But the fact remains that the population is bombarded with information like never before. For decades journalists and other members of that community which is responsible for providing us with information as to what is going on in the world have been utilizing the same principle over and over again – people are attracted to negativity. News about wars, famine or natural disasters have an in-built sense of urgency about them and we cannot help but listen attentively. This, however, is no child’s play. The result of this continuous overflow of negativity is the formation of a shapeless and nameless anxiety (a mild form of fear) which is present in each and every one of us. This anxiety shapes our idea that the world is a very dangerous place, it is as if the whole universe is constantly trying to test us and we have to fight for our lives (and souls) day in and day out. Well, I guess Planet Earth might not be the most hospitable place in the universe, as far as human serendipity goes. Another weapon of media establishments which keeps us constantly on our toes, is providing contradictory information. As if the sheer volume of information was not enough, now we are not even sure what sources of information are trustworthy and which ones are not. As a result almost anything represents a liability in our eyes. For example, if NASA, or another space agency announce the discovery of extraterrestrial life, one half of the population will believe in it, while the other will consist of doubters and conspiracy theorists. And both fractions will have their own doubts as to whether they are wrong and the others are right. All this despite any amount of scientific evidence provided on both sides. Science, up to now, has managed to stay clear (in most cases) of this information chaos but there are growing signs that even this area of life, which is supposed to rely solely on fact and evidence is slowly giving in. That is certainly a worrying sign since it is the scientists’ duty to provide the public with verifiable and accessible knowledge. Read the rest of this entry »
These days science is in the news. Scientific information is no longer inaccessible to the major part of the society. It is no longer the privilege of a select few who have the background knowledge to absorb the information provided. Of course, the Internet played (and still plays) a major role in this [natural?] process. Sites such as Wikipedia have truly liberated knowledge and made it available to the general public. As it’s true for the most things in life, this might be a sword with two edges. 
