Specifically, let’s talk about the history of nefarious manipulation of our scientific institutions.
It doesn’t happen.
At least not the way many think it does.
And likely, if you think it does happen and/or is happening regularly, that very belief (held broadly) is actually causing the harm you’re attributing to untrustworthy, paid-off scientists.
Let’s review a few notorious scientific topics in modern history:
- Tobacco & Health
- Acid Rain
- Ozone Hole
- DDT
- Covid Mask Wearing
- Global Warming
In every single one of these cases, the scientific consensus was correct throughout the entirety of public discourse (and they were readily available and easy to find/research). If you doubt this, please look it up (and, if you feel like it, let me know what you find).
So, what happened?
Check it out: (STEP 1) if I can buy one very loud somebody with scientific credentials to start asking questions loosely targeting the fundamental unsureness of science, the public starts to think that THEY are the experts and they start to weigh in on the matter even though they have no credentials. And then POOF, it’s political and we can claim that our “side” deserves equal media coverage.
Note that this is not infiltrating the scientific community in any way. It’s a manipulation of public perceptions and you. Us.
Then comes STEP 2: we get a second person to come in and say “hey! scientists – how come your corrupt organizations didn’t save us from [chosen disaster]? Did you all just get bought off or something?”.
This serves two very potent and very different purposes: it continues to undermine the valid science opposing their anti-science agenda while at the same time making the continuation of STEP 1 significantly more effective.
This is a real documented thing. I didn’t make it up. It’s called the tobacco strategy. It’s the general blueprint for any modern anti-science agenda.
What’s the moral of the story? Our large-scale scientific institutions don’t get bought off. It’s much cheaper and more effective to buy public opinion. And when the public believes that science can be bought off, their opinion gets much more affordable.
So please STOP saying that science is easily bought and start listening to experts representing scientific consensus.
