Information Overload

Not the same as good, or accurate information. Some outlets have begun calling it an "infodemic" -- unending purveyors of dozens of already debunked or refurbished medical and scientific claims. We have 'Plandemic' from a few years ago rearing its ugly head again. We have a herbal remedy (related to the daisy family -- my favorite!!) being touted as a remedy for covid-19. This herb is used, in conjunction with another, throughout Madagascar in treatment of malaria. There is no evidence either drug is effective in treating or preventing covid-19. We have postulates on a private board that deficiencies in some vitamin or mineral is a contributing cause of getting the disease, or a new therapy may be just around the corner ---- so far, I've seen the disease is due to lack of selenium, maybe in conjunction with vitamin E (I think); lack of vitamin D; a "breakthrough" is found when Israel isolated a "monoclonal neutralizing antibody"... Without a good grounding in science education, many people are reading or hearing "science news" without understanding it. The THINK LIKE A SCIENTIST section of the Politico nightly newsletter is a "must read" for everyone interested in understanding as opposed to throwing half-baked ideas together as a "wonder cure" or as a conspiracy theory. 

Scientific literacy can keep you from misunderstanding a study of how to best sanitize hard surfaces, and mistakenly think those findings can be applied to living tissue. 

Scientific literacy can protect you from being scammed by the con artists of the world. It can help you navigate and understand the difference between an article published in a legitimate peer reviewed journal and one pre-published, as it's called. Without a solid understanding of the subject matter, it is very hard for a non specialist to evaluate "findings" in a technical paper that hasn't even been peer reviewed. You don't even need to be Albert Einstein to figure it out. 

Academic achievement for 15 year-olds in the US is not in the top 5, not even in the top 10 countries of the world in reading, math, or science (2015). Do you think it's gotten any better since then? I haven't found a more recent study, but I seriously doubt it. 

A more recent (2019?) court ruling (not sure if federal or state, but I sure hope someone appeals it) allows religious children to give wrong answers on science questions... as long as the answer conforms to the kid's "deeply held religious beliefs"; and the instructor must not mark down the student's grade for being wrong! What's going to happen when those students become the doctors(?) and leaders of tomorrow? Or will they simply be unable to hold such a job? We have public money being diverted to private and other "for profit" schools by the private school educated Betsy Devos. In the guise of quality education or some such, it is merely another ploy to cripple public education at the expense of the poor and middle class and reward the higher income families. I'm sure it's only coincidence that private schools are allowed to teach religious tenets instead of science, and are allowed to freely discriminate in the name of religious liberty. 

Listen to the scientists. Exercise critical thinking. "Every disaster movie begins with people ignoring the scientists." Neil deGrasse Tyson



Then again, there's a point of view that posits we get the representatives we deserve. We seriously need a better education system. We need adults who are willing to continue to learn beyond formal school. Science marches on. Don't be left behind. 

Addendum - 10 May 2020 - Just noticed this BBC article summarizing some of the really bad social media items out there.