The politics of science

From UPI writer, Cynthia Tucker:

Scientific and medical research has been overwhelmed by powerful business interests and single-issue extremists. Chemical manufacturers, automakers, religious zealots and others spend torrents of money to quash public disclosure, weaken government regulation and intimidate scientists and researchers into backing away from the truth. Public health takes a back seat to Big Business and partisan politics.

For the entire essay, click here.

I can't help but think of this in terms of my comments in the post below. That is, bad reporting combined with Americans' lust for obedience to strong authority has made this situation all but inevitable. As a people, we are so strongly conditioned to believe and obey those in power that questioning the "experts" is almost unthinkable. Americans cannot, for the most part, think for themselves or against the conventional wisdom because our schools have taught us that doing so is bad--good Americans get in line and do as they're told; nobody likes a trouble maker.

I don't know how many times I've been told by people who disagree with me that I'm "just trying to be different."

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