One of the items discussed he speaks about how measles vaccines are on the decline in the US. He says out healthcare system sucks, it’s cold and doesn’t work so
we run to the arms of “big placebo”. He talks about the dangers of belief in “magic” hurts clinically founded evidence in medicine.
The “organic elite” is discussed and the marketing of how it is sold. Putting Vitamin A in rice, as an example and rejecting genetically modified food, some of this is good and some of it is bad and it’s all “patent stuff”. The idea of not allowing science to do it’s job is preventing many people from living a better life, we need things and we are afraid of giving it to them.
He asks why are we fighting some of this? Can we still go forward? Fear and denial are very powerful in the words of Michael Specter and I think he’s on to something. Possibilities move forward and not backward and he addresses the fact that we have never lived in a time like this and I agree there too. People wrap themselves into beliefs where they can get out, old perceptions die hard, and I can attest for that.
My own personal experience with healthcare technology has at times earned my the name of “the tech heathen” in some circles with old perceptions that die hard. There are questions and problems with those that we thought were always right, ask questions and when you get proof, embrace it and believe it. That is something I say here all the time, as all “algorithms are not created equal” and those are the decision making processes we have available and use with modern technology.
Know your heroes and villains today, ask questions and don’t be afraid to find out, technology is throwing us a new “left curve” every day. BD
Vaccine-autism claims, "Frankenfood" bans, the herbal cure craze: All point to the public's growing fear (and, often, outright denial) of science and reason, says Michael Specter. He warns the trend spells disaster for human progress. (Recorded at TED2010, February 2010 in Long Beach, CA. Duration: 16:29)
TED Blog: The danger of science denial: Michael Specter on TED.com
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