“The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it.” (Neil deGrasse Tyson to Bill Maher)
Earlier this year the venerable magazine Scientific American suggested Kamala Harris might bring a bit of scientific perspective to politics as her mom had been a cancer researcher. The response from conservatives was swift and harsh. How DARE they say such a thing! That some politician’s personal experience or that of family members including a parent should ‘infect’ their political thinking? Of course, when it comes to Donald Trump (disastrous) business background we are told we should place ‘BIGLY’ faith in him for it. Go figure. Oh, and even though Harris is largely estranged from her father for most of her life, his being a ‘Professor of Marxism’ is a trait we SHOULD imbue her with!
These people make it so easy to hate them with such rank hypocrisy. Still, the issue at hand is as you can see in this article by Fox News that it’s ‘very problematic’ that The Scientific American has come out with not only a solid endorsement of Harris, but (OMFG the HORROR…the HORROR…) criticism of Trump. How DARE this group of “weenie geeks’ go talking politics! The quote at the beginning notwithstanding Republicans only believe in science that makes them/their friends money or advanced GOP political goals. Actual objective science is just that. Objective. Things claimed as scientific fact are rigorously examined and test before being generally accepted.
Science isn’t biased. People who cite it sometimes are. In the case of Republicans, outright denial of widely accepted concepts like Climate Change, or even more readily identifiable things like medical stuff for political reasons is common. That can and has quite literally cost lives. The linked article notes how another prominent publication’s endorsement of Biden in 2020 reduced trust among conservatives (so many stayed true to Trump claims) about COVID vaccines (and treatment):
“In fact, a 2023 paper found that the journal Nature’s endorsement of Joe Biden caused large reductions in stated trust in Nature among Trump supporters,'” Thompson wrote, citing the study.
He added that the study noted the endorsement “lowered the demand for COVID-related information provided by Nature” and “reduced Trump supporters’ trust in scientists in general.”
Think about that. A periodical with a sterling reputation took a look at a candidate who trusts scientific expertise, people with decades of experience on a given matter vs. an idiot who suggested taking horse de-wormer, ingesting or injecting bleach and shoving UV lights down the throat or up the butt. And said in effect ‘You know folks? We think one of these guys will listen to experts and shape wise policy and the other will maybe get you killed. Biden is a no-brainer.’Â And conservatives lost their sh*t. And in some cases their very lives.
Trump likes to point out he had an uncle who retired as a highly respected Professor from M.I.T. (I referred to this weird hypocrisy earlier) That’s the only ‘sciency’ credential Republicans seem to need. Trump is the world’s leading expert on any and every single thing. To paraphrase a memorable line from Blazing Saddles: “Science? We don’t need no stinking science!” Followed by some variation on Trump tells us all we need to know.
I’ve got some news for these asshats – Trump doesn’t know jack. About science, or business for that matter. Or anything else other than grifting – suckering people into supporting him and donating to him.
So we have a worldwide respected publication that’s been around for what, 179 years now? It’s known for making some pretty complex scientific stuff understandable to reasonably smart people who aren’t actual experts in so many of the topics. It even knows how to toss in a little humor. My own introduction was my dad coming home early one night with his copy he got at work. A page marked with a paper clip opened to a Murphy’s Law related real, serious article but it had one of those highlighted sidebars that held a delightfully funny characterization of the infamous Murphy’s Law – and its namesake Edsall (get it?) Murphy. I wish I’d could find a copy of that issue. My favorite line about Murphy was ‘destined for a secure place in the Engineering Hall of Fame he fell victim to his own law. Something went wrong.’
Anyway we are going to have ourselves a bit of a GOP conniption over science, and scientists who study for years to gain expertise and live careers gaining more not knowing jack compared to Donald Trump. That they have no business “wading into politics’ by suggesting one candidate (Harris) would be better because she believes in listening to actual scientific experts than Trump who only believes…who the hell knows what?
That’s the Republican Party these days. The ‘We don’t need no stinking scientists cuz TRUMP!’ Party. Make of that what you will.
How sad it is for them to blindly believe that scientists devote their entire lives in deception, while an orange stained Shitgibbon reality TV star with decades of grifting and lying, and other depravities, is their beacon of truth and honesty. Sad, really sad, isn’t it.
Sometimes you not only cannot fix stupid, the stupid just becomes stronger with each passing day. The best we can hope for is that the stupid ones don’t harm others while they’re demonstrating their stupidity. I know, way too late for that.
Hopefully they’ll turn on each other and the inevitable happens. Hopefully.
So sad!
Indeed, to the point that I find it actually hliarious!
I’m trying to figure out why the con, xtian, magats are even bothering not only to “think” on this but to voice their displeasure. I cannot imagine magat readership of S.A. is very high. Worse, this is a periodical that deals exclusively in topics about some branch or another of science/math/tech/engineering. Who in the hell do they think the powers that be for a science periodical would endorse: the rational, well-educated person or the raving loon? So they honestly think S.A.’s circulation numbers would increase if they endorsed an idiot who’s only scientific knowledge is “I have an uncle….”?
magats almost always look bad every time they opine about something, anything, but this time they’re looking really f*cking stupid-more so than usual.
It doesn’t matter. Any criticism of Trump, real or imagined, implicit or explicit, they must rally round the MAGA flag (not the American flag of course).
… and:
Is there actually a “more” so than usual when it comes to them???
You’re correct that this won’t crater SA’s bottom line. GOPers exist who believe in science and if they are readers they will stay readers. I highlighted what happened with Nature for a reason. Again, it didn’t affect their bottom line but conservatives cherry picked just enough to trash them and misinform the public about COVID. Worse, they were able to harm the reputation/credibility of well-established publications in general. And people, lots of them DIED as a result. Now imagine an administration that as a matter of policy will shut down important, respected periodicals simply because they write about objective scientific truths instead of whatever the hell is in Trump’s head?
I know after my dad got me interested he wound up buying me a subscription. I long ago ceased having one but I still enjoy checking out articles I hear about. Just as I enjoyed doing what my dad first did – show me his copy and suggest I check out something he thought I’d enjoy. I did enjoy the Murphy thing and we had a good laugh about it. Thinking back, it might have been the beginning in my teens of the two of us trying to find a connnection. Anyway like my dad did with me I enjoyed showing articles to people I knew. Most enjoyed my doing so. And, like dad found I found it difficult to get the magazine back!
I’m shocked that any MAGAts even know Scientific American exists, let alone read it.
Isn’t it curious how science deniers use cell phones, GPS, microwave ovens, internal combustion engines, central air and heat, dentistry, get operations, get liposuction and botox treatments, fly on planes, ride on asphalt, wear polyester, use titanium golf clubs, use high tech paper money, scan credit/debit cards, watch goddamn tv, and 10,000 other things? WE ARE A COUNTRY FULL OF PHUCKING MORONS!!!!