A survey commissioned by the Ontario Science Centre has given a blunt depiction of just how stupid a lot of Canadians really are and, by stupid, I mean Tea Party stupid.
Are scientific findings a matter of opinion? Forty-three per cent of Canadians agree that they are, suggests a new poll.
The survey found widespread concerns about fake news — 66 per cent of respondents agreed with the statement that "false information reported as fact (so called 'fake news') is affecting your knowledge of science."
It also uncovered possible evidence of that happening, including a widespread belief in ideas contrary to scientific consensus:
52 per cent of respondents agreed that "genetically modified organisms are bad for your health." (This is an issue where there recently has been the biggest divide between scientists and the public.)
47 per cent (up from 41 per cent last year) agreed that "the science behind global warming is still unclear," despite what scientists have been calling for years "unequivocal" evidence.
19 per cent agree "there is a link between vaccinations and autism," even though the study that made the link was found years ago to be "an elaborate fraud."
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She thinks the media are partly to blame for focusing too much on telling both sides of the story: "It doesn't help the public learn how to distinguish true knowledge from mere opinion, if both are given equal weight in a news story."
In many cases, while scientific consensus develops around matters like climate change, scientists coming from different backgrounds may generate findings that appear to conflict with one another.
"Those often find their way into the mass media and can be confusing for members of the general public who actually don't have a clue as to how science works."
That's the bad news but there's more. A study into science literacy in 35 countries ranked Canada 1st.
I'm not surprised that the number of Canadians who agreed that "the science behind global warming is still unclear" rose 7% over last year. The nation's largest newspaper chain, Postmedia, regularly publishes articles mocking "global warming alarmists" and casting doubt on the scientific consensus. In 8 out of 10 of Canada's largest cities, the Postmedia rag is the only English paper that'll deliver - the exceptions being Toronto and Winnipeg. In hundreds of other communities, Postmedia's the only game in town. Global warming denial's what I'd expect from a media chain that agreed to be CAPP's house organ.
ReplyDeleteCap
To be fair scientific literacy is less precise term, and far harder to achieve then regular literacy.
ReplyDeleteHow much scientific understanding does one need to be scientifically literate? Memorized the periotic tables? Know the scientific method off by heart? Simply keep abreast of science news?
And its not just the right, its the left on issues, its the left too, on issues like genetic engineering and nuclear power. I've seen some on the left attack science as a western colonial conspiracy.
To be far while to find out that the idea that fats aren't bad for you, but scientists bought off by the Sugar industry lead everyone to believe it was decades ago, that doesn't help the crediblity of the science community.
To be fair scientific literacy is less precise term, and far harder to achieve then regular literacy.
ReplyDeleteHow much scientific understanding does one need to be scientifically literate? Memorized the periotic tables? Know the scientific method off by heart? Simply keep abreast of science news?
And its not just the right, its the left on issues, its the left too, on issues like genetic engineering and nuclear power. I've seen some on the left attack science as a western colonial conspiracy.
To be far while to find out that the idea that fats aren't bad for you, but scientists bought off by the Sugar industry lead everyone to believe it was decades ago, that doesn't help the crediblity of the science community.
ReplyDeleteWe have an extremely serious problem with Canada's corporate media cartel, Cap, and our government, the Liberals who gave us the Davey and Kent Commission reports on media in Canada, has shown no interest in this threat to Canadian democracy. Trudeau couldn't care less. Whether it's the rehabilitation of a free press in Canada or electoral reform, Trudeau is indifferent to our pressing need for democratic restoration. That's one of the shortcomings that makes him a thoroughly sub-par prime minister.
Stupid is communicable.
ReplyDeleteNot stupid takes work.
We'll always have outliers in the scientific community, Gyor. R.J. Reynolds had a cadre of them to wage its tobacco doubt campaign. Big Oil has its own gaggle to sow doubt on climate change. It's the consensus that we need to heed and inform ourselves on. It's not that hard to do but it takes some effort, some time and a bit of critical thinking. No, you don't need to be able to recite the periodic table to be science literate. What possible good would that do the average person wanting to understand climate change? People who get their science from Facebook tend to be the dumb-asses. That's the cesspit of conspiracy theorists also. From what I've read I think this business linking vaccines to autism was fueled by conspiracy theories. It's all a government plot, don't you know? It's part of good citizenship to inform yourself on issues of the day. Most of those who believe this crap can't be bothered to learn.
ReplyDeleteThe last paragraph is the most disturbing.
ReplyDeleteMy own experience ranges from a well educated man that believes in the autism /vaccination idea and disbelieves the big bang theory whilst claiming some 'electric universe' is the answer.
At the lower end of the scale; whilst not science but definitely suspect is the scrap metal merchant! who was troubled by ISIS blasting rockets over Japan!
More disturbing is that these people vote.
They vote for candidates that often promote such idiotic ideas.
Sometimes I think we require a means test for voters.
democracy is not what it is bulled up to be.
TB
Careful about tampering with voting rules. Australia is a good case in point. Mandatory voting was supposed to be a remedy and look at the infection they got.
ReplyDeleteMandatory voting emboldens the vote for a Lucky Lager sector.
ReplyDeleteI would 'consider' a means test for voters.
Perhaps we should have mandatory high school social sciences for graduation?
TB
Mound, I'm having a hard time blaming Justin for Canada's media concentration problem. The last big merger was the Postmedia-Sun deal, which was approved under Emperor Palpatine. For now, JT gets a pass from me on this issue.
ReplyDeleteCap
Cap, no one is suggesting Justin allowed this to happen. He's faulted for allowing it to continue. He wanted to lead the country and got enough Canadians to support him that he has a majority. Yet he cannot get his thumb out of his arse. He doesn't even see this as a threat to our democracy.
ReplyDeleteDana, no one is talking about mandatory voting. That's not what Trudeau promised to get elected. It was to end first past the post voting. He made an empty gesture and then reneged. He does not see democracy in peril in our country not does he acknowledge a collapse in our free press. To my mind he's as useless as tits on a boar hog.
ReplyDeleteNo, the matter I was addressing was means testing for voting. It would likely have unintended consequences just as mandatory voting has.
ReplyDeleteFrom the CBC article "But Dawn Sutherland, Canada Research Chair in Science Education in Cultural Contexts at the University of Winnipeg, thinks some of the survey's questions about scientific findings are flawed and not very helpful, as the statements that respondents had to agree or disagree with represent extremes and could contain more than one interpretation."
ReplyDeleteI always question such polls - how the questions are worded,answer choices and how was the poll conducted (online, telephone?)
The stupid gene may not be a prevalent as you think. And CBC - and other news outlets - need to be more "journalistic" and less sensational in their reporting.
So it isn't the science that comes into question, but what people do with it. I'm very uncomfortable with the idea of genetic modification because much of it has been done recklessly and motivated by profit and the will to use genetics as a control mechanism. The same can be said of many scientific "advances" that have blown up in our faces as we have satisfied our impatient desire for convenience and comfort at the expense of a healthy living space and any prospect of a reasonable future.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteDana, means testing is usually fraught with perils whenever a universal right/obligation is involved. When the dumb-asses flourish I've usually found a serious failure in leadership capable of rallying intelligent voters. That seems to be one scourge of the neoliberal era - the ascendancy of technocrats, petit fonctionairres, and the commensurate decline in visionaries and statesmen. Our current prime minister, and his predecessor, are perfect examples. Trudeau communicated visions in the last election and it won him the premiership. Once installed he wasted no time in jettisoning those inspiring commitments.
ReplyDeleteIt is a precarious world today, Danneau, but in some way or another it often has been. You are anxious about matters that should be in the purview of regulators. These are government responsibilities that are too often neglected today. Harper/Trudeau were fine with an industry dominated National Energy Board. Who can forget Captain Listeria (Harper) who allowed the meat-packing industry to be self-regulating at the cost of several Canadian lives? Ask yourself why so many of these responsibilities at both the federal and provincial levels are ignored.