Unscientific America: Chris Mooney

Commonwealth Club

Info
Bio
Chapters
Highlights
Transcript
Download
More

Chris Mooney: How to Make Science Sexier

02 min 43 sec

Add to Profile
Chris Mooney: Bridging the Gap Between Science & Politics

04 min 08 sec

Add to Profile
Watch Full Program

01 hr 01 min 07 sec

Add to Profile

4 Comments

Please or register to post a comment.

wsoutherland

Posts: 28

Posted: 11.07.09, 10:06 AM

Is it any surprise that the most popular media, overwhelmingly, is fiction? For many people, science represents reality and, for many, reality sucks. We spend a great amount of energy trying to "get away" from reality, whether through vacation or entertainment. When Adam eats the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, it destroys him. As Cypher said in The Matrix "Ignorance is Bliss."

The story of science doesn't have a happy ending for many. Science doesn't comfort you at the end of a hard day (unless you take drugs). Going to church is a great way to meet women. Simply by going to church you are stating publicly that you know you aren't perfect and aren't the center of your own world (whether this is actually true or not).

Most scientists are driven by insatiable curiosity, generally unafraid of the answers. One question leads to another so their journey is never ending. Most science is presented as "how this thing works." For many people, however, you take away the mystery when you tell them how it works. Explain a special effect in a movie and many can no longer suspend their disbelief. They have eaten the fruit from the tree of knowledge and it destroyed their enjoyment. Knowing that no matter how smart you are you can not know everything leads many to just want to know what they need to know to get through life.

Recommend this comment [ 0 ]

Quote

Permalink

Flag for Abuse

MTGRAY

Posts: 119

Posted: 10.30.09, 04:31 PM

Yale is one of the strangest Universities I audited. Cloak in some hidden world.
after 47 universities that I observe Yale is the one that brings about a feeling of occultism.
using wisdoms for a singular concern that end's up in a political drive for power.
Like be so the elite of certain societies in our North American Continent.
As to the speech about Americans are such and such and so forth and so on.
is a conjecture of a very small mind person.

Recommend this comment [ 0 ]

Quote

Permalink

Flag for Abuse

nightlight

Posts: 33

Posted: 10.10.09, 04:30 PM

At this point I have to somewhat disagree with Mr. Mooney in his belief that right leaning people just don't understand the prici[pals of science.
I believe they know enough that it almost always conflicts with there understanding of creationism and the concept that they have had been spoon fed since before they were even born. It's not that they are not inteligent enough but that their minds are so polluted with religion, football and such mindless media that they are trapped in a mindset that is very pliable to the conservativs to shape and mold to there liking and what's more they are proud of it. This struggle for the minds of the common man has been going on since man began to question the existance of a god and scientific experimentation was considered playing with gods work.
I say this because I know such people and no mater how simple the concept that is brought up in a conversation they will always revert to what it says in the bible. However, good luck with the endeavor.

Recommend this comment [ 0 ]

Quote

Permalink

Flag for Abuse