Summary
In summary, Adam believes that science as a universally recognized value is declining due to the internet, where alternative realities can be easily spread and legitimized. He cites the example of the increasing popularity of populist leaders who appeal to people's emotions and biases, rather than facts. He also notes that the increasing number of people who prefer to believe in realities that match their own social bubble better, and the lack of critical thinking capacity among citizens, is a problem for democracy. He believes that the world is becoming a "babel" and that it is difficult to see how this phenomenon can be resolved soon. He also notes that there are solutions, but they come at a political cost.
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Is science a universally recognized value today? Well, it still is, but does this value decline? I have a feeling that it does, and the internet is the catalyst of that decline.
I watched the daily show for years; I was fascinated with Republican audacity, which was escalating for decades to become the Trump. Where alternative pictures of realities become legit. Certain people preferred the story that was more appealing to them than based on facts. And this is a very problematic situation for democracy to be efficient.
Apparently, the internet is a huge pool where one claims anything, and this claim can be backed by a train of people. Today is even possible to look fancy, look professional on your videos or web pages. While people with academic degrees increased, unfortunately, the number of people who are "bad" in their profession has also increased. While they can be recognized by fellow professionals, that can not happen via the internet. So charlatans find their audience since they speak of the reality they want to live into.
Society has mastered to make you wealthy regardless of academic achievements, just be famous. Literally Kim Kardashian f.e. Additionally, since one of the credibility factors is wealth, there is not necessary for common people to look up to underpaid scientists. Which tend not to react well to "basic questions."
Science, on the other hand yes, is progressing. But it is in many places saturated. Rediscovering what is already discovered or getting too widespread for ven fellow peers to comprehend it. Intimidation through hierarchy existed (Eddington - Chandrasekhar), and it exists. And let me add my personal interpretation, you can't float if you are not prestigious (like Bose-Einstein story). So even among scientists, there is a babel and miscommunication.
So we have an increasing number of people who prefer to believe in realities that match their own social bubble better. Science may contradict it, but who the fuck are those scientists? They don't seem people of importance. There is no stardom quality, and probably to understand them, I need to go through a painful process of discovering how ignorant I may be. This process is called learning, but in a world dominated by popularity, the feeling you experience while it takes time to understand hurts. Because is what people tend to call "an idiot," "stupid." Which you automatically adopt by habit after a while.
Scientists who probably have measured this phenomenon, being busy with their own problems or underfunded to do anything. While counting and weighting their words not to be exposed to their colleagues, they cluster behind sterile, dogmatic scientific views. Because if you walk out of the mainstream, you get isolated and, sooner or later, professionally humiliated.
Athenian democracy being the first in the world we are taught. Why did it fall? We do not focus. Citizens did not have the critical thinking. They cluster around the fairy tales of demagogues (populists). Then governing body indeed performed what democracy promises to deliver. It gives the equivalent value of the voting majority. So they destroyed Athens with a series of bad and arrogant decisions (Athenian Hegemony era). Democracy is as good as it's people critical thinking capacity, obviously.
So this world around us is babel, and we are getting fucked. Whatever this phenomenon is, it has inertia, and I can not see how it can be resolved anytime soon. So this phenomenon will propagate. Solutions exist, but their cost is political.
Love
Adam
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