Big Gap Between What Public and Scientists Think

[Brosef]

"There is a disconnect between the way in which the public perceives the state of science and science's position on a variety of issues, and the way in which the scientific community ... looks at the state of science," Alan Leshner, chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, told reporters in advance of the survey's release on Thursday. "That's a cause of concern."

The biggest disconnect had to do with genetically modified foods, where there was a gap of 51 percentage points. Eighty-eight percent of the scientists said it's safe to eat such foods, compared with 37 percent of the wider-ranging sample.

Funk noted "a slightly more negative take of the American public about scientific achievements, as well as a slight rise in negative views, but still a majority saying positive things about the contribution of science to society."

On average, the scientists were a bit gloomier as well: In 2009, 76 percent of the scientists surveyed said it was a good time for science, but that figure dropped to 52 percent in the latest survey. The way the scientists saw it, one of the biggest problems is that the public doesn't know very much about science — closely followed by media misrepresentations of scientific findings.

http://www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...ts-public-odds-over-climate-gmos-more-n296231

 

[Serious]

subs

 

[MeachTheMonster]

People are so dumb

 

[Yapdatfool]

People are so dumb

On which subjects? Every one of them?

I can't put my trust in Science like religious folks do God. The more I hear about studies being bought and paid for by interests the less trust I have.

 

[Type Username Here]

On which subjects? Every one of them?

I can't put my trust in Science like religious folks do God. The more I hear about studies being bought and paid for by interests the less trust I have.

That's why there is consensus and peer reviews.

You put your trust in science everyday, you just aren't aware that you do.

 

[MeachTheMonster]

On which subjects? Every one of them?

I can't put my trust in Science like religious folks do God. The more I hear about studies being bought and paid for by interests the less trust I have.

I'm not saying to blindly believe them. But if you believe in basic scientific principles and your own ability to apply common sense then you can pretty much discern what's BS or not.

 

[Yapdatfool]

You put your trust in science everyday, you just aren't aware that you do.

Without question. I wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for science. It's just sad to see every point of science be dirtied with money. I was speaking about blind trust though, thus the comparison with god.

I'm not saying to blindly believe them. But if you believe in basic scientific principles and your own ability to apply common sense then you can pretty much discern what's BS or not.

maybe like I said before money really clouds opinions on every level. There should be no question about vaccines though.

 

[OneManGang]

The general public is RETARDED. I'm not even on some arrogant tip. I know jack shyt about finance. So I hire a financial advisor. I know jack shyt about fixing my car...so I trust the mechanic/dealer. If I disagree on a quote, I hop online and do my own research and educate myself on the topic enough to have a PROPER discourse. Etc.

With science, everyone is suddenly an expert and knows what's best for them, based on scare tactics and half assed news reports. Its disturbing. Most these people never research anything, but say they heard that vaccines can give their piece of shyt child autism

By the way...most of us have never seen a non-GMO food in our lives. Think about that for a second.

 

[badhat]

By the way...most of us have never seen a non-GMO food in our lives. Think about that for a second.

So what does that mean, though? There's scientific consensus that GMO food is safe, and I don't dispute that.

But the majority of GMO crops are things like Roundup Ready corn strains, and corn already is really really nitrogen dependent. If we didn't have huge farm subsidies, it probably wouldn't be feasible to get the corn yield that we do. There's a lot more to the question than the biology of it, it becomes an economic question.

 

[Brosef]

Without question. I wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for science. It's just sad to see every point of science be dirtied with money. I was speaking about blind trust though, thus the comparison with god.



maybe like I said before money really clouds opinions on every level. There should be no question about vaccines though.

That's what the media and conspiracists will have you believe. Most scientists have no ties to industry. Also they need to declare their conflicts of interest on any submitted works. If they choose not to, their whole life's credibility goes down the drain

 

[Yapdatfool]

That's what the media and conspiracists will have you believe. Most scientists have no ties to industry. Also they need to declare their conflicts of interest on any submitted works. If they choose not to, their whole life's credibility goes down the drain

I mean does anyone remember seeing that john oliver spot on sugar and all the 'studies' done to say sugar was/is good in its current amounts? And that they were paid for by the sugar industry??

That's the shyt i'm talking about. One study comes out independently funded that says global warming is caused by humans. Then interests who don't want that to be true fund and pay for their own studies to say the opposite.

Sucks that I gotta do my googles to see if a study was peer reviewed and independently funded.

 

[Mook]

The general public is RETARDED. I'm not even on some arrogant tip. I know jack shyt about finance. So I hire a financial advisor. I know jack shyt about fixing my car...so I trust the mechanic/dealer. If I disagree on a quote, I hop online and do my own research and educate myself on the topic enough to have a PROPER discourse. Etc.

With science, everyone is suddenly an expert and knows what's best for them, based on scare tactics and half assed news reports. Its disturbing. Most these people never research anything, but say they heard that vaccines can give their piece of shyt child autism

By the way...most of us have never seen a non-GMO food in our lives. Think about that for a second.

.
Non gmo is so delicious b.

 

[88m3]

are scientists people? or are they a lie?

 

[CHL]

The general public is RETARDED. I'm not even on some arrogant tip. I know jack shyt about finance. So I hire a financial advisor. I know jack shyt about fixing my car...so I trust the mechanic/dealer. If I disagree on a quote, I hop online and do my own research and educate myself on the topic enough to have a PROPER discourse. Etc.

With science, everyone is suddenly an expert and knows what's best for them, based on scare tactics and half assed news reports. Its disturbing. Most these people never research anything, but say they heard that vaccines can give their piece of shyt child autism

By the way...most of us have never seen a non-GMO food in our lives. Think about that for a second.

Excellent post

 

[IShotTheSheriff]

Joining in the bits I grasp of biology and metaphysics...

I'm very interested in GMOs and the subject of consciously guiding our bodies evolution in certain directions. The conscious mind alone is nothing to play with, placebos effectiveness prove that.

Used to be on board with the "leave the food alone" people but I realize a lot of the food we eat today wouldn't even exist in this day and age without nature or us meddling in...