Trust the Science

There’s a group on Facebook called “Math/Science Jokes & Puns”. A couple of days ago this image was shared on it. It seems innocent and there were plenty of comments, but I think this one from Keven Paris is the most insightful of the lot, and the best explanation of the dangers the United States faces. How and when the danger will pass I don’t know, but it’s fairly easy to pinpoint when it started.

Here’s Kevin Paris’ comment in full:

In a better world, at a better time, we could all agree and appreciate the humor here. But not here and not in this moment. One of the most fierce and crucial battlefields where the culture war is being fought for control of our country and the future of democracy, is the field of trust in established authority, and quite especially in science. Unfortunately, this cartoon will give aid and comfort to malicious science deniers everywhere. There are many very smart responses here that point out the importance of maintaining the true integrity of science. There are predatory forces at work that are trying mightily to subvert the processes, and pervert the results of studies, and we must be able to sustain a keen vigilance, and call out the fakes and fakers. But our main thrust right now is to help reestablish the general public’s trust in the honest science that is the forefront of so many of our hopes for a better world.