Bad Science, Bad Information, and its constant spread.

From time to time I feel the urge to rant about specific things I have seen on Facebook, and sometimes it is warranted, other times it is just an opinion I have that runs contrary to the norm. You know, I am a gun owner, no I am not trying to compensate for something that's lacking. I just enjoy shooting, I enjoy the aesthetics of some rifles and handguns, I love the history of some of them, the weight they carry is something more than a physical heaviness. This is one of those times that I feel its warranted, and its directed at some members of the Green Party, Dr. Stein, and antivaxxers in general.

Look, science is not static, it is always changing, we learn new things everyday, but we also see trends. Numbers are our friends, they are our enemies, depending on what we are trying to prove, disprove or understand. We can tell from the numbers that our Earth, our home world is not flat, we have photographic evidence of such. We know that in the last hundred years that instances of disease are decreasing in most areas. Today, we don't have nearly the number of fatalities from the Flu. We can trace that back to vaccination. We don't see the number of cases for Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Polio and a host of other nearly fatal or life altering diseases. Even down to our pets, we are seeing massive decreases in Rabies cases, and that translates to human cases. But even so, if in doubt, we vaccinate potential victims for it. It sucks, trust me, I've had to get the shots, and it was like some wrath of God in the bible stuff. At one point, I seriously thought it was the end of days, and that I had been marked by Abaddon, that even death would flee from me. I can laugh about it twenty years later, but at the time it sucked, and eventually I will tell that story, because it is fairly amusing but really its pretty depressing.

Okay, so, science changes as we learn new things. At times, things change so rapidly that even the brightest minds have a difficult time keeping up. New discoveries are just a new observation away, new gadgets are just an experiment away... Well more than one experiment, we are now transporting data across rooms, and if memory serves across towns. That is some Star Trek level science now. Yeah, that thing is years away from being able to move you or I to some other part of the world, but its fun to imagine right? I am going to reprise the role of McCoy when it becomes viable for human use, because of my own fear of it, something about how it currently works just unnerves me, for now anyway, because I do not understand fully how it works. Alright, so we know that science is rapidly advancing, it is changing, it is bringing us new ways of doing things, it is altering the way we see our world and how we understand it. Fun times for us Trekies, and sci-fi junkies.

But there is a problem, and its bad people. For as much good science as we have, for all the advances we have seen and will see, there is a problem. Its very difficult to explain to people how we are transporting data across the room, wirelessly. This data is not a copy, but the original data. For most people, they instantly make the connection to something like Star Trek, “Beam me up Scott!” is one typical reply, and laughs are had, before the conversation becomes serious again. Where is the problem, when people jump up and say that they are being animals or people. As far as has been reported, they are nowhere near that level of technology or ability. That is bad, as it misrepresents what has actually happened. But even worse is when people start playing games with it. Yeah, they can transport an animal, but that animal comes out crossed with a fly. Well given nobody has ever transported an animal, how do we know that is the outcome, we don't. But here it stands, this myth takes flight.

The same thing has happened when it comes to vaccination. Yes, vaccinations back in the day weren't entirely safe, but they are a lot safer today. Back in the day a now discredited doctor linked vaccinations to Autism, I don't know why he did it, but at this point, it doesn't really matter. That myth has taken flight, and no amount of good science can kill it. We live in an era of instant news transmission, what I say could very well go viral at any time, and a new legend will be born, well for at least a day. Anecdotal evidence, for many, has taken the place of cold hard facts. People who hold no background in science, are making proclamations about it, even when they don't fully grasp the events. I'll talk science all day, I'll give my views of it, but I generally wait until I have read multiple views of it before my views are given.

There is also a strong sense of distrust. People do not trust the government, they do not trust “big-pharma”, but they will trust a stately looking doctor. When Dr. Stein, Dr. Carson, or some other doctor says that this is a bad idea, people tend to listen, because they are a doctor. They are supposed to be educated enough, knowledgeable enough that when they speak we should listen. But then we realize that outside of the human brain, Dr. Carson is an idiot.

Look, the thing here is, we have enough problems discussing legitimate issues within science and technology, some of these things are mind blowers. But the larger problem in the room is misconceptions, paranoia, and people drumming up fear. Right now, there are people who are doctors talking about the dangers of vaccinations, with people giving anecdotal evidence in support. They point at the changes in vaccination schedules, how we now give more vaccinations than ever, and the list is ever growing as cases of this or that are also growing. They like to point out that we have all these health issues, yet other groups who don't vaccinate don't. Their favorite target is the Amish.

They tell half truths, then sell it as if it is entirely true. Yes, the Amish don't vaccinate, that is true. They also have lower reported cases of Autism, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and a host of other illnesses that we outsiders have. But there is a rub in this truth, they rarely seek medical attention. Certainly, if they break their arm, they'll go see a doctor. The Amish will only go to a doctor in an emergency, so yes, they have lower reported cases of most things, not because they don't have said issues, but because it is under reported. When they pass away, the community refuses an autopsy, so if their death was the result of cancer, we aren't going to be aware of it. If an Amish child is Autistic, we aren't going to know it, because its not likely going to be discovered on their annual physical, because they don't get yearly physicals. But that doesn't stop people from saying its because vaccines.

We have people who constantly drag out discredited studies, and then point to a massive conspiracy. Follow the money they say, but they follow the money back to “big-phrama.” Right now there is an antivaxxer doctor who is pushing the narrative, and when you go to his site to read his work, you find that he is pushing his own products. Products guaranteed to provide you with a long healthy cancer free life. Follow the money. He is the modern equivalent of a snake oil salesman. Following the money works both ways. This now retired doctor sells snake oil, on the promise that, if you use his products, and go on his diet, that you too will live a long healthy life, free of cancer and Autism. He has even gone so far as to say that his special diet and supplements will cure children of Autism. A modern day snake oil salesman. The internet is his wagon of oils and elixirs. Even when studies show that his products do nothing. And when the products don't work as intended, he always has the option to put the blame back on the user. You didn't follow the diet and treatment program to the “T”, you did something you weren't supposed to. Kinda like religion, if things are going bad in your life, well then my friend, you didn't pray hard enough, you didn't give enough, or there is some underlying moral failing.

Now, I am sure that “big-pharma” certainly isn't the good guy here, they are made up of businesses intent on making a profit on the products they serve. They'll jack up prices on medications, they certainly put out medications that have side effects far worse than the problem itself, and they certainly do have some very questionable advertising. We can all agree that smoking is bad for you, but they have a pill for that now, just one pill a day for a month, and you'll kick smoking like the bad habit it is... But there are some minor side effects. You know the typical inability to sleep, mood changes, potential psychotic breaks from reality, suicidal thoughts or tendencies. But hey, they beat the alternative of radiation treatments for lung cancer, or COPD. Side note, if you smoke like I do, we really should quit, we aren't doing ourselves any favors, and if we can, we shouldn't use that medication, the horror stories I have heard about pretty bad. On the plus side, if you do use that medication to stop, and you only have minor problems, great.

Okay, so here is the gist of this. Science is hard, explaining it is harder, and explaining it accurately when people are getting false or incorrect information is almost impossible. You don't like vaccinations, good for you. You don't want your kids vaccinated, we have a problem, a major problem. Just because you are paranoid about a conspiracy, doesn't mean one exists. Me and Mine shouldn't have to suffer the consequences because you want to believe a celebrity or a snake oil salesman. But that is what really happens. Your kid may or may not be autistic, but mine should have to risk becoming sterile, or dying because of your fears about something that has no basis in reality. I know, I know, science is ever changing, but it also follows a logical track. It doesn't suddenly reverse course, even in the early days, it didn't reverse course. Back in the day, the church said everything orbited the Earth, even when all the evidence said otherwise. 

Look, do some research, and if someone is telling a half truth, its not true at all, its just preying on fear, and spreading ignorance and misinformation.  This is something that we have to be doubly careful of now, with so many people looking to confirm their own biases.