D&D and the rising pandemic

[CleverNickName]

Just use a mask, people.
It's not like they're asking you to use THAC0 rules.

 

[Thomas Shey]

The worst part about that whole NZ hellhole thing is I've seen people, people who I thought were pretty smart and thoughtful actually buying the stories. It's mind boggling. When did expertise become so discredited?

When people began associating it with "ivory tower elites". There's been elements in many places that have been downgrading science for some time now. As I saw a post reference on FB earlier today "Everyone likes what science gives them; but nobody likes that it keeps asking questions."

I mean, I have a buddy who just sent me a masking is bad for you propaganda piece. Very well made, lots of backup research and all that. Gotta give mad props for that. But, on one hand we've got every doctor on the frigging planet, whose job it is to keep people healthy, telling us to put on the damn mask and wear it and on the other hand, there's this guy, no medical training at all, just a decent sense of film making and access to Google Scholar. Why in hell do people continuously fall for this? It's so frustrating - it's like people aren't even speaking the same language anymore.

When something feeds into people's biases, its much easier for them to get on board.

 

[Umbran]

There's been elements in many places that have been downgrading science for some time now.

There has been a strong streak of anti-intellectualism in the US since at least the 1700s. Our immigrant ancestors were generally not the educated sort, you know.

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

There has been a strong streak of anti-intellectualism in the US since at least the 1700s. Our immigrant ancestors were generally not the educated sort, you know.

Especially due to the strong Christian/Protestant origins of the US.

 

[Thomas Shey]

There has been a strong streak of anti-intellectualism in the US since at least the 1700s. Our immigrant ancestors were generally not the educated sort, you know.

Yeah, but it had been quite some time since it was quite so--formalized--as its been in the last couple decades. I write it off to the conclusions of scientific consensus becoming quite as inconvenient to certain financial and social interests as they have.

 

[Hussar]

Especially due to the strong Christian/Protestant origins of the US.

That's not particularly fair. Some of the greatest thinkers in history have been Christian and/or closely tied to various churches.

But, yeah, we've gone in the 20th and now 21st century, from "Science will fix everything" to "Science doesn't know nothing". It's rather frightening.

I see it with my students. My Japanese students will proudly tell me every time a Japanese person wins a Nobel prize. It's front page news. They are very pro-science here. Which leaves them utterly bemused by Western reactions.

 

[Umbran]

Especially due to the strong Christian/Protestant origins of the US.

That's.. an over-simplification.

But, after typing an answer, I recognize how far afield from the subject of the pandemic the discussion gets if I elucidate. So, I won't

 

[Levistus's_Leviathan]

That's not particularly fair. Some of the greatest thinkers in history have been Christian and/or closely tied to various churches.

Oh, definitely. I'm not saying Christianity and science are incompatible by any means. And definitely not all aspects of it. Copernicus worked closely with the Catholic Church, who supported his discoveries.

That's.. an over-simplification.

But, after typing an answer, I recognize how far afield from the subject of the pandemic the discussion gets if I elucidate. So, I won't

Yes, sorry. Didn't mean to derail things or oversimplify it. There is a complex history between the two, and I merely meant that as a generality. I should have been more clear. Back on topic, though.

 

[Zardnaar]

Especially due to the strong Christian/Protestant origins of the US.

Not really the protestants were heavily involved in university's etc. Anglican church iirc owned them.

Literacy was also quite high in the UK.

NZ, Aussie similar immigrants Canada as well.

I have some theories, we got more Scots proportionally for example and the Scottish enlightenment was a thing.

 

[Garthanos]

The first US penny had the motto "Liberty parent of science and industry"