Personally, I’d note that the public is not really distrusting over all scientists, but those who put themselves out there in the public domain, as well as those who have been politicized and are essentially on the payroll of government. Here’s the Mercury News editorial board
Scientists must solve growing trust problem
Scientists are facing a crisis of trust.
A Pew Research Center poll released Jan. 29 shows a huge gap between the views of scientists and the general public on a range of issues — not just climate change but also genetically modified foods, vaccinations, the use of animals in research and the threat of overpopulation. Furthermore, as scientific theories evolve, today’s instant mass communication of each step forward and back undermines belief in facts that are proven, like the ability of vaccines to all but eliminate a disease.
Scientists and scientific groups often make Pronouncements, which are then trumpeted by politicians and the news media ad nausuem as The Truth. And then, WHOOPS! We end up with all sorts of lists of things that scientists got wrong. And retractions. And intentionally falsified science. Act in political and advocacy manners.
Lecturing people isn’t the answer. Alan Leshner, the outgoing CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, made that clear Wednesday when he met with this newspaper’s Editorial Board. Scientists instead need to engage the public in a forthright conversation about the importance of science to society, he said.
Sadly, no. They need to stop being over the top, hypetastic, attention whores, trying to make a big splash, pushing notions that aren’t really proven. Show their work. Stop with the doom and gloom. Prove that they are trust worthy, rather than “having a forthright conversation…”, which is just lecturing in a different form.
Increasingly, Americans believe that what’s called science is actually political posturing.
Because so much of it is. Especially “climate” science.
