I always marvel at how some of my heroes remain so calm while pointing out how completely and utterly fubarred we are. And this cartoon, by the fantastic Marc Roberts, says it all…
About
Here, if you're bovvered, is a bit more about DT. https://dwighttowers.wordpress.com/about/Being a twit…
- Really good post on mental ability (and "disabled") people... and activism wp.me/pSyo3-1Qd 3 months ago
- Oslo Accords and Climate Accords – the ominous parallels wp.me/pSyo3-1Qb 5 months ago
- “Plant or muppet” is the WRONG question for social movements wp.me/pSyo3-1Q9 6 months ago
- Isis, Ebola and … Abba. 2014 as a trailer for the “End of Civilisation” movie… wp.me/pSyo3-1Q7 6 months ago
- Dwight returns; “Creative compartments” etc etc wp.me/pSyo3-1Q5 6 months ago
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- Really good post on mental ability (and “disabled”) people… and activism
- Oslo Accords and Climate Accords – the ominous parallels
- “Plant or muppet” is the WRONG question for social movements
- Isis, Ebola and … Abba. 2014 as a trailer for the “End of Civilisation” movie…
- Dwight returns; “Creative compartments” etc etc
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All too true – and borne out when I’ve interviewed climate change academics and got to my favourite bit ‘ How do you feel about all this?’ Most seem genuinely surprised by the question, and most again dont seem to connect the reasonable reaction – sheer fear – to the data they present. A necessary function of objective research?
The risk of ‘contamination’ – that emotions betray, mislead etc while you are “doing science” carries over into what you think/feel about the implications of the work. I suppose we saw it best with the so-called nuclear strategists, who seemed to compete for who could keep the most dispassionate voice while talking about millions of crispy corpses (‘megadeaths’). I suppose talking about how distressing it all is puts your ‘brand’ (and future career progression/opportunity to do more of the science you love) under threat. So you keep those feelings far under wraps? Any scientists lurking want to comment (anonymously if needs be?!)