Embrace science and truth again

How did ignorance, stupidity and fear of science become so popular? In the past couple of years, this country has gone through some challenging times. We have had to deal with a serious pandemic, dozens of wacko conspiracy theories, high unemployment, a hospital system on the verge of collapse, an insurrection caused by a big lie, and TV personalities pretending they know more about virology than scientists.

The U.S. populace gets news and information from a variety of sources. But why are people so willing to believe ridiculous, outlandish and stupid things they see or hear on the internet or TV?

Take, for instance, the idea that there is a microchip embedded in a vaccine. Logic, physics and common sense tell you that’s not true, yet some people believe it. Some people want to believe anything negative about science because they fear what they can’t understand. Is our country so poorly educated that people are unable to grasp simple scientific concepts, or is there a concerted effort to spread false information for political reasons? I am scared that the abundance of misinformation, distortions and outright lies are creating an alternate reality for millions of people.

We are at a crossroads. We can go forward using truth, facts, science and technology to improve our lives, or we can regress into a morass of stupidity, ignorance and political suicide that will destroy our country.

Will we be the shining light, or will we be the dream that failed? We can’t be both.

Richard Munk, Las Vegas