This is such an important and genuinely terrifying post. I could completely go off on the rise of anti-science, but for now I’ll just add: it isn’t just boomers that get deceived. This is a warning to all of us.
Pay ATTENTION to what you are being told. If you think you cannot be deceived, you leave yourself open to deception. Question, doubt, research research research. Learn about your personal biases, dig up any subconscious cognitive dissonance. Keep an eye on your mind.
It needs to be stressed that biases, not a lack of intelligence, is very much the issue here. Being aware of the need to fact check yourself is key: Intelligence won’t protect you from bad or unhealthy mental states, or keep you safe from cults of any sort. Intelligence will just make it easier for you to rationalize and attempt to justify the malformed tools you’ve taken/been given to yourself and others. You need to be wise enough to challenge yourself.
As a cult survivor, this is lethally accurate.
That’s the problem with the good scientists: they’ll always doubt and question their own findings, being aware as this is only the knowledge available right now. It might change when more data emerges.
Whereas the your angry youtube wise guy broadcasts his opinions without a hint of doubt.
Fact checking yourself is vital. Be aware of your bias. Otherwise Medicine easily turns into Madicine.
