Yep. The reason people don't like him is because he follows the science and is right. We can't handle the truth he articulates, therefore we don't like him. It isn't hard people. Like all Science*, except for when he's wrong, he's always right. And if we understood that, we'd like him because we would also be right. It's our fear of the truth that messes with things.
BTW, I've seen variations of this over the decades and this is a liberal distinctive. Whenever liberals don't get what they want from the electorate or population at large, it's because we're dumb or ill informed or misinformed or something. It's never because we've done our homework, run the numbers, laid out the info, and concluded that the liberal in question is wrong. Nope. It's always because of some deficiency on our part. Always.
*To clarify, when I capitalize Science like that, I usually mean science misused and abused in our society for reasons that have little to nothing to do with actual science.
*To clarify, when I capitalize Science like that, I usually mean science misused and abused in our society for reasons that have little to nothing to do with actual science.
ReplyDeleteOld trick we used to use in the classic days of the Internet: In this case you'd have the Science(tm) and science proper.
Except it's The Science(tm). Much like The Ohio State University, the "The" is an integral part of the name. Fortunately for worshipers of The Science(tm), tOSU was unsuccessful in trademarking the word "The".
DeleteThat works. That way people don't think I'm against science, just what this thing is we're watching that has nothing to do with science.
DeleteYou don't get how far this goes. Fauci is the pagan god of The Science(tm). It's not even that he is the living incarnation of The Science(tm); rather, The Science(tm) is a Gnostic emanation of his divine being.
ReplyDeleteYep. I think we're past mere 'Scientism' at this point. We've entered a new level where what is said in the name of science is a threat to the field of science.
DeleteIt doesn't matter whether anyone "likes" Fauci or not.
ReplyDeleteJust like it didn't matter if your "liked" your parents, ... your teachers, ... or your boss ...
True, it doesn't matter whether or not anyone "likes" Fauci. But it is TOTALLY WRONG to think that his case is parallel to that of people who have the authority to CREATE rules. Your parents, your teacher, and your boss can require you to do things, because they have authority -- not because they correctly understand the situation and the best response. Fauci really has no authority over anyone but his subordinates at NIAID. What he has is not authority, but expertise, and it must be understood that even that is limited. He can understand scientific publications about the vaccines, but he is too busy as an administrator and a spokesman to be directly involved in the research himself. So really, the most he can hope for is to accurately translate other people's research into terms that can be properly understood by Joe Biden and the average American.
DeleteTo bring this back to your example, Fauci is not like your parents, who have real authority; he is like an older sibling, who tries to tell you what your parents "really mean".
To clarify, it is nearly impossible to explain scientific concepts properly to the general public, because a proper description would include caveats and uncertainties that will be interpreted by a large fraction of the public as complete ignorance -- unless, maybe, it's something they already understand and accept pretty well. For instance, if you tell the public Ohio State is favored over Indiana by 20 points, they won't be surprised if Ohio State wins by 24 points or by 17 points, but they will be surprised if Indiana wins by 24 points; they understand that uncertainty in the future score is not complete ignorance about what to expect. When it comes to scientific ideas that they don't have much direct experience with and/or really do not want to be true, it's a different story, even if the idea can be translated accurately into non-technical language. Sadly, some scientists will exaggerate the certainty of their findings precisely to try to overcome the exaggeration of uncertainty, particularly when they are speaking on a topic of public interest. This should only undermine their own credibility, but it ends up undermining the credibility of science itself.
DeleteSo Fauci's job would be hard enough under the best of circumstances. Nothing about Biden indicates he is above average in his understanding of science.
But just as a good clergyman should draw attention not to himself, but to God, a good scientist should draw attention not to himself, but to the science -- the REAL science, not The Science(tm). Fauci, who, remember, is not actually a front-line scientist, has let this become far too much about himself. He really should step aside and let others make the presentations.
First, bonus points for using Ohio State football in the example. Second, you're absolutely right. Though I think all disciplines suffer from this. There's something about our modern media culture that almost demands we fight a losing battle on both sides of such issues. And then you add to it the obvious tendency for the experts themselves not always being on the straight and narrow, and you have a mess where conveying facts and truths is concerned.
DeleteFauci didn't make any rules. Fauci offered suggestions, just like a good doctor should ...
ReplyDeleteHe has offered, but not always in the best way possible. As I've said many times, consistency of messaging has not been one of the defining characteristics of the Covid era.
DeleteSo you agree he is NOT like "your parents, ... your teachers, ... or your boss ...." OK. Instead he is offering unsolicited advice, more like an aunt you don't like; and like the aunt, he gets his feelings hurt if he is not both obeyed and profusely thanked. Boy, we really need more people like that in the world! It's SO hard to find needy people giving unsolicited advice!
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