I’m not anti-science. I’m just anti-bullsh*t.
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“They hate our freedoms: our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other.” — George W. Bush, “Address to Joint Session of Congress Following 9/11 Attacks,” (delivered on September 20, 2001)
We’re well aware of how sleazy conservatives like George W. Bush wrap themselves in the flag of patriotism (e.g., if you oppose my policy you hate our Country). And we’re well aware of how sleazy fundamentalists wrap themselves in the flag of religion (e.g., if you oppose my doctrine you hate God). But we’re less aware of how sleazy academics wrap themselves in the flag of science (e.g., if you oppose my pseudo-scientific theory you hate science).
One of our old friends from Baltimore is a physicist. And not just any physicist. A big deal physicist. She reviews laser patents for the U.S. Patent Office. Not once has she ever said, at a dinner party (or on Facebook), that those who disagree with her are anti-science.
My sister is a botanist. And not just any botanist. A big deal botanist. She’s part of a team that’s trying to save the kiwi fruit of New Zealand. Not once has she ever said, at a dinner party (or on Facebook), that those who disagree with her are anti-science. The only people I know who regularly wrap themselves in the flag of science are evolutionary psychologists who claim that the gender roles depicted on Mad Men are written in DNA on the Holy Tablets that Moses brought down from Darwin’s Mountain. If you oppose any of their conservative bullshit, they say you’re anti-science. No, dude. I’m not anti-science. I’m just anti-bullshit.
–John Faithful Hamer, From Here (2015)
Originally published at Committing Sociology. Reprinted with permission.
Photo courtesy of the author.