When ‘Listen to the Science’ Is Just a Shield for Bad Policy Ideas

Scientists are free to share their political opinions, but the fact they wear a lab coat doesn't give them any extra legitimacy.

By
289

Behold science, the sword and the shield of progressivism. 

Over the course of the pandemic (and before that, in debates over climate change, stem cells, etc.), liberals have insisted that we must listen to science and heed the scientists. It was a cornerstone of President-elect Joe Biden’s campaign and a constant refrain of Donald Trump critics.  

Taken literally, I endorse the phrase “listen to science” wholeheartedly. Scientists have important things to say to policymakers and citizens alike—and let’s not forget that in a democracy, voters are policymakers too. A well-informed electorate is a useful check on ill-informed politicians. 

The problem, however, is that the people who say “listen to science” tend not to mean it literally but figuratively, and worse, intermittently. 

Keep reading with a free account
Create a free Dispatch account to keep reading Get Started ALREADY HAVE AN ACCOUNT? SIGN IN
289
By
Comments (289)
Join The Dispatch to participate in the comments.
 
  1. Avatar photo
    Jordan

    While the left has often fashioned itself as the side that takes science more seriously—and in some cases this may be true—the left also has its share of factions with science problems. Namely, I can think of the anti-GMO movement, climate alarmism, the anti-vaxxing movement, the pro-abortion lobby, and the transgender lobby as good examples of areas where many on the left have sacrificed sound science for ideology. And that's not to mention economics, which is a different kind of science. Whenever the right or the left departs from good science it becomes problematic. Nonetheless, as you argue, scientists themselves can also be ideologically motivated, and scientists are seldom the best people to decide policy.

    Collapse
  2. Avatar photo
    Poliorcetes

    The frustration is that a lot of people aren't listening to anything. Dallas is at a huge Covid peak, we are 150% hospital admissions compared to our July peak. As an ER doctor I warned our school about this, as there was a football game 2 weeks ago. But they had the game, our team didn't wear masks on the field (other team did), and the team took a great victory photo all shoulder to shoulder without masks afterwards. 2 people in the center of the photo tested + for covid 2 days later, which means they were at peak infectious spread during the game. . . plus they removed their masks on the bus ride home with the cheerleaders, so excellent superspreader event the week before Christmas. And nobody at the school even suggests that maybe there are holes in their Covid protocol. Its just bad luck because "gawsh, we had some masks on the players most of the time" . . .
    I am also shocked at how few N95 masks anyone wears. The only consistent science that we have seen is that N95 is THE mask you should use if you have to be around others. And yet almost nobody bothers to buy one (we bought some online last week for a family member).
    How do you control infection like this when the vast majority of Americans act like morons? Nobody seems able to read for themselves, even on something that is literally life and death. T

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photo
      Mudskipper

      For a long time, it was difficult to find N95 masks and we were told not to buy them anyway so that they could go to medical personnel. I started buying KN95 masks, which were easier to find, but there are so many fakes out there it is hard to know if you are getting the real deal. I recently bought some N95 masks which I hope are the real thing. I use them when I am going to be indoors with others. I use the KN95 masks when I am outside. I think a lot of people simply gave up on N95 masks and bought a big supply of other masks.

      Collapse
  3. Avatar photo
    Pierre Bezukhov

    Replace aforementioned with "I was protesting Roe v. Wade" and see how that flies with the left. They'll just say it's a false equivalence.

    Collapse
  4. Trumeau

    Be prepared to keep hearing to “listen to science” and that “there is a consensus in the scientific community” as the Biden administration is getting ready to roll over green policies and give subsidies to green projects.

    Collapse
  5. Avatar photo
    Keith Francis

    Hope your celebration of Woodrow Wilson's (cue the music) birthday is full of mirth today. #liberalfascism

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photo
      Man-Eating Cow

      DUM DUM DUUUUM ... DUM DUM DUM ...

      Collapse
  6. Very Old Grumpy Guy

    Jonah's main point is don't let slogans take the place of nuanced, intellectually rigorous, critical thinking. Or, be a slogan person and get batted around by the latest catch phrase on Tik Tok - you have free will.

    Collapse
  7. Avatar photo
    David M

    Great point Jonah, thanks.

    Collapse
  8. Curtis Jensen

    “Trust the science” is about as useful of a phrase as “believe all women.” Most people who use either slogan are not interested in evaluating the credibility of the claims being made.

    Collapse
  9. Avatar photo
    Will Bates

    In principle, I agree that scientists should be more careful when wading into political waters. But I would also caution that it is equally, if not more, dangerous for politicians to interfere or portend to be more knowledgeable than the scientists in a given subject matter.

    I would also agree, again in principle, that scuentists and medical practitioners did a fairly poor job of public relations and messaging during COVID. The sad reality in the U.S. is that many in the public sphere are predisposed to disbelieve anything that is inconvenient, or that causes them to reflect on or change their normal lives. In other words, they have an agenda, and will use, as evidence to their cause, any change in messaging, however subtle. Just look at how Fauci has been treated - and I’m not talking about today, i’m talking about way back in February. Fauci is, inarguably, the world’s foremost researcher in the subject (though pretty bad at public relations). The default should be to believe him.

    Therein lies my run with this punditry. The default in society MUST BE to believe scientists, engineers, and researchers, when there is at least some consensus. The fact is none of us can be experts in everything, and there are a great many things and people that we rely upon to keep our world stitched together.

    So, yea. Believe in science. Trust the science. And stop villifying those that practice it and attempt to make your lives better.

    Collapse
    1. Avatar photo
      Man-Eating Cow

      "The default in society MUST BE to believe scientists, engineers, and researchers, when there is at least some consensus."

      I'll accept that default every time they're talking about science.

      I reject it when the issue is not fundamentally a scientific one.

      Collapse
    2. Matt D

      Unless we want to live in a direct democracy, holding the politician accountable is the only answer. They need to figure out when to listen and when not to.

      Collapse
    3. Avatar photo
      Pat Riot

      But vilifying scientists--like Mr. Goldberg here is doing--was the Republican strategy from day one.

      Collapse
      1. Avatar photo
        Man-Eating Cow

        Jonah did not vilify scientists.

        Collapse
  10. Incitatus

    The people who say "listen to the science" are the same deeply ignorant, science-denying buffoons who shop at Whole Foods. They believe the pseudoscience that organic food is healthier, that artificial sweeteners are unsafe, that "chemicals" are bad for you, that vaccines are unsafe, etc. The fact that these pseudoscience believers often have PhDs only makes their ignorance all the more shameful.

    Collapse
Load More