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How To Communicate Science to a Polarized US Audience

Prescott writes "Given the divisions in the US around subjects like evolution and climate change, scientists face challenges in how to communicate good science to a polarized US public. Speakers at the recent AAAS meeting talked about how scientific information is delivered to and understood by a public that interprets it via personal beliefs, religious and otherwise. 'The talks were organized by Matthew Nisbet, a professor of communications who is a proponent of the framing of science, in which communications techniques borrowed from the political realm are applied to promote scientific understanding. As such, a number of speakers advocated specific frames for publicly controversial scientific issues. Unfortunately, the use of those frames appears likely to generate controversy within the scientific community, and several speakers noted that science faces challenges that go well beyond communicating knowledge to the public. There were some hints of a way forward that might work for both the scientific community and the public, but the challenges appear significant.'"

28 of 584 comments (clear)

  1. How? by geek42 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Use small words.

    1. Re:How? by Anonymous+Meoward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Agreed. Don't say "you're as dense as a Pomeranian" when "as a dog" will do.

      --
      --- The American Way of Life is not a birthright. Hell, it's not even sustainable.
    2. Re:How? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Agreed. Don't say "you're as dense as a Pomeranian" when "as a dog" will do.

      I was going to say that my mother was a Pomeranian, you insensitive clod, but I figured someone would call me a son of a bitch.
    3. Re:How? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      I'm not sure pretentious is the right word. Did you mean patronising?

  2. My little how-to by sokoban · · Score: 4, Funny

    When communicating with a highly polarized audience, I harken back to my days studying freshman chemistry and the old saying that "like dissolves like".

    Therefore, communicating with a highly polar audience requires a highly polar solvent. I find that ethanol works wonders in that regard.

    --
    09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0 is the magic number.
  3. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by electrictroy · · Score: 3, Funny

    Precisely. Newton didn't care that the Catholic Church became angry when he said the earth is Not the center of the universe.

    He just spoke the truth and passed on the knowledge to anyone who would listen.

    --
    The government is not your daddy. Its purpose is not to raid middle-class neighbors' wallets and give it to you.
  4. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by MightyMartian · · Score: 4, Funny

    Precisely. Newton didn't care that the Catholic Church became angry when he said the earth is Not the center of the universe.

    He just spoke the truth and passed on the knowledge to anyone who would listen.


    Perhaps we should have some forum on transmitting accurate historical information to a deeply confused audience.
    --
    The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  5. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    As a somewhat non-conformist Anglican, living in the Enlightenment era, he likely wouldn't have given a flying one *what* the Catholic Church thought.

    However, he possibly *did* care that somebody didn't even do the fundamental research to be able to distinguish between himself and Galileo.

  6. Re:Can I have some of what he's smoking? by The+Aethereal · · Score: 3, Funny

    Stop trying to trick us into believe your lies, Devil!

  7. Maybe not the best example by Guppy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Don't say "you're as dense as a Pomeranian" when "as a dog" will do. In all fairness, I'd like to point out the overall density of Pomeranians is pretty low, as they are mostly comprised of Foof, with only a small core of actual Dog.

  8. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by TrebleJunkie · · Score: 2, Funny

    There's a good response to all of that.

    "Wow. I feel really sorry that you're going to die a God-damned ignorant mystic. Pardon the pun."

    --

    Ed R.Zahurak

    You know, oblivion keeps looking better every day.

  9. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by bendodge · · Score: 3, Funny

    Galileo != Copernicus. I know they looked a lot alike, but trust me, they were different people.

    --
    The government can't save you.
  10. Do not annoy the pig by PPH · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Never try to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and it annoys the pig."
    -- Robert Heinlein

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  11. Re:And the Point Is? by Scrameustache · · Score: 2, Funny

    Why do scientists think they need to communicate science to the general populace? Altruism.
    --

    You can't take the sky from me...

  12. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by hal2814 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Did Netwon give up when the Germans bomber Pearl Harbor?! Hell no! And it ain't over now because when the going gets tough.... ...uh... ...the tough get going! Who's with me? What the fuck happened to the scientists I used to know? Where's the spirit? Where's the guts, huh? "Ooh, we're afraid to talk science to a polarized US audience, we might get in trouble." Well just kiss my ass from now on! Not me! I'm not gonna take this.

  13. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by rlp · · Score: 5, Funny

    Newton didn't care that the Catholic Church became angry when he said the earth is Not the center of the universe.

    No, Newton said that Leibniz was not the center of the universe.

    --
    [Insert pithy quote here]
  14. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by JohnFluxx · · Score: 1, Funny

    > (after I'd pointed out that we could easily find objects in the sky well over 6k light years away, and if they were in fact several million/billion light years away, how could the light be reaching us if the universe were only 6k years old?).

    Actually this could be possible if the universe expanded very rapidly. In fact the universe is 13.73 million years old, but 93 billion light years across.

  15. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by frehe · · Score: 2, Funny

    No, Newton said that Leibniz was not the center of the universe Hey, why u dissing my homey Leibniz? Y'all know that cracker bitch fool Newton wuz like high on shit and wuz lookin' foe payback cuz he ain't got no real pimp skillz like my bruthah Leibniz. U know what I'm sayin'? Characteristica universalis? Calculus ratiocinator? Think 'bout it! Word is bond!
  16. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by Dareth · · Score: 5, Funny

    What kind of idiot would drink something that was harmful them just because it was sweet and tasted good?!?
    *POP* Damn this Coca Cola is good, gotta get my fix of this...
    Okay, back to my rant... I mean really, that has to be the definition of stupid!

    --

    I only look human.
    My mother is a halfling and my dad is an ogre, so that makes me an Ogreling
  17. Re:Jinns by QRDeNameland · · Score: 3, Funny

    1/5 of the world's population believe that Jinns make technology work.

    Well, I've done some inspired coding with Bombay Sapphire. Tanqueray, not so much, and the ol' Knotty Head will have you debugging for a week after.

    --
    Momentarily, the need for the construction of new light will no longer exist.
  18. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    And let's not forget that large, invisible barrier with a hole in it, by which sending money to Washington and voting Democratic was the only way to survive.

    How deceitful and despicable of the Democrats to try to get elected by invoking a large, invisible thing in the sky. Good thing Republicans wouldn't do something like that!
  19. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by Surt · · Score: 3, Funny

    That's a common misperception among people who haven't read his 23rd century memoirs describing his adventures in time travel.

    --
    "Who is the Journal of Quantum Physics going to believe?" --Stephen Hawking
  20. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by popmaker · · Score: 2, Funny

    Given this information, can you prove Newton != Copernicus?

  21. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by Shinmizu · · Score: 2, Funny

    Copernicus != That Steve guy from down the street. I know Copernicus, Galileo, hell, even Newton, have all taken credit for the ideas of Steve, but now is the time to set the record straight!

  22. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by nospam007 · · Score: 2, Funny

    To pray is an old english way to say "request". I pray thee, pass the salt. Why you should think that is superstitious is puzzling to me...

    It is, if you are alone.

  23. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by Anpheus · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!

  24. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by Kelz · · Score: 4, Funny

    But its so much EASIER to just call them stupid.

  25. Re:Science of Political Agenda? by JavaRob · · Score: 2, Funny

    Figments of their imagination (and others imagination), obviously. Personally, I pray to John, Tim, Alan, Steve and Susan.. "Please get the fuck out of my head" Tim Allen? Hoo, boy. Yeah, get *him* the fuck out of your head as soon as possible.