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Conservatives' Trust In Science Has Fallen Dramatically Since Mid-1970s

Posted by timothy on from the scientism-too dept.

An anonymous reader writes "While trust in science remained stable among people who self-identified as moderates and liberals in the United States between 1974 and 2010, trust in science fell among self-identified conservatives by more than 25 percent during the same period, according to a study by the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. 'Over the last several decades, there's been an effort among those who define themselves as conservatives to clearly identify what it means to be a conservative,' said the study's lead author. 'For whatever reason, this appears to involve opposing science and universities and what is perceived as the "liberal culture." So, self-identified conservatives seem to lump these groups together and rally around the notion that what makes "us" conservatives is that we don't agree with "them."'"

1 of 1,128 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I don't think so. by Sarius64 · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Explain then how the conservative rejection of evolution has anything to do with regulations. Or their rejection of sex education. See, it's not that conservatives are against regulations. They're against regulations that don't promote their fairy tales.

    It's the antiscience that comes first, otherwise they'd have to ask themselves whether there was a scientific basis to reject regulation. The idea that regulation in itself is bad is itself a fairy tale. The same people who argue for tough on crime legislation for individuals argue against any sort of restraint on the part of the most powerful, and therefore most dangerous institutions. These people have no grip on reality whatsoever.

    FWIW, I remember a DoDs teacher in Japan (circa 1994) being suspended for showing 8th graders how to masturbate. I mean, we all masturbate. Why anyone would have a problem with this 60+ year-old male teacher teaching mixed gender children to masturbate in the 8th grade! Obviously he was doing it for the children! Sheesh /sarcasm

    I have come to the opinion that people in your corner cannot conceive of making statements without inherent slander.