Several months ago, Greg Fish, chief blogger at weird things, penned a post titled “why scientists won’t be elected in the u.s..” Fish’s post was inspired by a New York Times article claiming that despite the fact that several countries employ scientists in key positions in the government, American cannot bring themselves to elect scientists since many of them dismiss scientists as “impractical and elitist.” Fish however, takes a different approach.
In his blog post, Fish proposes that “Americans just don’t understand scientists and aren’t really sure how to start understanding them.” Americans believe that scientists are spoiled academics who have been fattened by government grants and have no concept of the real world concerns and real world economics.
I’m not so sure that’s the reason. Does the public really believe that scientists have cushy jobs? That we don’t work hard for our money? I think that the reason fewer scientists hold public government posts in America is because they are more concerned with getting to the truth than spinning it! In America, politics is more about marketing and self-promotion than it is about sincerity and transparency.
As long as we (scientists) stick to our values of seeking the truth using objective reasoning and scientific methodology, American need not worry about having a scientist for President.
Wouldn’t you agree?
Tags: science politics