Bill Nye the Science Guy has gone viral with a new web video that simply must be shared with TFN Insider readers. In the vid, Nye makes an appeal to the grownups:
And I say to the grownups, if you want to deny evolution and live in your world, in your world that’s completely inconsistent with everything we observe in the universe, that’s fine, but don’t make your kids do it because we need them. We need scientifically literate voters and taxpayers for the future. We need people that can—we need engineers that can build stuff, solve problems.
Will the grownups on the Texas State Board of Education who want sound evolutionary science to be taught please step forward? Not so fast, Ken Mercer. Or you, Gail Lowe. Stay where you are, Barbara Cargill. Do we even need to say anything, David Bradley? And a host of other SBOE members past and present.
Watch:
Not nearly enough.
Powerful.
Are there any?
I sincerely hope this makes an impact. Teaching creationism has NO PLACE in a child’s education. However, I have a suggestion — how about an elective class of creationists stories in a literature class — but cover ALL the different faiths & cultures, not just Christian?? These different myths might provide some insight into the development of ancient tribes & civilizations. What do y’all think?
Rubin, that sounds like a great idea to me, but probably wouldn’t satisfy the Religious Right. Don’t try to explain to them that the bible is a work of literature or that is satisfies the definition of myth (not make-believe fairy tale). My father tried that for 30+ years in advanced literature classes in East Texas, to no avail.
Jennifer: Thanks for the reply. I am certain that my suggestion is nothing new or original — just one of my many thoughts…. My hat is off to your father for making a noble effort. We gotta keep trying to stop this nonsence. We will succeed unless we become a theocracy – heaven forbid!
This is a reasonable suggestion and shows a tolerance of other beliefs without white washing the truth (or untruth). It puts out there the narratives of belief not certitude which denies truth that comes from empirical argument.
Read some of the comments under that video and you’ll see the same old creationist objections. I believe our grandkids will see those objections, and so will their grandkids. That’s depressing. These people are just so overwhelmingly ignorant and stubborn, I think it’s nearly impossible to overcome their denialism. You can’t force someone to accept something that is true.
Hi Ben. A clinical psychologist I know would say something different. He would say that these people are so wounded in their absolutism that they no longer have the mental capacity to understand to recognize the truth or understand it.
The locals where I live would say:
“Biel Nah, sahnce gah.”
Translation: “Bill Nye, science guy.”
Wow! Way to put it out there, Bill! Thanks! We need more engineers and microbiologists! 🙂
Jennifer – I am from East Texas, and trying make people understand that idea is something that will nearly always reach deaf ears. My high school English teacher pushed the very same buttons that you talk about, and was often chastised for it. Thankfully, some of us did listen.
I wish I shared Nye’s optimism about the end of the creationist outlook. But, I know many grown-ups without science backgrounds who are raising their children to believe in creationism. And there are plenty of engineers who don’t accept the facts of evolution because to them the natural world ‘looks engineered’. What is going to counter this?
I think moving toward mutual tolerance is a more realistic goal.
I share Nye´s optimism. There is just soo much information available to people outside of the forced religious education scenario. The Middle east, will be hamstrung because of the lack of secular education for many more generations and is a testament to why we don´t indoctrinate people with religious dogma to the point that they cannot think logically and are living in a fantasy world
of denial and superstition.
If I could afford a campaign, I’d run…and I am a science educator!