For many years, I have fought aginst the looming age of unreason in healthcare. Now it seems more and more clear to me that the age of unreason is upon us – not merely in the realm of healthcare but in all spheres of life.
- The world’s foremost conman tells the UN assembly that climate change is a con.
- As though that is not bad enough, the delegates do not even get up and leave the room in protest.
- RFKJr tells the world that paracetamol is the cause of autism, thus contradicting the best available evidence.
- As though that is not bad enough, he also announces that leucovorin is the cure, thus contradicting the best available evidence..
- In Germany, the country that only a few decades ago committed unprecedented crimes against humanity in the name of Nazi ideology, larger and larger sections again vote for Nazis.
- In the UK, Nigel Farage who nearly ruined the country wth his Brexit, is now a serious contender for the post of PM.
- A US celebrity fascist is assassinated and instantly becomes a national hero.
- A US TV-host suggests to euthanize all homeless people.
- Another one says the UN building should be bombed.
- Trump insists that Zelensky started the war with Russia.
- The Indian AYUSH ministry promotes homeopathy as a treatment for COVID and other serious diseases.
- RFKJr believes that vaccinations do more harm than good and elevates this notion to a political movement.
These are just a few specific examples form an almost endless pool of options. They serve to support the more general arguments suggesting that the age of unreason is indeed upon us. These are based on a long list of inter-related phenomena (in no particular order):
- Proliferation of deliberate misinformation.
- Disregard for verifiable evidence by political figures and many others.
- Prioritization of strongly held personal feelings or emotions above reasoned deliberation or dispassionate analysis.
- Widespread distrust towards established institutions and experts.
- Rejection of consensus knowledge.
- Failure to equip citizens with the necessary skills to evaluate sources and discern bias.
- Headline-driven nature of modern communication.
- Immediate emotional reaction over in-depth and considered analysis.
- Widespread acceptance of irrational conspiracy theories.
- Public embrace of anti-intellectual attitudes.
- Proliferation of bullshit.
So, is the age of unreason upon us?
Please decide for yourself.
4 Responses to Is the age of unreason upon us?
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I believe your are right, underpinned by worshipping at the altar of ignorance. Carl Sagan predicted this very well. I think the following well know passage has never been truer.
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/632474-i-have-a-foreboding-of-an-america-in-my-children-s
Yes, I think It is and that scares me. Many people are already suffering because of that and more will suffer.
The essential unreasonableness of our age is the near-total loss of authentic exchange of views enabled through genuinely mutual respect. Instead, we have incessant cross-accusations of stupidity and malice from all sides.
In this case, the implicit assertion that each of the examples listed is self-evidently “unreasonable” is itself logically fallacious (i.e., unreasonable) in begging the question of the prima facie “unreasonableness” of each example.
To view as unreasonable my unwillingness to accept as obvious the unreasonableness of all the examples validates my point: we prefer rhetorical reinforcement of unquestioned presumption over rational debate that might seriously challenge those presumptions.
Please indicate which of the following meanings of the word “unreasonableness” you intended:
1. “the state of being unreasonable”;
2. “the quality of being unreasonable”;
3. “the measure of being unreasonable”;
4. or something else entirely.
Thank you.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-ness