Comments on: Skepticism: Going out of business? http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/the-editorial-that-never-was/ Scathing Skepticism and Social Commentary Sat, 26 Dec 2009 00:18:48 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Steve http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/the-editorial-that-never-was/#comment-1992 Steve Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:44:23 +0000 http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/?p=460#comment-1992 Sad to see you leave Karen. Although being a subscriber of the Skeptic for longer than I can even remember it seems a bit strange that your departure is shrouded in mystery. It seems to go totally against the grain of what we're all about. Being open and honest. Sad to see you leave Karen. Although being a subscriber of the Skeptic for longer than I can even remember it seems a bit strange that your departure is shrouded in mystery. It seems to go totally against the grain of what we’re all about. Being open and honest.

]]> By: Grant http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/the-editorial-that-never-was/#comment-1855 Grant Tue, 02 Jun 2009 07:00:59 +0000 http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/?p=460#comment-1855 Sure, skepticism has a lot of work to do, but I like to reassure myself by looking at long term trends. Since we are celebrating Darwin's life this year, it is worthwhile to think about society and beliefs in say Australia or NZ 150 years ago. You might complain about Creationism now, but draw a line from 150 years ago when Evolution was just an idea without a good mechanism. There has also been rather a lot of success in science, medicine and knowledge, which appears to be increasing despite the odd setback. Not so much progress in fields of 'research' like homeopathy, or phrenology the last 200yrs, even if they are still around to some degree or another. Even organized mass religions seem to be losing their grip; look at the trend in church attendance, and the fragmentation into sects (nicely illustrated in Life of Brian). Countries ruled by theocracies don't seem to do so well as liberal democracies that invest in education; this will become more apparent in a post-oil economy. For every set back like the recent vocal anti-vaccine crowd, there have been huge successes like the wins against small-pox and polio. My kids grow up with vast amounts of information some good, some bad; but having starting points like Wikipedia available at their finger-tips, will make a difference. Instead of just believing anything we are told, it can take seconds to get an answer to any question that has been answered. Call me an optimist, but 'the truth' will win out; it will just take a very long time, and require that we all contribute. Sure, skepticism has a lot of work to do, but I like to reassure myself by looking at long term trends.

Since we are celebrating Darwin’s life this year, it is worthwhile to think about society and beliefs in say Australia or NZ 150 years ago. You might complain about Creationism now, but draw a line from 150 years ago when Evolution was just an idea without a good mechanism.

There has also been rather a lot of success in science, medicine and knowledge, which appears to be increasing despite the odd setback. Not so much progress in fields of ‘research’ like homeopathy, or phrenology the last 200yrs, even if they are still around to some degree or another. Even organized mass religions seem to be losing their grip; look at the trend in church attendance, and the fragmentation into sects (nicely illustrated in Life of Brian). Countries ruled by theocracies don’t seem to do so well as liberal democracies that invest in education; this will become more apparent in a post-oil economy.

For every set back like the recent vocal anti-vaccine crowd, there have been huge successes like the wins against small-pox and polio.

My kids grow up with vast amounts of information some good, some bad; but having starting points like Wikipedia available at their finger-tips, will make a difference. Instead of just believing anything we are told, it can take seconds to get an answer to any question that has been answered.

Call me an optimist, but ‘the truth’ will win out; it will just take a very long time, and require that we all contribute.

]]> By: sycologist http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/the-editorial-that-never-was/#comment-581 sycologist Wed, 13 May 2009 01:39:33 +0000 http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/?p=460#comment-581 Don't worry: We have the US and Saudi Arabia. Skepticism still has a long way to run. Don’t worry: We have the US and Saudi Arabia. Skepticism still has a long way to run.

]]> By: MadScientist http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/the-editorial-that-never-was/#comment-577 MadScientist Mon, 11 May 2009 11:13:03 +0000 http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/?p=460#comment-577 Well put. I vote that skeptics will not be out of business while humans exist and religions do not have control of governments. Who knows what to expect on a timescale of thousands of years, but in the short term if we look at texts (or translations) surviving from the past 2000 years, there have always been skeptics and a disproportionate credulous population. Well put. I vote that skeptics will not be out of business while humans exist and religions do not have control of governments. Who knows what to expect on a timescale of thousands of years, but in the short term if we look at texts (or translations) surviving from the past 2000 years, there have always been skeptics and a disproportionate credulous population.

]]> By: Bunc http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/the-editorial-that-never-was/#comment-570 Bunc Tue, 05 May 2009 00:32:28 +0000 http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/?p=460#comment-570 I remain completely sceptical about scepticism. I remain completely sceptical about scepticism.

]]> By: Mr Embiggen http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/the-editorial-that-never-was/#comment-569 Mr Embiggen Mon, 04 May 2009 07:22:16 +0000 http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/?p=460#comment-569 Nooooooooooooooo! You can't leave! Noooooooooooo! I would have taken a bullet for you. You know that right? Long live the Queen! The Queen is dead! Long live the Queen! Oh yes and great article. May the Force be with you ;) Nooooooooooooooo! You can’t leave! Noooooooooooo! I would have taken a bullet for you. You know that right? Long live the Queen! The Queen is dead! Long live the Queen! Oh yes and great article. May the Force be with you ;)

]]> By: White Rabbit http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/the-editorial-that-never-was/#comment-567 White Rabbit Sun, 03 May 2009 12:20:10 +0000 http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/?p=460#comment-567 Blast, we just managed to score a wickedly cool editor and then we lost her...they better be paying you well. Totally agree with the article. I wish we could go out of business too but sadly we are dealing with humans here. Oooh point in case, my Aunt recently blasted me for being closed minded regarding the "blood type diet". My point was that it was pseudoscience...she doesn't trust science, too closed minded. sigh... we'll miss you. ^_^ W R Blast, we just managed to score a wickedly cool editor and then we lost her…they better be paying you well.

Totally agree with the article. I wish we could go out of business too but sadly we are dealing with humans here.

Oooh point in case, my Aunt recently blasted me for being closed minded regarding the “blood type diet”. My point was that it was pseudoscience…she doesn’t trust science, too closed minded.

sigh…

we’ll miss you.

^_^
W R

]]> By: seantheblogonaut http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/the-editorial-that-never-was/#comment-566 seantheblogonaut Sun, 03 May 2009 04:14:14 +0000 http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/?p=460#comment-566 Nice editorial. You have me suitably intrigued about your departure from Australian Skeptics :p Nice editorial. You have me suitably intrigued about your departure from Australian Skeptics :p

]]> By: anaglyph http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/the-editorial-that-never-was/#comment-565 anaglyph Sat, 02 May 2009 23:24:17 +0000 http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/?p=460#comment-565 I'm sad to hear you've departed Australian Skeptics, especially when I read an editorial like that. I guess our loss is someone else's gain. I’m sad to hear you’ve departed Australian Skeptics, especially when I read an editorial like that. I guess our loss is someone else’s gain.

]]> By: Jeff Wagg http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/the-editorial-that-never-was/#comment-564 Jeff Wagg Fri, 01 May 2009 22:15:44 +0000 http://skepbitch.wordpress.com/?p=460#comment-564 Skepticism can't really go out of business. It's really just science, and we're always going to need that. Skepticism can’t really go out of business. It’s really just science, and we’re always going to need that.

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