Bad Science Has Killed Millions: Show Me The Data!

SEE HERE It's a bit sad really. The unforeseen side-effects of so much do-good-ism just seems unfair. Just because going off half-cocked can get things wrong, don't intentions count for anything? That's a little like my students when they've worked really hard and still can't do the problems and I give them the grade they earned. They say things like "But I worked so hard, don't I get credit for that." I'm sympathetic. But the short answer is that getting it wrong regardless of how hard you tried to get it right is still wrong. Only results count when the rubber meets the road. Rachel Carson killed millions by causing DDT to be taken off the market. Maleria had almost been beaten. Virtually none of the stuff she warned of was true. And the tragic thing is that that is going on all the time. Billions are being spent for global warming nonsense that isn't true either. Those billions could easily have paid for things that were really worthwhile. But they won't so those really worthwhile things that might have happened are the hidden cost of all the nonsensical things that actually happen. It's rare that we can point to the adverse side effects such as the impact of taking DDT out of play. That doesn't mean they are not there, only that we're not omniscient. It would be nice if the do-gooders of the world actually knew what they were talking about. Mostly they don't and that means it's important to be a good listener. Demand proof not emotional rhetoric. When people try to stampede you into action is usually means that they don't have any proof. If they did they could just show it to you.

Show me the data!