Living Rent Free In Your Own Head: Pseudoscience is draining your capacity for curiosity
We're all born with a strong sense of curiosity, a desire to find answers to deep questions. We want to feel connected to the world around us, to satisfy a desire for meaning. This desire is satisfied when we learn something amazing, when our sense of wonder is evoked. But when we are in awe, when our sense of wonder is stirred, we humans are notoriously terrible at discerning fact from fiction.
Think back throughout history to when new, more accurate ideas were introduced by those who found awesome new evidence.
Giordano Bruno was hung upside down by his toes before being burned at the stake by the pope in 1600, for saying the Earth was round. Or more recently, consider the impassioned arguments about evolution being taught in American schools - which is still debated in some school districts.
In a world where most people have access to almost unlimited scientific evidence and knowledge, how is it so easy to fall into the trap of pseudoscience? We so desperately want to satisfy our questions. We want answers, and so when we encounter an answer that seems logical, it's easy to jump on board.
“Every now and then, I’m lucky enough to teach a kindergarten or first-grade class. Many of these children are natural-born scientists - although heavy on the wonder side and light on skepticism. They’re curious, intellectually vigorous. Provocative and insightful questions bubble out of them. They exhibit enormous enthusiasm. I’m asked follow-up questions. They’ve never heard of the notion of a ‘dumb question’.
But when I talk to high school seniors, I find something different. They memorize ‘facts’. By and large, though, the joy of discovery, the life behind those facts, has gone out of them. They’ve lost much of the wonder, and gained very little skepticism. They’re worried about asking ‘dumb’ questions; they’re willing to accept inadequate answers; they don’t pose follow-up questions; the room is awash with sidelong glances to judge, second-by-second, the approval of their peers.”
― Astronomer Dr. Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
At one time or another we've all fallen for some mystical claim about aliens building the Pyramids, or crystals vibrating with an energy that can cure cancer, or a personality quiz that can tell us the name of our future spouse. Those things can be entertaining, interesting, and even fulfilling to our curiosity. So if it's not harming anyone, what's the problem with believing something that may not be real?
Because while we are distracted, talking about fake news stories, made up claims, and pseudoscience... REAL things are happening. Real social injustices, a real climate crisis, and even real awe-inspiring discoveries. If we are distracted and satisfied by false claims and impostor awe, we have no curiosity left for what might actually satisfy us.
REAL science, REAL situations, REAL lives, REAL death, REAL mistreatment, REAL harm, REAL cures, are all overlooked while good people are distracted by sensationalized falsities.
If we are distracted by crystals, maybe we won't consider much-needed therapy. If we think green tea will kill cancer cells, maybe we will miss our chance to be saved with modern medicine. If we are distracted by unsubstantiated opinions, maybe we will miss what's really going on. If we allow ourselves to be satisfied by a Tarot card reading, we may never feel the deep satisfaction that comes with understanding our very real connection with the universe around us, in a scientific and profound sense.
If we allow pseudoscience and false awe to fulfill our need for answers, if we allow this nonsense to live rent free in our minds, there's no room left for reality, which at this time in our human history is more important than ever to confront.
Think back throughout history to when new, more accurate ideas were introduced by those who found awesome new evidence.
Giordano Bruno was hung upside down by his toes before being burned at the stake by the pope in 1600, for saying the Earth was round. Or more recently, consider the impassioned arguments about evolution being taught in American schools - which is still debated in some school districts.
In a world where most people have access to almost unlimited scientific evidence and knowledge, how is it so easy to fall into the trap of pseudoscience? We so desperately want to satisfy our questions. We want answers, and so when we encounter an answer that seems logical, it's easy to jump on board.
“Every now and then, I’m lucky enough to teach a kindergarten or first-grade class. Many of these children are natural-born scientists - although heavy on the wonder side and light on skepticism. They’re curious, intellectually vigorous. Provocative and insightful questions bubble out of them. They exhibit enormous enthusiasm. I’m asked follow-up questions. They’ve never heard of the notion of a ‘dumb question’.
But when I talk to high school seniors, I find something different. They memorize ‘facts’. By and large, though, the joy of discovery, the life behind those facts, has gone out of them. They’ve lost much of the wonder, and gained very little skepticism. They’re worried about asking ‘dumb’ questions; they’re willing to accept inadequate answers; they don’t pose follow-up questions; the room is awash with sidelong glances to judge, second-by-second, the approval of their peers.”
― Astronomer Dr. Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
At one time or another we've all fallen for some mystical claim about aliens building the Pyramids, or crystals vibrating with an energy that can cure cancer, or a personality quiz that can tell us the name of our future spouse. Those things can be entertaining, interesting, and even fulfilling to our curiosity. So if it's not harming anyone, what's the problem with believing something that may not be real?
Because while we are distracted, talking about fake news stories, made up claims, and pseudoscience... REAL things are happening. Real social injustices, a real climate crisis, and even real awe-inspiring discoveries. If we are distracted and satisfied by false claims and impostor awe, we have no curiosity left for what might actually satisfy us.
REAL science, REAL situations, REAL lives, REAL death, REAL mistreatment, REAL harm, REAL cures, are all overlooked while good people are distracted by sensationalized falsities.
If we are distracted by crystals, maybe we won't consider much-needed therapy. If we think green tea will kill cancer cells, maybe we will miss our chance to be saved with modern medicine. If we are distracted by unsubstantiated opinions, maybe we will miss what's really going on. If we allow ourselves to be satisfied by a Tarot card reading, we may never feel the deep satisfaction that comes with understanding our very real connection with the universe around us, in a scientific and profound sense.
If we allow pseudoscience and false awe to fulfill our need for answers, if we allow this nonsense to live rent free in our minds, there's no room left for reality, which at this time in our human history is more important than ever to confront.