This site is about exploring major social issues that afflict our communities without reducing them into purely technical, economic or political issues. It will examine the human side of what contributes to making social issues intractable rather than making simplistic assumptions such as corporate greed, ignorant public, or corrupt politicians. These assumptions may contribute to some extent to the lack of progress, but these assumptions hide more important reasons and motivations, and can lead to the wrong questions being asked. Increasing the concept of the mainstream media not telling the truth and social media in general has contributed to the “us” versus “them”, and who is it that “we” trust.

Quoting Antonia Damasio a professor of neuroscience: humans are not either thinking machines or feeling machines but rather feeling machines that think. This one quotation which is backed up by extensive research by many over centuries sums up the why believing that technology or the market can or will fix any social issue. A core component for appreciating the thinking and feeling aspects in social problems is the understanding what some researchers label as wicked problems versus the scientific, engineering or technological problems that are labeled tame problems.

This web site explores the chasm between the thinking person and the feeling person which is a created by many people when discussing social issues. Yet are quite quick to use guilt and shame to justify their stance on an issue and discredit any opposition.

Advocates working for change related to a social issue typically quote facts backed by hard science and statistics. Simultaneously, other advocates may focus on a different set of hard science and statistics to back their cause, all claiming that the science tells us what to do. Layered on top of this are economists asking who is going to pay for these changes or statements that the market should decide. Shame or guilt is also a tool used for one side or the other to help justify their stance by discrediting any opposition.

The end result is a cacophony of hard scientific facts and statistics being thrown about with a measure of shame and guilt to add to the confusion resulting in no real progress as the status quo remains. What happens behind the public screen is the death struggle between egos claiming to have knowledge of the truth. There are some that the public arguments and confusion is the means to an end in maintaining the status quo.

To have a rational scientific public discussion is often the catch phrase used by many to get to the solution, but what does that mean? First myth to dispel is that concept may sound good in theory but it does not exist in practice. It is a fallacy for several reasons but the over riding reason is captured by the statement humans are not either thinking machines or feeling machines but rather feeling machines that think as proclaimed by Antonio Damasio a professor of neuroscience. While rational science infers the removal of any emotions or feelings.

You cannot solve a problem from the same consciousness that created it. You must learn to see the world anew. ~ ALBERT EINSTEIN

Technology surrounds us in many forms to make our lives comfortable and convenient. The devices and appliances at our fingertips range from smart refrigerators and televisions to modern automobiles and mobile phones, which we use every day without a thought. Not so long-ago banking meant going to a bank during open hours; doing one’s shopping meant driving to a shopping centre during open hours and using cash; entertainment was dependent upon what was on the television at the time or a trip to the theatre.

Today a smartphone can accomplish many of these tasks. This is technology and science at its best, providing a means to make our lives easier where technology and engineering are inconspicuous and ubiquitous. Very few people understand or know of the technology and science behind the mobile phone, we just use it for our banking, shopping, and entertainment from the comfort of a lounge chair. There is no need to understand how Wi-Fi works nor that GPS navigation works accurately today based on work done by one of the major luminaries of the physics world, Albert Einstein.  I take mobile phones for granted and expect it to work.

Advances in science and technology are now occurring at an increasingly rapid pace bringing immense changes in how we work, rest and play within shorter time frames. For some of these technological advance’s society, has not had the time nor the means of adapting to, or successfully integrating the technology into society. This may be due to various legal aspects or moral/ethical reasons as society and governments are trying to play catchup with the blistering changes brought about by the technology. For example, with modern communications and “big data” we have issues with data privacy, data security, and data discrimination (1); while the ethics of gene technology use and control is an issue (2) (3). Society is constantly bombarded by expert opinions and commentary of what we should or should not be doing by consultants, business leaders, politicians, academics and many special interest groups using public relations as a major tool to disseminate their version of the truth.

There are many social issues discussed such as:

  • environmental issues
  • mental health
  • substance abuse
  • poverty
  • public health

Many experts are frustrated that their expertise, knowledge and rational solutions are not taken heed of by the general public and enacted into public policy. They blame the media; a scientifically illiterate population; corporate greed; politicians; or any person/group who do not follow their advice. Not even the experts agree among themselves what should be done in some cases. Results are public stoushes between the experts and opposing groups arguing the correctness of their view using scientific rationality; guilt; common sense; undisputed laws of nature; and any means to justify their own view and/or discredit oppositional views.

The issue of climate change is certainly problematic where the frustrations of many scientists run high. Consider the article published by National Geographic, Why Do Many Reasonable People Doubt Science? We live in an age when all manner of scientific knowledge—from the safety of fluoride and vaccines to the reality of climate change—faces organized and often furious opposition. Empowered by their own sources of information and their own interpretations of research, doubters have declared war on the consensus of experts.(4)

Consider that in June of 1988 a World Conference on The Changing Atmosphere: Implications for Global Security was held in Toronto Canada (5). Its warning was stark and confronting: Humanity is conducting an unintended, uncontrolled, globally pervasive experiment whose ultimate consequences could be second only to a global nuclear war. …… These changes represent a major threat to international security and are already having harmful consequences over many parts of the globe. Specific recommendations from this conference included: A challenging target would be to reduce the annual global CO2 emissions by 20% by the year 2005.

After more than 30 years and continued warnings from scientists about climate change, societies efforts in this regard have been pathetically inadequate. Doesn’t science know the problems associated with anthropogenic climate change and what is needed to address the issue? Science is rational and without emotional baggage so let’s just fix the problem. Or is the problem the general public just doesn’t believe the science or scientists?

Time to look a bit deeper and challenge the current thinking and assumptions.

References

  1. Marr, Bernard. 3 Massive Big Data Problems Everyone Should Know About. [Online] Forbes Media, 15 June 2017.
  2. RM, Sade. Issues of social policy and ethics in gene technology. National Center for Biotechnology Information. [Online] US National Library of Medicine-National Institute of Health, Sept 1994.
  3. Ardekani, Ali M. Genetic Technologies and Ethics. National Center for Biotechnolgy Information. [Online] US National Library of Medicine-National Institute of Health, 13 July 2009.
  4. Achenbach, Joel. Why Do Many Reasonable People Doubt Science? National Geographic. [Online] March 2015.
  5. The Changing Atmosphere: Implications for Global Security Conference. 1988