so one of my really close friends wrote this piece as part of his research studies, i just thought it was quite a topical paper that i may want to reflect upon down the line :)
rare are times that my friends and family appreciate my knowledge of science, and medicine. most often, the focus lies on my lack of popular culture knowledge – the biggest movie grosser of the week, or the latest celebrity breakup. however, the most recent hype tops these pop culture headliners – the swine-flu virus. this recent frenzy has suddenly turned everyone’s make-belief world upside down, leading them to believe that the lives they live are very hollow. my experience and knowledge thus far in regards to the swine flu virus, and other areas of medical research- HIV, cancer, stem cells has helped me realize that only in dire situations does the work that scientists do gain its much needed prominence. what we toil upon daily, the million dollar research grants, the countless hours spent in lab, none of it matters until the general public desperately need our skills. suddenly, the world begins to take notice, to follow the effort and products of these men and women in lab coats. it’s sad that such a devastating viral influenza is necessary in order for the general public to stop and recognize that none of the stardom and glamour is of any use against disease. it’s difficult for the general public to believe that the same unassuming people quietly toiling away in research laboratories, whose names and faces they don’t even know, will be their saviors.
unfortunately, this is the reality today. most people are lacking basic knowledge of science, or aren’t exposed to the vast clinical research that occurs. but it doesn’t have to be this way. people should not have to look to scientists to provide all the answers. there need not be one group of people who is responsible for such solutions for mankind. when faced with any problem, we as humans, always resort to logical thinking. we may ask questions in order to gather enough information, and we may have enough information to determine the cause of the problem, and perhaps even generate a possible solution. that, of course, is in itself …science. science surrounds us, in particles, in atoms, in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the sun we see above us. in fact, we come across some form of science at least a million times every day, either as scientists or simply as normal human beings. science, contrary to general belief, is not just based on theory. science is not some hypothetical, overwhelming super-entity that people must look to only in times of need. it is an indelible and indispensable part of our daily, mundane existence. whether we simply fail to recognize this, or are simply oblivious to this issue is a matter of debate. that said, we need to begin to acknowledge the contributions that science makes to our lives in many small and big ways.
“it's not so much a matter of us putting science in its rightful place, but letting science put us in ours….”. surely this is the truth. there’s nothing closer to the truth, and i wholeheartedly agree and support the aforementioned statement, for even ‘non-scientists’ rely on inquisitiveness, intelligence, and creativity in all their endeavors. are non-scientists really different from us scientists simply based on their inability to follow the hypotheses based method of scientific enquiry? this is not the case in the least. people must truly believe in science, and stop viewing science as a double headed creature- a panacea to their troubles and mainly, the root of all evil. science as we understand it today, can never be loved by all, but it cannot be dispensed with to say the very least. it has become an integral part of our banal existence. even though science is omni-present in all our lives, we choose to acknowledge its existence at different levels- embraced and loved by us scientists, admired by some laymen who appreciate its utility, tolerated by an indifferent majority and hated by a few uninformed individuals.
common misconceptions amongst scientists and avid science lovers still exist, for science is not just to be practiced in a laboratory. rather, science is part of a mindset we develop as we are brought up. as small kids, we apply our natural scientific mindset to exploring and learning about the world… remember using a microscopic lens to magnify the sun’s rays to torture and kill those poor ants? remember learning about the compost nature and how worms help decompose waste? somewhere along the way, most people cease to believe that they are continuing to be scientists in their daily lives, which becomes especially true when confronted with complex and challenging problems. at such times, people abandon reason and often turn to religion and ideology to guide them, forgetting that the best guide is, in fact, their basic instinct- science.
there are quite a few zealots who despise science; those that dislike science and are suspicious of its motives. people must understand that the understanding and knowledge of complex phenomena comes through higher education and research, but possession of this knowledge does not conflict with the basics aspects of our society. people choose to believe that simply because i have the means to clone or create chimeras automatically equates to the fact that i must use such resources to create a sphinx or hybrid human-animal of some kind. there are inevitably bound to be situations where even the most revered scientists might stop thinking rationally and go over-board, thus putting the onus on other scientists to be vigilant and responsible. we as scientists have a duty to make technology more accessible and understandable to the people, so that they begin appreciate rather than fear science. this process is undoubtedly likely to be prolonged and involves considerable efforts on the part of scientists and an effort made on the part of the general population before the public realizes that science is not the enemy, but in fact a facilitator of common good.
there is no need to place science on a high pedestal for science has always had a rightful place in virtually all aspects of our lives. whether we finally choose to respect and acknowledge this fact, or continue to ignore it in favor of irrational thinking and emotion, is completely up to us.
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