While I was sweating on the rowing machine yesterday the TV right above me was tuned to CNN’s new reboot of Crossfire. They were having a global warming debate with Newt Gingrich and some other Republican neither of whom were scientists on one side, and one actual scientist on the other side, and some guy who worked on climate change issues for the White House. The Newtster and the other guy admitted that temperatures were rising, but it wasn’t going to be a big deal, and we were arrogant to think human activity could affect the climate because we are so small and only god can make a tree, or something like that. I ended up closing my eyes, and focusing really hard on aching muscles and the music on my IPod Shuffle to avoid having my head explode. This morning I was doing my usual run through the news sites, and the level of stupid made me nuts. Then I ran across this wonderful quote by Isaac Asimov and I felt better.
“There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.”
Well maybe better isn’t the right word. I at least felt hopeful that we could survive this avalanche of stupid this time too.
