Let’s talk about futility.
A seed of an idea, a nugget of suspected truth, in a researcher’s mind somehow manages to navigate the narrow birth canal of funding agencies, university priorities and general bureaucracies, only to necessitate hundreds upon hundreds of hours of lab work, clinical testing, peer review and public dissemination, all with no promise of success, to become an accepted truth in the world.
Next, take that truth – a miraculous birth by most sane accounts – and watch it discredited in the public’s mind by a 30-second sound bite from whatever talking head was available for that particular panel show on that evening.
Welcome to the Great Ebola Panic of 2014.
Here’s what I have learned so far:
- The world will not end in a survival-of-the-fittest Walking Dead-type landscape, where the remaining few are hardened survivors hell-bent on returning the world to its previous state. Instead, the world will end in more of a season finale of Big Brother type of situation where the most ignorant among us are left standing alone with Ed Hardy T-shirts and puka shell necklaces replacing rational thought; and
- Research findings only matter if the audience receiving the information hasn’t settled on its own facts through whatever means they can create them.
Little has been more disheartening in recent weeks than the North American hyper-reaction to an Ebola crisis half a world away. Here’s just a taste of what the supposed ‘modern’ society in this crisis has been up to:
In Texas, a community college denied admission to two Nigerian students because, and this is the university speaking, they are “not accepting international students from countries with confirmed Ebola cases.”
In Georgia, the University of Georgia cancelled an appearance by award-winning Liberian journalist Wade C.L. Williams at the school’s premiere journalism lecture after wealthy, white suburban Atlanta parents complained about him possibility spreading the disease.
And in Pennsylvania, a high school soccer player, who was originally from Guinea, was taunted by the crowd with chants of ‘Ebola. Ebola.’
Embarrassing.
Listen, I understand there have been mistakes made. But in North America, those mistakes have been limited to government PR missteps and Texas hospitals. As a friend pointed out, we have witnessed more Kim Kardashian weddings than Ebola deaths in North America. And keep in mind, Texas not only ranks last among U.S. states when it comes to health-care delivery and patient outcomes, but it also houses both the Barney Smith Toilet Seat Art Museum and George W. Bush President ‘Library.’
All research indicates there is no reason to panic, at least in the Western world, where the panic seems to be fueled by fools filling air time, while those truly stuck at ground zero of this terrible plague are left wondering what’s taking so long for international assistance.
Perhaps it’s the pessimist in me, but I cannot help but shake my head slowly when I hear about the important role research plays in the world, then watch the public completely disregard those findings in favour of personal superstitions and politics.
Remember when ignorance was fun – fuel for low-brow sitcoms and newspaper comic strips? Now, it is dangerous. Remember when being called ‘an Einstein’ was a compliment? Now, it’s a moniker attached to a political opponent who you want to discredit as disconnected or locked away in an Ivory Tower.
Research, and the body of knowledge it contributes to, are the backbone of a sane and civil society. However, the message is getting lost in a sea of politics and panic – fueling one another in a seemingly endless feedback loop.
Now, more than ever, we need to cut through the fog of misinformation and fight willful ignorance and outright lies with what we know as truth.
I just hope someone is listening over the noise.