March!

“I’m not a smart man but I know what love is.”

            -Tom Hanks, pleading with Bosom Buddies costar Peter Scolari

Well smart is a relative term as we all know and we all know about Marches on Washington. 

Only a few of us smart people know about Fredric March’s portrayal of Matthew Harrison Brady (based on William Jennings Bryan) in the movie Inherit The Wind.

A must see I must say.

Back to marching. So now, Scientists are going to march on Washington.

Some people think this is NOT, repeat, NOT, a good idea.

http://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/2/7/14458608/science-march-on-washington-pros-cons

Or at least, there are some cons to scientists marching on Washington. But you have to admit scientists marching on Washington is better than cons marching on Washington. Our cons are in, not on…

I kid. Sort of.

Well science is a dicey thing at best and in our (wink, wink) post-factual world, hasn’t science been taken down a peg? Or 100 pegs?

I say that science is a dicey thing at best because of one of my favorite phenomena: cognitive dissonance (CG).

In a nutshell, CG happens when a person feels discomfort because they hold contradictory beliefs or holding a belief and committing a contradictory action.

[in Jules Winnfield voice] Example?

Believing and espousing (to children) that cheating is wrong, but doing it (on your taxes)

Believing that you die but espousing eternal life

Et cetera, et cetera.

What does this have to do with scientists marching on Washington or Tom Hanks?

I’m saying that science isn’t the be all end all…to humans. 

We are a kooky species and while science is great, it won’t necessarily change beliefs.

Consider this little thought experiment:

Jack Scientia espouses that 2+2=4.

Jack Scientia uses science to inform the world of such.

Now, Jill Contraras comes along and says that if you believe 2+2=4, your soul will burn for eternity.

Which one you gonna believe?

Not so simple is it.

So should scientists march on Washington?

Do you think it will change Trump’s mind [sic]?

Reminds me of a few lines from Woody Allen’s Manhattan