The Man Who Studies the Spread of Ignorance

[Sunstone]

How do people or companies with vested interests spread ignorance and obfuscate knowledge?

In 1979, a secret memo from the tobacco industry was revealed to the public. Called the Smoking and Health Proposal, and written a decade earlier by the Brown & Williamson tobacco company, it revealed many of the tactics employed by big tobacco to counter “anti-cigarette forces”.

In one of the paper’s most revealing sections, it looks at how to market cigarettes to the mass public: “Doubt is our product since it is the best means of competing with the ‘body of fact’ that exists in the mind of the general public. It is also the means of establishing a controversy.”

This revelation piqued the interest of Robert Proctor, a science historian from Stanford University, who started delving into the practices of tobacco firms and how they had spread confusion about whether smoking caused cancer.

Proctor had found that the cigarette industry did not want consumers to know the harms of its product, and it spent billions obscuring the facts of the health effects of smoking. This search led him to create a word for the study of deliberate propagation of ignorance: agnotology.

>snip<

“I was exploring how powerful industries could promote ignorance to sell their wares. Ignorance is power… and agnotology is about the deliberate creation of ignorance.

“In looking into agnotology, I discovered the secret world of classified science, and thought historians should be giving this more attention.”

The 1969 memo and the tactics used by the tobacco industry became the perfect example of agnotology, Proctor says. “Ignorance is not just the not-yet-known, it’s also a political ploy, a deliberate creation by powerful agents who want you ‘not to know’.”

>snip<

Agnotology is as important today as it was back when Proctor studied the tobacco industry’s obfuscation of facts about cancer and smoking. For example, politically motivated doubt was sown over US President Barack Obama’s nationality for many months by opponents until he revealed his birth certificate in 2011. In another case, some political commentators in Australia attempted to stoke panic by likening the country’s credit rating to that of Greece, despite readily available public information from ratings agencies showing the two economies are very different.

Proctor explains that ignorance can often be propagated under the guise of balanced debate. For example, the common idea that there will always be two opposing views does not always result in a rational conclusion. This was behind how tobacco firms used science to make their products look harmless, and is used today by climate change deniers to argue against the scientific evidence.

“This ‘balance routine’ has allowed the cigarette men, or climate deniers today, to claim that there are two sides to every story, that ‘experts disagree’ – creating a false picture of the truth, hence ignorance.”

>snip<

Proctor found that ignorance spreads when firstly, many people do not understand a concept or fact and secondly, when special interest groups – like a commercial firm or a political group – then work hard to create confusion about an issue. In the case of ignorance about tobacco and climate change, a scientifically illiterate society will probably be more susceptible to the tactics used by those wishing to confuse and cloud the truth.

The Tobacco Industry pioneered many of the techniques still in use today by various interests to confuse and mislead people about the truth. How it sowed doubt about the link between smoking and cancer should perhaps be a required subject of study in every high school in the country -- because many of the same techniques are in use today to sow doubt about such things as global climate change.

What do you make of the article?

 

[Willamena]

What do you make of the article?

They're all slaves of Edward Bernays.

 

[Sunstone]

They're all slaves of Edward Bernays.

Don't cuss. That's man's name is vile. No other single person did more to destroy citizenship and replace it with consumerism than that jerk.

 

[SomeRandom]

I think America gives way too much power to big corporations. I mean yeah, they're powerful everywhere, but how you guys allow such things to circulate about ciggies would be considered against the commerce and advertising laws in other countries!

 

[Kuzcotopia]

I think the most telling point is how you can create the illusion of a balanced debate.

Climate change is settled science, for example. . . But because the implications have potential negative economic effects, there's a powerful "other side" who gets to make a counter argument that sways too many people. EPA regulations are seen as "bad" for no other reason that they limit economic progress, so regulations must go.

The problem is that rhetorical strategies and propaganda are so darn effective in swaying people on the left side of the bell curve, and too many smart people are willing to sacrifice their own morality to engage in those strategies. . . All in the sake of money.

This practice of misinformation is evil, and anyone who deliberately deceives others for personal monetary gain or economic interest is also evil. Period.

 

[Revoltingest]

I was pleased to see that the article was broader than the thread's title, also including
that other great purveyor of misinformation, government. I'd add religion too.

 

[David T]

I was pleased to see that the article was broader than the thread's title, also including
that other great purveyor of misinformation, government. I'd add religion too.

Somehow with a global meltdown of the environment with science 99% responsible and and silent on that irresponsibility i find the religion comment a straw man slight of hand. Religion is and can be totally idiotic beyound all doubt, he'll even people in religion will admit it, but that makes it a dominate reflection on the bell curve of being normal's which believes "you are the disease and I am the cure".

 

[Quintessence]

You know what's sad? I didn't learn about things like this in formal education until I was in graduate school. That things like this aren't covered in high schools - and maybe others experiences were different, granted - it is just sad.

 

[Revoltingest]

Somehow with a global meltdown of the environment with science 99% responsible and and silent on that irresponsibility i find the religion comment a straw man slight of hand. Religion is and can be totally idiotic beyound all doubt, he'll even people in religion will admit it, but that makes it a dominate reflection on the bell curve of being normal's which believes "you are the disease and I am the cure".

"Science" is only a tool, & doesn't make any decisions to pollute our air or water.
(I blame shortsighted people (of all political & economic stripes) for that.)
Moveover, tis science which enables us to identify & fix such problems.
Consider one great scientist who switched from the theoretical to the practical....
Clair Cameron Patterson - Wikipedia
Banning from gasoline & paint, based upon science, has been a great public health boon.

I think you're taking more offense on behalf of religion than is appropriate.
We have innumerable examples of falsehoods propagated due to religious agenda,
evolution is an atheist conspiracy, homosexuality is an immoral choice, apostates must die, etc.
This is not a criticism of all religious beliefs....just those fitting "agnotology".
And I don't claim that atheism (all flavors) is the cure.

Better now?

 

[David T]

"Science" is only a tool, & doesn't make any decisions to pollute our air or water.
(I blame shortsighted people (of all political & economic stripes) for that.)
Moveover, tis science which enables us to identify & fix such problems.
Consider one great scientist who switched from the theoretical to the practical....
Clair Cameron Patterson - Wikipedia
Banning from gasoline & paint, based upon science, has been a great public health boon.

I think you're taking more offense on behalf of religion than is appropriate.
We have innumerable examples of falsehoods propagated due to religious agenda,
evolution is an atheist conspiracy, homosexuality is an immoral choice, apostates must die, etc.
This is not a criticism of all religious beliefs....just those fitting "agnotology".
And I don't claim that atheism (all flavors) is the cure.

Better now?

Science most certainly is not remotely a skillsaw or a hammer at all.

 

[Vinayaka]

I have come to the conclusion there are only two legitimate questions to ask after reading any non-fiction essay.
1) What is the writer's background, his set of experiences that lead to that writing? and
2) What is the writer's agenda?

 

[Sunstone]

I have come to the conclusion there are only two legitimate questions to ask after reading any non-fiction essay.
1) What is the writer's background, his set of experiences that lead to that writing? and
2) What is the writer's agenda?

While those questions alone won't guarantee that you aren't taken for a ride, they're a very good start.

 

[Revoltingest]

Science most certainly is not remotely a skillsaw or a hammer at all.

As an expert in tools, I disagree.

 

[David T]

As an expert in tools, I disagree.

Oh it's detached from your body. There is you and then you walk out to the job shack and get the skill saw, and science is on the shelf. Hows that look? WOW you got me there on that one expert. How exactly are you an expert on tools phd in toology? Is it a tool that created a tool and then declared it is but tool creating tool? Very circular said and weirdly animistist in some wierd way. Please enlighten.

 

[Revoltingest]

Oh it's detached from your body. There is you and then you walk out to the job shack and get the skill saw, and science is on the shelf. Hows that look? WOW you got me there on that one expert. How exactly are you an expert on tools phd in toology? Is it a tool that created a tool and then declared it is but tool creating tool? Very circular said and weirdly animistist in some wierd way. Please enlighten.

I've designed tools for a living.
Some tools are material, eg, hammer, wrench, lathe, mill.
Other tools are methods, eg, science, math, engineering, ANSI standards.

As for tools creating tools, you're straying a bit far.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

How do people or companies with vested interests spread ignorance and obfuscate knowledge?



The Tobacco Industry pioneered many of the techniques still in use today by various interests to confuse and mislead people about the truth. How it sowed doubt about the link between smoking and cancer should perhaps be a required subject of study in every high school in the country -- because many of the same techniques are in use today to sow doubt about such things as global climate change.

What do you make of the article?

LOTS!

You really need to read a book called "Dark Money" by Jane Mayer. It will tell you more about how the public (you know, those people who are supposed to vote for the governments that lead them) can be completely and utterly duped. Buying the gullibility of a highly suggestible general public is apparently pretty easy, and has been going on for a long time.

It's one of the reasons I go on so endlessly about learning and thinking at least a little skeptically.

 

[David T]

I've designed tools for a living.
Some tools are material, eg, hammer, wrench, lathe, mill.
Other tools are methods, eg, science, math, engineering, ANSI standards.

As for tools creating tools, you're straying a bit far.

You stated It not me, it's not that difficult to understand what I said. I have been building for 40 years, so I could care less about your expertness on tools as being relevant at all to your statement science is nothing but a tool. If that's true I am way more interested in that which has concluded that in being objectively separate from science. What are we looking at a crescent wrench a skilsaw a nail gun? A bit like saying your hand is a tool. Really what there is a gap between your wrist and you cranium? Hell even the new testament knew that was absurd and made a special point of it at the last supper.the absurdity btw is "NORMAL" on a bell curve.

 

[Revoltingest]

You stated It not me, it's not that difficult to understand what I said. I have been building for 40 years, so I could care less about your expertness on tools as being relevant at all to your statement science is nothing but a tool. If that's true I am way more interested in that which has concluded that in being objectively separate from science. What are we looking at a crescent wrench a skilsaw a nail gun? A bit like saying your hand is a tool. Really what there is a gap between your wrist and you cranium? Hell even the new testament knew that was absurd and made a special point of it at the last supper.the absurdity btw is "NORMAL" on a bell curve.

That's nice.
Nonetheless, a "tool" needn't be something held in one's hand.
Science is a "tool", without even invoking metaphor.
Example....
Popular Science: Science is a tool

Is your objection to this usage fundamental to your claim
that science causes environmental degradation?

 

[David T]

That's nice.
Nonetheless, a "tool" needn't be something held in one's hand.
Science is a "tool", without even invoking metaphor.
Example....
Popular Science: Science is a tool

Is your objection to this usage fundamental to your claim
that science causes environmental degradation?

Why would anyone care if it does or doesn't cause enviromental degregation? I don't understand that question. Science is not just what is in books and maybe thats where we are not communicating. If I thought science was only in books then I would have to say the literacy cult that believes in the word of God as they do is totally reasoned and in alignment with your analogy. Are you a Baptist?

 

[Revoltingest]

Why would anyone care if it does or doesn't cause enviromental degregation? I don't understand that question.

See your post (#7).

Science is not just what is in books and maybe thats where we are not communicating.

Science is independent of books.

If I thought science was only in books then I would have to say the literacy cult that believes in the word of God as they do is totally reasoned and in alignment with your analogy. Are you a Baptist?

Never been a Baptist.