Dr. Anthony Fauci, the polarising director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, slammed everyday Americans for refusing to go along with ‘authority’ on medical matters, and accused people of ‘amazing denial’ when it comes to ‘truth’.
Speaking on a podcast called Learning Curve, produced by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Fauci charged that “unfortunately, there is a combination of an anti-science bias that people are — for reasons that sometimes are, you know, inconceivable and not understandable — they just don’t believe science and they don’t believe authority.”
Why should anyone believe authority? Why should anyone believe science?
I don’t automatically believe authority. I don’t automatically believe science. I’ll listen carefully to scientific authorities. But I’ll have my doubts about about the veracity of what they say. Science is a process of discovery, and implicit in the idea of discovery is the recognition of ignorance: there are a lot of things that nobody understands. In my view, an unquestioning belief in scientific authority amounts to credulity: believing everything you’re told. I don’t believe everything I’m told.
I’ve spent the past two years building my own climate model, precisely because I don’t believe what I’m told by climate scientists (who all disagree with each other anyway). I want to try to think for myself. I used once to construct heat flow models, so I know roughly how to do it. Yet I also don’t trust myself. I’m never certain about anything.
I was in hospital for a couple of weeks recently, but I don’t think the doctors knew what was the matter with me. None of them claimed to know either. Some of them guessed that I’d had a heart attack, but it was just a guess. Truth was that they didn’t know. And neither did I.
But that’s how it is with everything, all the time. We just don’t know.
Does anyone understand the new coronavirus pandemic? Not really. Different countries have responded to it in different ways, and that in itself indicates that there is a plurality of opinions about it, and they can’t all be right. If they knew what needed to be done, they’d have done it by now. So the pandemic is still sweeping the world. And this will continue until it eventually dies out, if it eventually dies out
For the past few days I’ve been watching historians give talks on YouTube about WW1 (like this and this and this). That’s something else I don’t understand. How could millions of men blaze away at each other with rifles and howitzers for four whole years? It was crazy. Completely crazy.
After listening to lots of the historians, who had lots of interesting things to say, it was clear that they didn’t know either. And they all had slightly different opinions anyway. I came away with the feeling that it could all happen again the next time some archduke gets shot somewhere, and nobody will know why it’s happening.
But that’s how it is with everything: we don’t understand. Nobody understands. And maybe they never will.
In such circumstances it is the right thing to do to not believe authorities. and not believe science.
Frank Davis 
‘Fauci’ means ‘sickle’…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauci_(surname)#:~:text=Fauci%20is%20an%20Italian%20surname,metonymically%20to%20makers%20of%20sickles.
*”Revolution, agriculture or workers”? …’lights up and smokes… Revolution, pharmers and furloughed masses more like, Clicky…*
Maybe Fauci looks at the rest of humanity and thinks “sick, all”. Something to consider when he hammers on about his beliefs ;)
Fauci has a major ego problem.
Nice post Frank, Thank you!
It’s somewhat ironic that Fauci is saying there’s an anti-science bias right after he admits to having lied about masks being effective. Which Fauci are we supposed to believe?
‘Experts’ probably would not feel so confident of the truth of their theories and claims if they were not so well rewarded financially;- Just my amateur opinion)
I’ve long believed that What Bill Goldman famously said about Hollywood–“Nobody knows anything”–applies universally.
Hey, Frank. Not only has my ability to automatically post here disappeared as of a month or so ago, but now even the logo that lets ma post thru fb is gone. Did you update your site or something?
I’ve not changed anything.
You seem to have a new yellow ochre tending gold machined X avatar now?
Better than invisible! ;=})
The stand-up comedian Nick Dipaolo is now smoking cigarettes on his podcast. Dipaolo’s podcast is on You Tube Monday thru Thursday. He has mentioned that he smokes but today was the first day he smoked on camera. Funny guy.
OT
With all the statue toppling and grievances from long ago coming to the surface, I was trying to think what everyday occurance in England would annoy me intensely if I was of African or Asian descent but would be too polite to mention.
How are we offending without noticing?
Charity advertising.
In the middle of all our carefully inclusive programming, when you are relaxed and watching your favourite programme, on every ad break, up come the charities with the children in distress, showing a world of mud huts, filthy water which they all must drink, if there is any for miles, disease and poverty, not mention the girls in danger of a fate worse than death, but which will all be solved if you send them money.
I get annoyed by all the adverts in the middle of the day, reminding me that I must provide for my funeral, relentlessly cheerful about sending monthly amounts of money to them. But at least they show people like me in nice houses with pleasant gardens. But then they are not charities.
In the rare occasions that I’m watching live TV, I hit the mute button on my remote control whenever the ads come up… almost always. A few might be educational, but …
Anyway, back to Electric Ladyland, elsewhere … or not.
OT: I’ve finally got through the wait list at the local library to collect the latest novel by William Gibson. Magnificent! A slow read, I’m soaking it up over nights in bed before sleep.
I’ll have to go back to re-read The Peripheral, which I have read, but forgotten, to catch up.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agency_(novel)
I’ve read everything he’s written, I think, starting in early mid ’80’s, so this is a real treat.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Gibson
Firstly:
I was in hospital for a couple of weeks recently, but I don’t think the doctors knew what was the matter with me. None of them claimed to know either. Some of them guessed that I’d had a heart attack, but it was just a guess. Truth was that they didn’t know. And neither did I.
But somehow you were given something that made you better? And you still take what was prescribed, I assume. So, they must have talked to you and told you the serological results.
Are you feeling better?
But that’s how it is with everything, all the time. We just don’t know.
Or we only listen to the bits we want to hear? Science is about analysis. Medical science is about lab/other test results. It is what it is.
Secondly:
Sometimes it is better to stick with the devil you know.
There is Farage and there is reality. For a “corrupt” organisation the EU is remarkably transparent for people who want to know every little bit about it. All it takes is a little googling.
Do I get satisfaction in knowing in that your pensions are as much on the line as mine? No. We’re in the same boat now. Almost. I am safe. My children are taking over what 33 years paying into a government does not. I installed old fashioned family sense when I brought up my kids as a lone parent. Should they pay for my old age? Absolutely not!
Enjoy the fraud you voted for. That reminds me, Farage has been remarkably quiet the last few days. Perhaps he never understood that the EU is not a singular body? 27 nations are still deciding together. And they have decided, clown plane or not.
Next step might be looking into which trade contracts have been signed and are in progress by bot, the UK and the EU – who will be impressed with a clown plane….
The plague train is on it’s way to the cliff, observers can hear “Rule Britannia” as it passes by and watch Trump killing his own voter base tonight after the faithful have signed the waiver that Trump can’t be sued if they catch Covid.
Smoking bans? Who cares?
I’m outta here. Good luck!
you were given something that made you better?
I was given stuff, but I can’t say that it made me better. I think I just got better like I usually do without medication when I come down with flu. But that’s just a guess.
No they didn’t show me any serological results.
So long and good luck,
Hi, Frank
I still wonder why you haven’t looked up each individual item of the “stuff” you were given, checked out what each was purportedly for, side effects, potential interactions, etc.
I’d have thought you might be intensely curious as to what the State/ Pharma regime has given/prescribed for you, what for, and all of the above…
Best Regards!
Goodbye, Brigitte, I’ll miss you.
Likewise
According to the media and “public health experts,” SARS-CoV-2 is the most intelligent, politically-aware virus that has ever existed.
In late April/early May, when small groups of libertarians gathered at US state capitals to peacefully protest the unconstitutional lockdowns, the media called them “dangerous” and said they were going to “kill your grandmother.”
Only a few short weeks later, when Black Lives Matter organized large, violent protests and full-blown riots in cities and suburbs across America (and even in other countries), the media seemingly forgot all about COVID-19, and called the throngs of protestors/rioters names like “brave” and “righteous.” In fact, “public health experts,” including our old “friend” Tom Frieden, pulled an about-face and actually supported the BLM protests, stating that COVID-19 should not be used as an excuse to shut them down.
Now, only a few more weeks have passed, and the media is once again using words like “dangerous” and “irresponsible” to describe President Trump and a stadium full of his supporters, because they’re going to cause infections to spike and ultimately kill your grandma.
This virus is amazingly intelligent and highly selective of the political leanings of the gatherings it will spread at; choosing to spread like wildfire at peaceful libertarian protests and Trump rallies, while going completely dormant at Progressive left-wing protests and riots.
Two Newsweek headlines, both from yesterday, June 22:
You’ll be missed, Brigitte. Keep in touch!
Elevated levels of lactic acid dehdrogenase plus a couple of other biochemical markers are usually measured if the clinical symptoms are hazy and the ECG is ‘normal’ re diagnosing a myocardial infarction.