Quote Originally Posted by ApatheticNoMore View Post
honestly does much if any of this have anything to do with actual science or are we just talking about politically appointed talking heads discussing "the science", and others who are bribed political operatives. Blaming scientists for what those people do, doesn't seem a fair critique of science.



And otoh this seems a highly romanticized and idealized view of science, almost a fairy tale. Like I don't think that's how almost anything happens in an often messy field like medicine, which is kind of what we are dealing with. It's not that noone is working on any actual science. If it's funded they are. But treatment decisions may be made on incomplete information etc..

And then issues of replicability have been raised (even in actual not just social science) but I don't know how significant that is. The problem is then scientists find themselves dealing with dishonest actors that just want to raise doubt like with tobacco or climate change (merchants of doubt). Anyway I think all anyone wanted out of "follow the science" from Trump was: do something to control this @#$# virus, don't just push a bunch of cures that don't work like so much snake oil!
If it came across that I think science happens in a leave it to beaver world of politeness and perfect honesty then i failed to make my point. My point was simply that before covid science didn’t happen on the front page of every newspaper. Now it does. Sometimes honestly and messily. Sometimes dishonestly because it’s a politician or partisan hack media figure with an agenda. But to the average person it can easily end up looking like no one knows what the eff they are doing so why trust any of it.