Tribalism allowing doubt to infiltrate science
Propaganda. Spin. Fake news. The flames of their influence are fanned by doubt. A doubt intentionally sown.
A recent BBC Sounds podcast, How They Made Us Doubt Everything, by Peter Pomerantsev, looks at how a ‘playbook’ put together by the tobacco industry in the 1950s has provided the basis for obscuring the truth.
A manual for truth-twisting.
The podcast charts how tobacco companies, faced with uncomfortable evidence suggesting cigarettes were leading to an increase in lung cancer, set out to reduce scientific evidence to mere theory.
Rather than rely on PR companies or politicians with transparent motive to articulate their side of the story, they enlisted genuine scientists to provide more credibility.
Science is based on the need to find things out, to investigate. The tobacco industry preyed on the language used by scientists, bound by their principle that nothing is an absolute certainty.
When a report neared publication on how smoking was causing lung cancer, a network of contacts ensured they were able to publish a contrary report on the same day.
They pitted scientist against scientist; expert against expert. Many of the scientists, termed ‘white-coats’, were genuine in intention, but puppeteered by the financial backing of the industry.
Journalists too were wooed at lavish receptions, and the stories received column inches.
Even high profile investigative journalist Ed Murrow, who had risen to prominence during WWII, was effectively neutered by the potent cocktail of doubt stirred up by the industry.
By the time enough had been done to win hearts and minds over the danger of smoking, the tobacco companies had managed to eek out millions of pounds. Countless deaths could have been avoided.
Enough had been gained from the exercise to ensure its repetition.
The documentary shows how scientists working to demonstrate the dangers of climate change were the next to suffer. In this case, it was the large energy companies who were puffing out their chests.
The same tactic of white coats was again used. The same policy of allowing no negative story to go unchallenged. The same manipulation of media balance helped sow confusion.
But perhaps the most sinister, cynical, and undoubtedly powerful move was to knit the issue into the seam of tribal politics.
To be in support of climate change suggested a left-wing ideology, while to be skeptical indicated a right-leaning tendency. The issue became polarised.
The battleground expanded from laboratories and TV studios to government benches. From reasoned, if tense, discussion to shouting arguments in the street.
Like the tobacco industry before them, by the time science was able to prove climate change was an issue worth dealing with properly, the damage was done and the beans counted.
A resurgent wave of populism once again revealed fertile ground for doubt to prosper. US President Donald Trump has reworked the policy into one mantra:
Accuse anyone with whom you disagree of being ‘fake news’ and allow doubt to fester until you get your way.
Your respective tribe will do the rest. Cannon fodder marching into a very shouty battle.
The Covid-19 pandemic has become the latest manifestation of science v science. An infant virus and a polarised population is a potent mix.
The world is still learning.
Epidemiologists present figures and fall back on information learned from previous outbreaks to make recommendations to government on how to combat the spread of the virus.
In the lockdown of the spring, their findings were largely accepted and case numbers began to fall. There has been enough time in between for the doubt to grow.
Alternative ‘expert’ opinions have been emboldened to suggest the safety measures put in place by various governments are ineffective. The more conspiratorial suggest the virus itself is a hoax.
A frightened, confused population grasps for something to hold onto. They peer into the echo chamber provided by social media.
The algorithm affirms them. They must be right, because everyone is saying the same thing. Confidence grows and tribalism does the rest.
In the final episode of the podcast, former US Republican Congressman Bob Inglis describes how he lost the support of every county in the state in 2010 following a U-turn to support climate action.
He saw the evidence of man-made climate change on a trip to Antartica and started to campaign for climate action.
He talks about how the issue not only became tribalised, but polarised to such an extent that it became almost sexualised.
“It was like I had crossed to the other side, I had left the team,” he said.
“One of my opponents told the crowd fossil fuels were given to us by God and when we burn them it’s a blessing around the world.
“It’s been almost sexualised — ‘manly’ men go get us fossil fuels, they get dirty and grimy and get these reliable, manly fuels.
“These ‘sissies’ go get us this sissified fuel, which is intermittent. When the wind doesn’t blow or the sun isn’t shining, how are we going to power our lives?
“It really is almost to that level.”
Mask-wearers are castigated as wearers of ‘face nappies’ or accused of muzzling themselves. Political vultures swoop on a populist carcass ripe for the taking.
Sheep being herded into pens devoid of personal freedom, they say of the mask-wearers. The echo chamber roars its support and bolsters their opinions further.
As recently as this week, Donald Trump’s pantomime show of strength and claims of ‘having beaten’ the coronavirus, is evidence of the bravado associated with playing down the virus’ effect.
Exasperated scientists cling in vain to professionalism and patience as outbreak after outbreak appears.
Perversely, people opposed to restrictions hold this up as evidence that they are not working, rather than evidence people are not following them.
Those with reservations on their position are crippled by the fear of stepping outside their tribe and its associated consequences — on both sides.
Sowing doubt, by definition, makes people unsure of truth. They look for certainty and cling to those who claim to provide it.
Polarisation leaves a central vacuum.
Those who drive through it usually do so with a knowing grin in an expensive car.
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Continue reading: Coronavirus pandemic reveals an uncomfortable truth
