History Channel Is Ruining the Public's Idea of Science

[Discere et Docere]

A relative of mine recently started watching History Channel's "Ancient Aliens" show. Many of my friend's acquaintances and relatives have also been watching the show, and now are completely convinced that everything said in it is true. (Oh, lord.) The show relates religion to our ancestors' technological advancements, architecture, culture, beliefs, rituals, and other aspects of their lives, and convinces the audience that the gods they believe in are in fact, actually aliens, and all the incredible things our ancestors have done and discovered are the work of aliens.

 

When I was having a conversation with my relative, he said, "You know, aliens built the pyramids."

I just looked at him extremely skeptically and said, "What do you mean?"

He replied, "It wasn't the Egyptians or their slaves that built them. You know the gods they believe in? They are really just aliens that they mistook for gods, and they helped the Egyptians build them. Humans couldn't have done all of that on their own. Aliens needed to help them."

And so I said, "Humans actually could have done that. They had simple but very effective inventions that helped them build them. Plus, there were many, many workers. There are books on the process, actually."

And he said, "No, no, that's not true. How could humans do all of that? They can't! It's impossible. It's aliens."

After arguing with him about how they could, and realizing that I couldn't convince him, I said, "Okay, fine. Tell me this. Was there actual, sound evidence given?"

And he said, "Yeah, yeah, everything."

And I said, "Did you check the evidence out? Like look at the source, whether it could be tested again, whether it follows the scientific process and everything?"

And he said, "Yeah, yeah they did that."

I asked, "Did you check, though?"

He said, "Yeah, they did." (I asked several times clarifying whether they presented the actual evidence to him and whether he actually saw it, but it turned out to be that he just believed it if they said, "This evidence proves that...").

 

I was so infuriated.

 

There are so many viewers on this channel, watching, and believing all of this nonsense. Now, I'm not saying aliens couldn't have come here. There isn't evidence proving that they did, but there is always possibility - but it can only be true when we find evidence.

 

The general public DOES NOT have critical thinking. Now, let me clarify this - my relative is actually around 40 - 50 years old, and has gone to a very good college, and has a masters degree. I was so shocked to hear that, while he was quite educated, he still believed this. History channel has really gone downhill, but now it's just taking advantage of the public's idiotic thought process. BECAUSE the general public does not have critical thinking, or generally isn't educated in very much, one another note, they can't even look at data properly, and always sway to other politicians based on ridiculous terms, and vote for things they don't even fully understand.

 

Things like these just makes me want to die. Or just leave everyone else and go to a much more educated world.

Edited January 19, 2014 by Discere et Docere

[Bignose]

It isn't just History Channel. For years and years, every single "scientist" depicted on film worked in a room with bubbling beakers with different colored fluids. District attorneys talk about "the CSI effect" in that it is harder to get convictions because members of the jury expect every single detail to be worked out by the investigators like on the crime dramas. And has there been any computer 'hacker' that has been portrayed even somewhat correctly on film? The radio show Coast to Coast AM has been on the air for literally decades.

 

The simple truth here is that these companies are in the business of making money. So they are going to create media such that they can sell tickets or advertising. Period. Accuracy in any way shape or form really doesn't sell. That's clearly been shown because History Channel, Discovery, etc. have all moved in this direction. They are just giving the people what they want.

 

I think that if you want changes, it has to start within the schools. If the kids truly knew science well, they wouldn't watch shows that present such poor science, and the networks would change accordingly. But I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that to happen.

[Discere et Docere]

Well, perhaps we could introduce a new form of teaching which enforces and stimulates critical thinking. Critical thinking, as it isn't unconciously done, can be introduced to them in their education at the appropriate age.