Why people believe the Earth is flat and we should listen to anti-vaxxers | Elfy Scott

Science communication has lost its sense of empathy and misunderstands how fear can alter a person ’s belief systemThe internet, as we are all patently aware by this point, is awash with some incredible nonsense. In recent years, some of that nonsense has managed to gain a disturbing amount of traction: the anti-vaxxer movement, a religious belief in alternative medicine, the flat Earth theory, and even astrology have all experienced a tremendous surge of interest and support in online spheres.Inevitably, this means that these belief systems have become all the more apparent in our real-world social interactions and sometimes it takes the good grace of social intelligence to resignedly agree with co-workers that perhaps a tumultuous month is, in fact, largely due to Pisces Season.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Science Alternative medicine Health & wellbeing Vaccines and immunisation Source Type: news