Skepticism in Bizarro World
Skeptics and believers often level exactly opposite charges at one another.
During some random tweet storm discussing some random topic like UFOs, I was hit with the following tweet:
It’s a very familiar charge leveled at skeptics and science communicators. It’s widely believed that people who follow science are hoping to avoid learning anything new, that they are somehow obligated to protect the Holy Status Quo. (What they think grantors are hoping to get for their money? Nothing? Apparently so.)
At first glance you might think this tweet is exactly backwards. Believers in the supernatural are typically the ones who start with an unproven/implausible assumption, and then seek out information confirming it. TV ghost hunters are an obvious examples, as are many in the #ufotwitter community who believe aliens are among us.
However, I’m going to surprise you and say that this tweet is actually largely correct. Allow me to explain.