"After all, well-educated people, not illiterates, are wrecking the planet. Schools and universities are morally bankrupt [and] most research is worthless busywork..."
Berry himself continues:
"I would add that some research is worse than worthless; it contributes directly to the wrecking of the planet."
I thought of this when a friend and physics colleague pointed out that...
"...people expect science and technology to solve the current problems, but if you walk the halls of physics programs in the nation and look for what is being done about this," -- This being peak oil, environmental damage, climate change, the population "hockey stick", etc -- "you hear nothing but crickets."
My dissonance is further compounded by a recent blog post of one biologist claiming that the entire field of astrobiology is an irrelevant exercise designed to secure NASA funding. As I posted a few pointed Facebook comments defending my field of research, the two quotes above came back to me.
Meanwhile, S. is on the farm holding back the flood waters and trying to keep our place "afloat" through a wet spring, while I sit in an apartment in Seattle worried about my veggie starts and baby chicks 800 miles away.
So, what matters?
No comments:
Post a Comment