Skepticblog

I just finished reading Dr. Novella’s inspiring entry, and as a departure to my reporting on the progress on The Skeptologists, and the process that it took to create the TV pilot for the show, I decided to ramble a bit on Skepticism.

Admittedly, this is a forum in which most, if not all, of the readers here are proud to call themselves “Skeptics”. I’m sure there’s even a few “Sceptics” as well.

I don’t carry the weight and vast knowledge that my esteemed blog colleagues do, I’m just a humble video production guy who’s trying to make his mark on the world in a positive way. As a matter of fact, it’s all I can do to write an entry every week that deserves to be on the same page as these folks. Working with them, reading their work and listening to the various podcasts is inspiring, and I’m lucky to be a part of this. I have a profound respect for each and every one of these Skeptologists! One of the common threads, that is very apparent, but worthy of note, is that they all share a similar intense desire to better the world through educating people about how to think critically, and skeptically.

It seems so easy on the face of it all doesn’t it? Educate people. I’ve written in the past about how I believe that TV is one avenue in which we can start to affect change in the world for the better. That’s my particular talent, and one that I wish to use to get the word out. But there are so many ways to go about it, and that’s what I’d love to start a discussion about: What different, entertaining and clever ways can we come up with to help gently educate people about the power of skepticism?

Listening to the news and hearing about the human condition is sometimes too much to bear. People stripping other people of their rights to marry, people being bilked out of hundreds, and even thousands of dollars of their hard earned money to pay for some ridiculous homeopathic medicine, or people wasting hours on searching for the evidence of alien crash sites, when all around them, the beauty of the real world and all it’s wonderful complexity surrounds.

So turn it off. Turn off the radio, put down that tabloid magazine and turn your thoughts to something constructive. I hate it when I hear people say, “But what can I do?” Well, no, I take that back, I don’t hate that, but it frustrates me. When many people say that, it’s not really a question at all is it?. It’s more of a little white flag that says, “I don’t wanna do nuthin!” But that was a question, white flag or no, and I’ve just made it your job to answer that question each time you hear it, and empower people to make change, in any amount, for the better! How? Be creative in your own way, doing the things that you do. I don’t care if you sell houses, are a greeter at Wal-Mart, a urine collector for drug tests or sell ice cream, find ways of doing what you do best… better and more influential by injecting some science, critical thinking and skepticism into it!

Here’s a thought. If you happen to really know a bit about one “hot topic” that we skeptics like to continually hit on the head, maybe you’re an expert, and you didn’t even know it! Okay, maybe you’re not, but maybe you have enough information at your disposal to create a pretty in-depth and informative talk. Go to the local junior college, or the library, heck, maybe a service organization, or even the local club would be interested in an “Eye Opening Discussion about ______!” Create a few visual aids, practice in front of a mirror on a riveting and dramatic story line for your opener, and then you’ve got yourself something to explore with a group. Start small, get good at it, and before you know it, you’ll be scheduling time off from the shop to go on your lecture circuit.

Open it up to people to talk to you, discuss they way they interpret the information. Then, slowly unfold the wisdom of the Skeptical way, Don’t bother even calling yourself a Skeptic, if you like, you are there to facilitate an “Engaging and entertaining discussion about the things that interest our lives.” Explain logical fallacies and show how they permeate pseudoscience. Hopefully you’ll remember them all better that I. Eventually, you’ll be able to walk in the door and say: I, Skeptic! And the roar of the applause will shave a few minutes off your introduction… But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves, here.

But do do this. Be true, honest and educated. When you don’t know something, be honest, when you do, be honest. Be the person that one can trust to provide information that’s real, and solid.

My point is that everyone can share their intelligence, it takes some work, sure, but think back to the time that you listened to someone speaking and you thought, “Yeah, I knew that, but I never really though about it that way… Very interesting” Well, I guarantee you, there is someone out there that would appreciate learning about your interests, the topics that we skeptics love to latch onto and how it’s come to relate to your job at the ice cream store.

Go forth! Be a Skeptic! And be proud!