http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2015/01/17/over-80-percent-of-americans-support-mandatory-labels-on-foods-containing-dna/
I'm posting this here because it falls under conspiracy theory and complete irrational thinking.
QuoteA recent survey by the Oklahoma State University Department of Agricultural Economics finds that over 80 percent of Americans support “mandatory labels on foods containing DNA,†about the same number as support mandatory labeling of GMO foods “produced with genetic engineering.†Oklahoma State economist Jayson Lusk has some additional details on the survey. If the government does impose mandatory labeling on foods containing DNA, perhaps the label might look something like this:
WARNING: This product contains deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The Surgeon General has determined that DNA is linked to a variety of diseases in both animals and humans. In some configurations, it is a risk factor for cancer and heart disease. Pregnant women are at very high risk of passing on DNA to their children.
The Oklahoma State survey result is probably an example of the intersection between scientific ignorance and political ignorance, both of which are widespread.The most obvious explanation for the data is that most of these people don’t really understand what DNA is, and don’t realize that it is contained in almost all food. When they read that a strange substance called “DNA†might be included in their food, they might suspect that this is some dangerous chemical inserted by greedy corporations for their own nefarious purposes.
Polls repeatedly show that much of the public is often ignorant of both basic scientific facts, and basic facts about government and public policy. Just before the 2014 elections, which determined control of Congress, only 38 percent realized that the Republicans controlled the House of Representatives before the election, and the same number knew that the Democrats control the Senate. The public’s scientific knowledge isn’t much better. A 2012 National Science Foundation survey even found that about 25% of Americans don’t know that the Earth revolves around the sun rather than vice versa. Issues like food labeling bring together political and scientific knowledge, and it is not surprising that public opinion on these subjects is very poorly informed.
It would be a mistake to assume that widespread political and scientific ignorance are the result of “the stupidity of the American voter,†as Obamacare architect Jonathan Gruber put it. Political ignorance is not primarily the result of stupidity. For most people, it is a rational reaction to the enormous size and complexity of government and the reality that the chance that their vote will have an impact on electoral outcomes is extremely low. The same is true of much scientific ignorance. For many people, there is little benefit to understanding much about genetics or DNA. Most Americans can even go about their daily business perfectly well without knowing that the Earth revolves around the sun. Even the smartest people are inevitably ignorant of the vast majority of information out there. We all have to focus our time and energy on learning that information which is most likely to be instrumentally useful, or at least provide entertainment value. For large numbers of people, much basic political and scientific information doesn’t make the cut.
Unfortunately, this is a case where individually rational behavior leads to potentially dangerous collective outcomes. While it doesn’t much matter whether any individual voter is ignorant about science or public policy, when a majority (or even a large minority) of the electorate is ignorant in these ways, it can lead to the adoption of dangerous and counterproductive government policies. In this case, excessive and unnecessary warning labels on food products could confuse consumers, and divert their limited attention from real dangers.
Although Jonathan Gruber was wrong to believe that American voters are necessarily stupid, he was right about the pervasiveness of public ignorance, and the dangers it poses.
Holy shit, people can be stupid.
Fuck. This. World.
:hang:
A co-worker was showing off her non-GMO smoothie one day. I asked her about it and she admitted that she didn't completely understand what GMO is but didn't like it. Apparently, her logic was that it had to be bad or else why would the company boast about not having it? There are not enough facepalms in the world.
I think we should test something, let's come up with a bizarre rumor that sounds just close enough to being correct that people would buy it and see how far it goes.
Something like, toothpaste contains the same chemicals used to kill pests, so when you brush, you're poisoning yourself
Quote from: GrinningYMIR on January 19, 2015, 06:10:34 PM
I think we should test something, let's come up with a bizarre rumor that sounds just close enough to being correct that people would buy it and see how far it goes.
Something like, toothpaste contains the same chemicals used to kill pests, so when you brush, you're poisoning yourself
I've thought about doing similar things in terms of rumors like that. I always back off because I'm afraid it will spin out of control because people can be stupid enough to believe anything.
Quote from: PickelledEggs on January 19, 2015, 06:22:13 PM
I've thought about doing similar things in terms of rumors like that. I always back off because I'm afraid it will spin out of control because people can be stupid enough to believe anything.
Oh yeah...I forgot that part :P
It would make for a good social experiment though, once a few people are saying it, more assume its true, and then everybody is saying it, it escalates real fast
This kind of thing makes. Me. Mental.
Quote from: GrinningYMIR on January 19, 2015, 06:10:34 PM
I think we should test something, let's come up with a bizarre rumor that sounds just close enough to being correct that people would buy it and see how far it goes.
Something like, toothpaste contains the same chemicals used to kill pests, so when you brush, you're poisoning yourself
already been done….ever hear of anti-vaccine'ers?
Quote from: aitm on January 19, 2015, 08:38:46 PM
already been done….ever hear of anti-vaccine'ers?
exactly.
Quote from: GrinningYMIR on January 19, 2015, 06:10:34 PMI think we should test something, let's come up with a bizarre rumor that sounds just close enough to being correct that people would buy it and see how far it goes.
Something like, toothpaste contains the same chemicals used to kill pests, so when you brush, you're poisoning yourself
Too late. I told people not to have hot food with a cold drink (http://www.livestrong.com/article/519260-the-effects-of-cold-drinks-on-digestion/). Didn't turn out so hot, heh.
Quote from: Hydra009 on January 19, 2015, 08:47:35 PM
Too late. I told people not to have hot food with a cold drink (http://www.livestrong.com/article/519260-the-effects-of-cold-drinks-on-digestion/). Didn't turn out so hot, heh.
....I....I...Argh!
I got half my school to worship me because I told them I am a saint from Christ and I take their money only to give a dollar back to them using "Magic."
I'm going to keep my little tricks from quite a while :rotflmao:
Every rain drop should have a dihydrogen monoxide label on it because that shit has drowned millions of people and caused all kinds of problems up to and possibly including the world wide flood! :eek: In addition it also quite often facilitates the growth of DNA..