Stupidity and fearmongering hurt us all

What do a recent measles outbreak and climate change have in common?

They're both issues involving clear scientific evidence that many people feel free to ignore in favour of their personal belief system.

Recently, medical authorities blamed a measles outbreak at Disneyland on increasing numbers of parents who reject recommended childhood vaccinations.

It's a similar phenomenon to that which occurred in the Fraser Valley last year, when several hundred measles cases were reported - the largest outbreak of the disease in some 30 years.

Unfortunately, vaccination has in many ways become a victim of its own success.

The very effectivness of vaccines has taken away the fear of childhood disease that in previous generations would have provided a powerful motivator to act. Today's parents never had to live with the childhood diseases that ravaged society only a couple of generations ago. They never learned to fear the very real - and very frightening - effects of preventable diseases such as measles.

Science has been conclusive about the societal benefits of vaccines and has long ago debunked the theory linking them to autism.

But that has apparently done little to change people's beliefs and therefore their behaviour.

Far too many parents are still choosing not to vaccinate their children - for reasons grounded not in fact but in misleading information culled from the Internet and questionable theories propounded by the rich and famous.

Sadly, disbelief in scientific evidence isn't limited to the medical realm. In fact, according to a recent U.S. study, our tendency to ignore evidence is well entrenched on many issues.

For instance, the study found 87 per cent of scientists accepted the concept that human activities are driving climate change, but only 50 per cent of the public believed that.

We're more likely to believe the opinions of Hollywood celebrities than scientists.

And confronted with evidence that contradicts our beliefs, most of us are apparently more likely to dig in and question the validity of that evidence than to change our minds.

All of which bodes ill for our collective well-being.

Decisions, both individual and societal, should not be based on what's convenient to believe or on which new theory is in fashion online.

They must be based on reality and cold hard fact.

To do otherwise puts the greater good in peril.

- guest editorial from the North Shore News