Trump staffs science and technology panel with non-scientists

Appointee list is in keeping with the administration's hostility toward science.

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[RZetopan]

These aren't a bunch of completely pure MBA types. When it comes to this particular administration, it seems like it could be much, much worse.

There are more positions to fill. They are still looking under muddy rocks for more candidates.

 

[myk.dinis]

To be fair, he's barely qualified to be an actual dishwasher.

In any other nation on Earth, Trump would be on the streets, in prison, or in the morgue. Only America can make such a completely and utterly useless and worthless approximation of a human being their leader.

Any nation with such low education scores will eventually elect a fucking monster. They can't help it. Uneducated populaces are the playthings of psychopaths. Easy to control through fear and anger. Throw some highly addictive products on top of that and you have the perfect formula for a cult of personality despot to rise to power.

 

[RZetopan]

To be fair, he's barely qualified to be an actual dishwasher.

In any other nation on Earth, Trump would be on the streets, in prison, or in the morgue. Only America can make such a completely and utterly useless and worthless approximation of a human being their leader.

That is why the US has so many crackpots, televangelists, medical quacks, racists, creationists, etc. The US is a magnet for those types, and they even get attracted to the US from foreign countries. They can easily recognize that there is a very receptive audience for demagogy within the US population, since over 50% of the adults there actually operate with 6th grader reading and comprehension levels, at best.
https://moneyinc.com/richest-pastors-in-the-world/
https://truthout.org/articles/texas...ical-thinking-skills-in-texas-public-schools/
https://news.gallup.com/poll/261680/americans-believe-creationism.aspx
https://www.thenationalliteracyinstitute.com/2024-2025-literacy-statistics

 

[RZetopan]

I'd also imagine there's a strongly inverse correlation between quality of education and trust in science.

No need to “imagine” since the GOP has fought against US public education ever since it was created. The anti-science crowd is very aware of how education destroys their best apologetics.
https://truthout.org/articles/texas...ical-thinking-skills-in-texas-public-schools/
https://news.gallup.com/poll/261680/americans-believe-creationism.aspx
https://www.thenationalliteracyinstitute.com/2024-2025-literacy-statistics

 

[RZetopan]

Any nation with such low education scores will eventually elect a fucking monster. They can't help it. Uneducated populaces are the playthings of psychopaths. Easy to control through fear and anger. Throw some highly addictive products on top of that and you have the perfect formula for a cult of personality despot to rise to power.

As was clearly articulated over a century ago:
“As democracy is perfected, the office of the president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. We move toward a lofty ideal. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.” -- H.L. Mencken, in 1920

 

[pnellesen]

China, on the other hand, is watching its only real rival for global superpower repeatedly shoot itself in every single body part that maintains an imperial state. Empires tend to kill themselves over long periods, and China could not dream of a faster suicide.

You can be damned sure that the Chinese are very familiar with the saying "Never interrupt your adversary when they are making mistake after mistake after mistake"

 

[EnPeaSea]

I might have a look, but I've watched all 154 episodes at least 6 times, so I already know it extremely well. Ultimately, it's just a TV show, so it means very little IRL, and it is a mistake to take it too seriously. This is why I am skeptical of any "massive influence on politics". It would be like claiming that "Grey's Anatomy" had a massive influence on the practice of medicine.

However, as TV, it is some of Aaron Sorkin's best work, so that's a really high bar. Some of the first two seasons are just amazingly good.

I realized I shouldn't be taking WW seriously in the 5th episode, where a civilian from USSPACECOM was seeking WH confirmation of UFOs. It was found that the 'object' was a de-orbiting satellite... the very thing the real USSPACECOM tracks! Still entertaining; the relationships are more important than the facts.

 

[truth serum]

Much if not most of modern academia is ideologically and politically captured. So its not necessarily a big plus to appoint those types to a panel like this.

Maybe the reasoning is that if anything appointing more entrepreneurial types will at least garner a more neutrally pragmatic approach than otherwise.

 

[Voix des Airs]

Much if not most of modern academia is ideologically and politically captured. So its not necessarily a big plus to appoint those types to a panel like this.

Maybe the reasoning is that if anything appointing more entrepreneurial types will at least garner a more neutrally pragmatic approach than otherwise.

The only "reasoning" behind this is that these are very rich people who have all kissed Trump's ass in words and deeds (bribes). It is what it is right on its face.