[zenbowman]

It's a hot topic, yes, but an important one. We are in an age where policy is decided by a scientifically illiterate public, with potentially devastating consequences for people outside the developed world. That needs to be confronted head on, not shied away from.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/05/18/pew-vaccine...

Not being willing to talk about these issues is what allows fearmongers to win the day.

[akamaka]

One of the problems is this idea that opposition to GMOs and growth in demand for organic food is fueled by scientific illiteracy.

There an oft-repeated lament of "I can't believe people think GMOs are unsafe!", but why not instead start by asking why purchases of organic food increase alongside increased education level?

[zenbowman]

Having gone to college is not evidence that your opinion is any more important than anyone else's.

What matters is: what does the data say about GMO safety? Are your views informed by the consensus of scientific studies?

If not, then the position is still scientifically illiterate, even if the individual has a Masters degree.

Resisting vaccinations is also quite common among educated, affluent people.

http://www.chicagomag.com/city-life/March-2014/Why-Is-Vaccin...

The issue is precisely that we have an "educated" public (based on credentials) that is also scientifically illiterate.

[akamaka]

Very interesting point about vaccinations.

I went looking for more numbers and found this: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/02/02/young-adults...

It's quite counterintuitive to me that, according to these numbers, education level doesn't seem to affect views om vaccination at all.

[icebraining]

start by asking why purchases of organic food increase alongside increased education level?

Is that true even if you control for income levels? Because it's not really a major mystery why the poor uneducated classes don't buy the (typically) more expensive organic food.

(Yes, I know there are wealthy uneducated people, and poor but educated people, but wealth and education are known to be correlated)