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by akamaka 3962 days ago
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?
2 comments
zenbowman 3962 days ago
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.

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akamaka 3961 days ago
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.

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icebraining 3962 days ago
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)

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