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Steve Faktor
@ideafaktory
, 5 tweets, 2 min read Read on Twitter
#InstaTheory: Today's dogmatic science denialism is a byproduct of capitalism

Neither righties (evolution/climate) or lefties (biology/alt-meds/GMO) accept NO for an answer b/c at the heart of capitalism is appeasement-giving everyone what they want (to hear/eat/wear etc) always
Every idea is also a market. Each yields a bounty of companies & grifters to sell you happiness.

Want to feel beautiful, smart or righteous? Buy this cream, app & podcast.

Want excuses for failure? Just tell us what you failed at, a representative will call with elixirs.
This is a world without gravity. Without facts, experts or boundaries. No one here has moral authority because they can buy bespoke truths from bespoke merchants.

In this world, companies, politicians, hard scientists (I know...) are paralyzed. To say "NO" is to deny service.
Everyone is a customer and must be appeased. Employees, voters, viewers, subscribers, followers, everyone must get what they want or someone else will take their business. That's #capitalism. Even when the product being sold is #socialism.

More: ideafaktory.com/bs
Ultimately, there's nothing worse for a person than getting everything they want. Because it's almost never what they need.
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More from @ideafaktory see all

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Steve Faktor
@ideafaktory
Thread on some thoughts on @ewarren's plan to demand poor countries meet labor & environmental standards to trade with the US & on @Noahpinion's critique.

1) Yes, Clinton-era free trade agreements caused a multi-decade job bleed from the US, especially in manufacturing
2) Free trade generally benefits lower cost providers. Therefore, a net positive for emerging nations.

3) There are things we could have done to phase in free trade deals, like boost investment & re-training in other industries, to limit the downsides. But hindsight is 20/20.
4) While ALL consumers benefit from lower prices from free trade & much smaller groups of workers benefit from protectionism, it's the job of a nation's leaders to balance the two. That did not happen here. The digital boom abandoned the analog workers of exported industries.
Read 12 tweets
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Steve Faktor
@ideafaktory
A better alternative to "progress studies"

While I appreciate the importance of understanding & facilitating progress, I was underwhelmed by this proposal for a new scientific discipline.

I'd like to propose a better alternative....

#innovation #science #education

1/7
A while back, I put together a sampling of big challenges we face & a way to measure magnitude. ideafaktory.com/unbreaking-ame…

But BIG problems demand big innovative solutions.

Unfortunately, the capabilities we need are scattered across disciplines & institutions.

2/7
What I propose is a global, cross-disciplinary strikeforce for each problem we face.

This model would truly meld purpose, education & action into a cohesive whole.

It would eliminate the need for yet another scientific discipline, while truly accelerating human progress.

3/7
Read 7 tweets
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Steve Faktor
@ideafaktory
IBM is accused of firing older workers. This is really about money - and doesn't just apply to IBM. Many companies sneakily create practices, communications & policies (like not subsidizing family health coverage)to discourage hiring older workers.


2/7
Age discrimination is especially common in #tech, where appearing "cool" carries a premium for recruiting top grads & younger talent.

In most careers, there comes an inflection point where junior employees can do the same job (or ~80% of it) for way less.

3/7
Sadly, to companies we're no more than "human resources," so employees must make themselves indispensable, esp. as their salaries creep up.

How?

1) Develop a unique expertise: be known for it. Could be anything from a coding language to ideas generation to great #design.

4/7
Read 6 tweets

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I Am SciComm
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Today we'll discuss "safe spaces to fail" and scaffolded experiences to build up your skills!
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As a former academic & now in my work to spread adaptable skills in #scicomm through #comedy, it strikes me how little prep we get to teach or give strategic talks as we make the shift from undergrad to grad levels

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Lisa Yriberry Reist
@lisamreist
Hello & Happy Spring! (Thread) If you haven’t been on here til 1am EST, I’m going to unpack recently announced #opioid bill S-724 (named for John McCain). For reax check out threads by @erinbiba and @AnaMardoll (call @gillibrandNY ASAP to protest bill.) Onto the breakdown:
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Karl Coplan
@kcoplan
When I hear ppl saying that we need systems change and not culture change to address #climate breakdown, I think ppl overstate the ability of top down law reform to change culture. Law reform is not particularly effective and changing culture. 1/
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Lorraine Mulholland
@lorraineelizab6
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