When you hear someone in the news talking about science, that isn't science. That's someone's interpretation of science, and it has the same level of credibility as a political opinion, which is low.
None of us are "following the science." We are following people who tell us they can accurately interpret science and create rational policy from it. Sometimes they are right. But you and I can't tell in advance which times those people are right. We only imagine we can.
Are the people interpreting science for us usually right, usually wrong, or something closer to a coin toss? You and I have no idea.
"Science" -- as it is used by the public and politicians -- has become something closer to a con game. The "real" science is behind a curtain and unavailable to the public. What we see are humans telling us what to think about the science, backed by studies we can't judge.
Science is similar to religion in the sense that we depend on designated experts to explain to the ignorant masses -- that's us -- how to think about it.
That's why I've come to see anyone screeching "follow the science" as operating at a low level of awareness. We all WANT to follow the science. It just isn't a thing. The best we citizens can do is choose which "explainer" to believe. That gives us the illusion of being smart.
You don't need to stream into the comments to sciencesplain to me what science is and how it works. Assume I know that, and assume you're missing the point if you are leaving that type of comment.
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