Last Updated on 2022-07-08 by Joop Beris
I was browsing YouTube as many do during this pandemic. While there is a lot of stuff on YouTube that’s not worth the time it takes to click on the link, sometimes you find a real gem. By accident, I stumbled on a video by Eddie Scott, entitled “The skeptic in the room”.
The video was first posted in 2011 but in all that time, it’s managed to rack up just short of 50.000 views, which isn’t a lot. Nevertheless, the simple animation and tune manages to describe perfectly what it is like to be the skeptic in the room.
I can really relate to this song because I too can’t help but ask questions when people are talking what sounds like nonsense. Homeopathy, astrology, flat Earth, vaccines causing autism and 5G conspiracy theory all sound like a load of nonsense to me.
Why do you care?
Often, people will ask me why I care if some people believe in something without good evidence. They’ll ask what the harm is in believing in astrology or homeopathy. The problem is that beliefs inform our actions. So if you have beliefs that aren’t accurate you may end up making bad decisions. Those bad decisions may very well be harmful not just to you but also to me. It only takes a few unvaccinated people for a disease to survive and flare up again. Just look at how polio can flare up in regions that were previously free. Taking good, well-informed decisions about vaccination seems especially relevant during this pandemic!
We aren’t harmed by things we know, only by things we do not know. The more we know and understand, the better decisions we can make for ourselves and for the future. That is why I see it as my duty to help people think more clearly, more freely and to demand evidence for things they are told.
I hope you find this song as amusing and fitting as I did. Feel free to let me know in the comments below!