Denialism by Michael Specter

The premise of the book is that on many important world issues, backward thinking and mistrust or misunderstanding of science is making our problems worse.  I certainly agree with him!

Michael Specter has a very good description of how just a few people have created mistrust of vaccines and now many children are getting sick because of it.  He also does a good job of exposing the fraud in believing that organic food is significantly better for our health or for the world.....  If everyone in the world suddenly switched to only eat organic food, the world wouldn't be able to support its current population.  He also pokes fun at the practice of taking nutritional supplements.  Some of his arguments for the organic food and supplements are a little weak, and he doesn't follow a clear set of logic.  For both of these issues, it isn't clear where "denialism" comes into play.  I think both organic food and supplements industries are the result of very clever and effective marketing.

Then he took on the issue of race and ethnic background and DNA.  That section seemed to focus on how all humans are more alike and that race shouldn't be a discriminator when doing medical studies.  It had some good scientific information, but didn't seem to be relevant to the "denialism issue"..

His final big section concerned the development of GMO organisms.  He presented a good case why research in all genetic modifications should continue as it may be the human race's only saviour from disaster.  There are many people and organizations, such as religious groups who are opposed to "fooling with mother nature" and this minority has been able to put the brakes on development.  I don't believe he handled this subject very thoroughly.

I would have liked to have heard his suggestions on how citizens could work to reverse the denialism in the world -- in particular for each of the issues he raised.  I'm not sure there is a solution.  The Catholic Church's denialism kept the world in the "Dark Ages for many centuries.  Some of the world's religions are still doing it.  I would have also thought if he wanted to cite some of the best examples of denialism, he would have cited global warming where a very few, very rich people, like the Koch Brothers, have been able to create enough doubt to slow down all progress to stop or reverse global warming.  Also he could have addressed recreational drugs, such as marijuana which has a small minority of "special interests" who have been fighting against legalization for decades which has resulted in destroying many lives and exported corruption to central American countries.