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Charlie Brooker's screen burn

by Guardian

Thanks to SPS for the link.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2008/aug/02/television.television?gusrc=rss

Charlie Brooker's screen burn

Science is like a good friend: sometimes it tells you things you don't want to hear

Must be frustrating being a scientist. There you are, incrementally discovering how the universe works via a series of complex tests and experiments, for the benefit of all mankind - and what thanks do you get? People call you "egghead" or "boffin" or "heretic", and they cave your face in with a rock and bury you out in the wilderness.

Not literally - not in this day and age - but you get the idea. Scientists are mistrusted by huge swathes of the general public, who see them as emotionless lab-coated meddlers-with-nature rather than, say, fellow human beings who've actually bothered getting off their arses to work this shit out. The wariness stems from three popular misconceptions:

1) Scientists want to fill our world with chemicals and killer robots; 2) They don't appreciate the raw beauty of nature, maaan; and

3) They're always spoiling our fun, pointing out homeopathy doesn't work or ghosts don't exist EVEN THOUGH they KNOW we REALLY, REALLY want to believe in them.

That last delusion is the most insidious. Science is like a good friend: sometimes it tells you things you don't want to hear. It tells you the truth. And we all know how much that can hurt, don't we, fatso?

Many people find bald, unvarnished truths so disturbing, they prefer to ram their heads in the sand and start dreaming at the first sign of scientific reality. The more contrary evidence mounts up, the harder they'll ignore it. And even the greatest, most widely-admired scientists can provoke this reaction. Take Darwin. Or rather, take The Genius Of Darwin (Mon, 8pm, C4), the latest documentary from professional God-hatin' Professor Yaffle impersonator Richard Dawkins, which sets out to calmly and lucidly explain a) Why Darwin was so ace, and b) Just how much evidence there is to support his findings.

Darwin's theory of evolution was simple, beautiful, majestic and awe-inspiring. But because it contradicts the allegorical babblings of a bunch of made-up old books, it's been under attack since day one. That's just tough luck for Darwin. If the Bible had contained a passage that claimed gravity is caused by God pulling objects toward the ground with magic invisible threads, we'd still be debating Newton with idiots too.

Since Darwin's death, Dawkins points out, the evidence confirming his discovery has piled up and up and up, many thousand feet above the point of dispute. And yet heroically, many still dispute it. They're like couch potatoes watching Finding Nemo on DVD who've suffered some kind of brain haemorrhage which has led them to believe the story they're watching is real, that their screen is filled with water and talking fish, and that that's all there is to reality - just them and that screen and Nemo - and when you run into the room and point out the DVD player and the cables connecting it to the screen, and you open the windows and point outside and describe how overwhelming the real world is - when you do all that, it only spooks them. So they go on believing in Nemo, with gritted teeth if necessary.

What was it that spooked them so? Probably natural selection's lack of reassuring narrative. It lays the ruthless, godless world pretty bloody bare. As Dawkins says: "The total amount of suffering in the natural world is beyond all decent contemplation. During the minute it takes me to say these words, thousands of animals are running for their lives, whimpering with fear, feeling teeth sink into their throats. Thousands are dying from starvation or disease or feeling a parasite rasping away from within. There is no central authority; no safety net. For most animals the reality of life is struggling, suffering and death."

Woo-hoo! Compare and contrast with the plot of Finding Nemo and it's easy to understand why people would rather believe in the purdy singing clown fish. But this is our reality, people. Like the man says, there's no safety net - so since we're all in this together, we'll have to make our own. And we can't do that with our eyes and minds shut now, can we?

Posted: Sunday, August 3, 2008 | Permalink

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1. Comment #223714 by Alan Canon on August 3, 2008 at 9:34 am

I'm sure that in the documentary Dawkins will point out Darwin's own revulsion at nature "red in tooth and claw." This aspect of nature is why Dawkins practically exhorts his readers to rebel against our Darwinian origins.

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2. Comment #223715 by themanchoo on August 3, 2008 at 9:35 am

Nemo IS real... don't believe this propaganda!

Other Comments by themanchoo

3. Comment #223717 by Am I Evil? on August 3, 2008 at 9:38 am

Nice review, looking forward to the programme.

PS - is there an unclosed bold tag out there somewhere?

Other Comments by Am I Evil?

4. Comment #223718 by J Mac on August 3, 2008 at 9:39 am

"The total amount of suffering in the natural world is beyond all decent contemplation. During the minute it takes me to say these words, thousands of animals are running for their lives, whimpering with fear, feeling teeth sink into their throats. Thousands are dying from starvation or disease or feeling a parasite rasping away from within. There is no central authority; no safety net. For most animals the reality of life is struggling, suffering and death."

But in NATURE this also means that in that same minute thousands of animals are chasing a great meal, sinking their teeth into a juicy dinner.

Religion seems to be the only force that kills and destroys for absolutely no reason.

Sure nature can be gruesome; But for every looser there is a winner. Nature seems to be a zero sum game. Religion tries to make it a negative sum game.

Other Comments by J Mac

5. Comment #223719 by J Mac on August 3, 2008 at 9:40 am

Am I Evil ...

Damn, your avatar threw me off... I as sitting there looking at this thinking: "wait, I didn't write that."

Other Comments by J Mac

6. Comment #223721 by Isherwood on August 3, 2008 at 9:42 am

This type of article brings a lump to my throat and a fist to my fingers. I shake it in disbelief and disgust at those with their heads in the sand. How can anyone with a conscious mind deny it? It's truly baffling!

But you all know that.

Other Comments by Isherwood

7. Comment #223722 by black wolf on August 3, 2008 at 9:43 am

Nice comment, very poignant.
I think children should recite at the beginning of every school day: The Universe Does Not Owe Us Comfort.
If only simple-minded people were content with watching their screen and shutting their minds - but they insist that everyone else shuts up while they watch, including their neighbors one block distant. They want the right (and have it in most countries) to speak to everyone at least once a week about the unfathomably wonderful mysteries of Nemo, of how society is built upon and cannot dispense with glowing cartoon images of the deep sea. They want the government to pay them for being the middleman between Nemo and us, pay no taxes for selling hand-drawn sketches of fish en masse, and tell everyone's children that the shark will eat them if they don't sincerely follow Nemo's rules.

Pull the plug.

Other Comments by black wolf

8. Comment #223723 by Verylee on August 3, 2008 at 9:43 am

Hahaha!...Invasion of the Flying Spaghetti Monsters!! :)

Other Comments by Verylee

9. Comment #223725 by Dhamma on August 3, 2008 at 9:47 am

Thanks for putting my thoughts on paper! I agree 100%.

The problem is that despite the overwhelming evidence, they choose ludicrous indoctrination. How are we ever going to convince them if they don't accept it already?

It's a game of psychology that we have to understand better how to play. I'm not a rhetorician, but I don't think Dawkins is rhetorical enough to convince the greater masses either even if he's had some success with his latest book. Sure, it's not his job either, but as he tries to take part of the game, I'd be glad if he was better at it.

Above all, I think we need to do everything we can, within legal boarders, to hinder religious indoctrination in our children. If you weren't taught yourself about the "truth" when you're young, it's very unlikely you will pick it up when you're older.

Other Comments by Dhamma

10. Comment #223728 by the great teapot on August 3, 2008 at 9:58 am

Many thanks to the chap/ess who first posted the link.
I have just spent the last few hours typing in screenwipe on youtube and enjoyed the comic consequences that followed. I recommend others do the same

Other Comments by the great teapot

11. Comment #223734 by Jack Rawlinson on August 3, 2008 at 10:06 am

God, I love Charlie Brooker. He always makes me laugh like a drain, and this piece was no exception.

"Science is like a good friend: sometimes it tells you things you don't want to hear. It tells you the truth. And we all know how much that can hurt, don't we, fatso? "

Awesome.

Other Comments by Jack Rawlinson

12. Comment #223736 by Steve Zara on August 3, 2008 at 10:08 am

I find it hard to say exactly why I like Charlie Brooker - basically he is a bad-tempered ranter. But I adore his writing, and "screenwipe".

Other Comments by Steve Zara

13. Comment #223740 by the great teapot on August 3, 2008 at 10:13 am

Steve.
I like him because he is a bad tempered ranter.
who lives in the real world.

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14. Comment #223741 by decius on August 3, 2008 at 10:18 am

Steve,

it seems that RD.net is having an additional problem of dns, or something. I made a couple of attempt to connect in the past 30 hours to no avail, but I could reach it through the mobile phone browser.

Then I configured the router to use a subnet mask, and it worked again.
It appears that whole areas of Europe are unable to connect directly.
Should I message Josh?

Other Comments by decius

15. Comment #223744 by Steve Zara on August 3, 2008 at 10:30 am

Comment #223741 by decius

I noted a previous problem (the site was down for a few hours). The error messages I was getting back suggested this was a disk space problem, and it seemed to be fixed quickly.

The kind of DNS problem you mention doesn't sound like it is to do with the site - if you can get to it by at least one method.

Other Comments by Steve Zara

16. Comment #223776 by AdrianB on August 3, 2008 at 12:05 pm

Comment #223718 by J Mac

"The total amount of suffering in the natural world is beyond all decent contemplation. During the minute it takes me to say these words, thousands of animals are running for their lives, whimpering with fear, feeling teeth sink into their throats. Thousands are dying from starvation or disease or feeling a parasite rasping away from within. There is no central authority; no safety net. For most animals the reality of life is struggling, suffering and death."

But in NATURE this also means that in that same minute thousands of animals are chasing a great meal, sinking their teeth into a juicy dinner.

Religion seems to be the only force that kills and destroys for absolutely no reason.

Sure nature can be gruesome; But for every looser there is a winner. Nature seems to be a zero sum game. Religion tries to make it a negative sum game.

It also means that in the same minute thousands of animals are bonking like crazy.

:)

Other Comments by AdrianB

17. Comment #223782 by soul_biscuit on August 3, 2008 at 12:16 pm

They're always spoiling our fun, pointing out homeopathy doesn't work or ghosts don't exist EVEN THOUGH they KNOW we REALLY, REALLY want to believe in them.

Awesome, but it should be pointed out that science doesn't tell us that ghosts don't exist.

It does tell us that there's no evidence in favor of ghosts existing, though, so maybe I'm just being a contemptible pedant.

Other Comments by soul_biscuit

18. Comment #223795 by KrisRamJ on August 3, 2008 at 12:28 pm

Charlie rules, I loved his review of 'The Enemies of Reason':

Inevitably, the world of science and logic is slowly fighting back. Hence the recent slew of anti-God books, one of which, The God Delusion, was written by Richard Dawkins, writer-presenter of The Enemies Of Reason (Mon, 8pm, C4). Dawkins has softened his style somewhat since his previous series, The Root of All Evil, in which he toured the globe interviewing religious extremists. Trouble was, their views made him so uppity, he occasionally came off worst. They remained eerily calm, while he huffed furiously. And because he looks and sounds precisely like Professor Yaffle from Bagpuss, the end effect was often unintentional hilarity.

In The Enemies of Reason he's still angry - how couldn't he be? - but this time round Dawkins controls his temper, focusing it like a laser beam, taking on spirituality and superstition in all its forms. The overall tone is less hectoring, more persuasive, and occasionally outright playful. It's more likely to win people over.

The end result is possibly the most important broadcast of the year so far; important because it presents a passionate argument we really all ought to be having right now, if we want to prevent a great slide backwards into mud-eating barbarism. And if you think that's hyperbole, I suggest you pick up a newspaper and see how many of the world's problems are currently being caused or exacerbated by the rejection of rational thought. From fundamentalist death cults to arrogant invasions: a startling lack of logic unites them all.

Other Comments by KrisRamJ

19. Comment #223818 by TIKI AL on August 3, 2008 at 1:12 pm

Our Bengals,(part Asian Leopard-cats) kill the lizards around the pool in a very sadistic manner but don't dine on them.

Since they appear to kill for no reason, are they religious or do they merely have an intense hatred for the green English accented Geico insurance spokesman that taunts them from inside Nemoville?

Other Comments by TIKI AL

20. Comment #223824 by J Mac on August 3, 2008 at 1:21 pm

It also means that in the same minute thousands of animals are bonking like crazy.

Religion is against that as well.

Our Bengals,(part Asian Leopard-cats) kill the lizards around the pool in a very sadistic manner but don't dine on them.

Since they appear to kill for no reason, are they religious or do they merely have an intense hatred for the green English accented Geico insurance spokesman that taunts them from inside Nemoville?

Within the humor you do have a point that perhaps I spoke to quick. However I suspect if your cats were not domesticated and living in a home where their food was provided and they had no worries they would not kill lizards just for the fun of it.

In either case the point I was working on may perhaps have been better made by Adrian B. It's easy to look out at the gruesomeness of nature; but it has its beauty and fun as well.

To be fair religion has its beauty in addition to its gruesomeness to.

So the point that nature is cruel is just unfounded in my opinion.

Nature is just nature. Animals live, animals die, animals have "blowhole intercourse" (according to another article here). Ignoring the "bad" aspects of nature would be foolish; ignoring the good aspects of nature is pessimistic.

Other Comments by J Mac

21. Comment #223838 by TIKI AL on August 3, 2008 at 1:49 pm

JMac: After some grueling googling:

"Cats, can get sick from eating geckos. It depends on if the lizard has Salmonella. Most geckos do carry salmonella. Thats why your aren't supposed to touch their stool. That is the most highly contagious way to get salmonella from a gecko. And if your cat ate a gecko, it is very possible she now has salmonella."

This information makes me want to whip up a big batch of guacamole!

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22. Comment #223844 by J Mac on August 3, 2008 at 2:07 pm

Now if you need that tidbit of knowledge to keep your from playing with gecko poop you have problems.

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23. Comment #223856 by stephenray on August 3, 2008 at 2:26 pm

"If the Bible had contained a passage that claimed gravity is caused by God pulling objects toward the ground with magic invisible threads, we'd still be debating Newton with idiots too."

I wish I'd said that.

Other Comments by stephenray

24. Comment #223877 by raptur on August 3, 2008 at 3:22 pm

wait did nemo sing?

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25. Comment #223892 by KiwiInOz on August 3, 2008 at 4:03 pm

black wolf - unfortunately the Universe did give us Comfort. Ray, that is.

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26. Comment #223917 by Godfree Gordon on August 3, 2008 at 5:34 pm

excellent article

humour works people, not shouting

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27. Comment #223970 by robotaholic on August 3, 2008 at 8:56 pm

I'm sorry but there is nothing wrong with chemicals and killer robots.:|

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28. Comment #224003 by Godfree Gordon on August 4, 2008 at 12:13 am

robotaholic

well...yeah...duh

thats a given - but apart from that what have the Romans ever done for us?

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29. Comment #224010 by black wolf on August 4, 2008 at 1:37 am

black wolf - unfortunately the Universe did give us Comfort. Ray, that is.

I had a hunch someone would say that. I resisted the temptation to include it in my post. But nooooo, you had to go there.
PZ Myers debates R.C. this Tuesday.
also, for your entertainment:
The Raytractors

Other Comments by black wolf

30. Comment #224049 by Flo on August 4, 2008 at 3:24 am

"fellow human beings who've actually bothered getting off their arses to work this shit out"

"EVEN THOUGH they KNOW we REALLY, REALLY want to believe in them"

"It tells you the truth. And we all know how much that can hurt, don't we, fatso?"

"If the Bible had contained a passage that claimed gravity is caused by God pulling objects toward the ground with magic invisible threads, we'd still be debating Newton with idiots too."

"natural selection's lack of reassuring narrative"

Yeeeah! Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the definition of "to the point", isn't it?!

As I'm not from the UK, this is the first piece I've read from Charlie Brooker, didn't know him before... but now I do... and am looking forward to read more from him, I think I'm going to check out the Guardian website from time to time from now on.

Other Comments by Flo

31. Comment #224067 by tangers on August 4, 2008 at 4:16 am

I first discovered Brooker's genius back in 1999 reading his TV Go Home web page which is always hilarious and sometimes a little disturbing. You've been warned:

http://www.tvgohome.com/archive.html

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32. Comment #224210 by JFHalsey on August 4, 2008 at 9:59 am

That article made me actually lol (as opposed to implied lol) more than any article I've read in a long damn time. "If the Bible had contained a passage that claimed gravity is caused by God pulling objects toward the ground with magic invisible threads, we'd still be debating Newton with idiots too."
Genius. Pure genius.

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33. Comment #224252 by mikecbraun on August 4, 2008 at 11:34 am

Is "the man" he's referring to Henry Rollins? To wit: "No safety net, you get what you get..." From the Rollins Band song, "Change It Up." This is a good article and I am also a fan of the ill-tempered rant.

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34. Comment #224312 by Sargeist on August 4, 2008 at 1:05 pm

Charlie Brooker:

"Worshipping God is like fellating someone who intermittently stubs fags out on your head for no good reason. And we all know how unsatisfying that can be."

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35. Comment #224558 by chuckgoecke on August 5, 2008 at 5:35 am

On the need for us humans to rise above our nature, Matt Ridley in his book "The Red Queen" quoted a line from Kathrine Hepburn in the classic, The African Queen: "Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we are put in this world to rise above"

Check out this movie clip, it won the 2008 Cann video short:

http://en.zappinternet.com/video/nilSqaMboM/HISTORIA-DE-UN-LETRERO-THE-STORY

Heavy, very heavy.

Other Comments by chuckgoecke

36. Comment #224586 by William Carlton on August 5, 2008 at 7:30 am

I'll start getting incensed by ignoramuses when it seems like they've got a snowball's chance in hell of winning the information race.

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37. Comment #224700 by Colwyn Abernathy on August 5, 2008 at 12:12 pm

Science is like a good friend: sometimes it tells you things you don't want to hear

Actually...that would be OFTEN, more often than not. And, like a good friend, science won't lie to you. 'Tis what 'tis. ;)

Tho I highly approve of this:

Scientists are mistrusted by huge swathes of the general public, who see them as emotionless lab-coated meddlers-with-nature rather than, say, fellow human beings who've actually bothered getting off their arses to work this shit out.

Cuz we just can't be bothered to learn anything new or interesting. That would require us to leave the path of least resistance.

That last delusion is the most insidious. Science is like a good friend: sometimes it tells you things you don't want to hear. It tells you the truth. And we all know how much that can hurt, don't we, fatso?

OI! Y'all don't have to be MEAN about it! ;)

EDIT: