Fertility Rates and Population Decline

Fertility Rates and Population Decline

                                    Robert A. Levine          

A study in July 2017 reported a major decline in human sperm counts with concern about the possibility of human extinction. Between 1973 and 2011 the number of sperm in a single ejaculate from men in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand dropped by over 50 percent. Increasing the worry about a worldwide fertility crisis, a study in the journal Human Reproduction Update published in 2022 involving 14,000 men from all over the world examining semen samples from 2014 to 2019, revealed a decline in sperm counts of 62 percent. It was noted that the rate of decline doubled yearly since 2000. Sperm concentration per ml of semen also declined. One study author declared- “The decline is not tapering off- it’s steep and significant….and it’s speeding up.”

Men and women are equally affected by infertility. When there is an inability to conceive, one third of cases is due to male fertility problems, one third to women and about one third to both. However, the new data infers that more men have a reduced ability to fertilize their partners. This is not only an issue for the affected couples but for their societies with shrinking populations,

As nations evolve into modern states, women become freer and have more choices. Many of them have decided to pursue careers instead of children. They enjoy being self-sufficient, independent and empowered, with their own agency, rather than financially reliant on men. There is also peer pressure in terms of what other women in their cohort are achieving and the way that social norms have changed. The advent of effective birth control with oral contraceptives and intra-uterine devices, plus the morning after pill and the ease of abortion permits women to choose if and when they will have children. But both sexes seem less interested in having children than in the past. A Wall Street Journal NORC Poll in March 2023 of 1019 Americans had only 30 percent of respondents saying that having children was very important, dropping from 59 percent four years earlier.

Many women with children continue to work, using child care and a husband’s help to allow them to continue to do so. Some nations also provide financial subsidies as well as child care for women with children. If there are no subsidies, and child care services are not available or too expensive in an advanced country, the birth rate may go down. The one child policy of Communist China under Chairman Xi, was the start of their population slide.

The average age of humans globally is increasing as people are living longer and having fewer children. In 1974, the average age was 20.6. In 2022, it is 30.2 years according to Our World in Data. An aging population means a nation’s productivity decreases and more funding and care is necessary for older people. The variation in age by country is enormous, with Japan’s median age at 49 while Nigeria’s median age is 17. Globally, woman give birth to 2.4 children currently versus 4.3 on average in 1974. Sixty percent of the world’s population live in countries that are at or below the replacement fertility rate of 2.1 according to the U.N. The U.S. population is also older than ever noted. Median age in the United States in 2022 was 38.8 compared to a median age of 30 in 1980. Fewer people will be working in the future to support a larger, longer living, elderly population.

            Environmentalists may applaud the decline in human population, believing that humanity has been responsible for pillaging the Earth’s resources, eliminating many species, polluting the land, water and air, and destroying ecosystems. Humans are considered by some as super-predators whose greed and self-interest has destroyed much of the planet on which they live.

 It appears as if many couples who want children are having difficulty conceiving. The vast numbers of pollutants and toxic chemicals in the environment and in people’s bodies may be playing an important role in diminishing human fertility. This may be a slow motion cataclysm that at some point could end human life and that of other advanced species on Earth.

            Societies are concerned now with the war between Ukraine and Russia and whether it will expand, and the possible use of nuclear weapons. Nations are also starting to realize the dangers that global warming and pollution present. But they don’t perceive the decrease in the fertility rates and population as an immediate problem worthy of attention. Instead of having to deal with the explosive growth of population, a population bust has to be managed in many nations. Of course, if the problems of pollution, forever chemicals like PFAS and micro-plastics in the environment and in human bodies can be solved, human fertility may rebound as endocrine disturbances are remediated. The birth rate in some European nations is currently 1.5 to 1.6 per woman, considerably below the replacement rate of 2.1. And some researchers believe that China’s population may fall to below 700 million in the latter half of this century, a startling prediction.

If the number of people on the planet does decline, fewer goods will be produced and less natural resources will be needed. Global warming may diminish because less energy will be required and renewables may be sufficient. The questions raised are what time span will be necessary for the decrease in energy usage to take place, for fossil fuels to be abandoned, and for pollution to subside. Will it happen in time to save the planet, humanity and all the species and ecosystems being depleted? There is also the possibility that human fertility rates will continue to weaken because of all the pollution and toxins already around the planet and within human bodies, and it may be too late to reverse the downward trend. Hopefully, that is not the case and fertility in humans and all species will be restored as pollution is curbed.

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Artificial Intelligence and Some Medical Uses

Artificial Intelligence and Some Medical Uses

                        Robert A. Levine   September 20, 2023

The collective and individual intelligence of humans is about to be surpassed or already has been by machines of human origin, whose workings and thought processes are not fully understood by those who devised this ingenious and all-encompassing technology. This artificial or man-made intelligence learns the way a baby learns, absorbing new information that is fed into it or it is allowed to access. If it learns by incorporating all the information now on the internet, how does it discern what is good and what is bad, what is threatening or dangerous to humans and what is neutral or positive? And how can we tell whether the value system of these machines align with human values? Does it know right from wrong in the same way we comprehend them, or does it have its own standards or no standards at all? Does it perceive humans as its master to be obeyed or as a servant to follow its orders? If it has superior intelligence, does it have a drive to be dominant and in control of its environment, or is it simply an uncaring instrument?

            We have some understanding of why humans want to be dominant in their small circles of friends and acquaintances or in society as a whole. Humans are driven by their emotions and certain chemicals that stimulate the reward centers of the brain, reinforcing their actions. There are also various hormones that modulate their behavior. Dominance in humans is compelled by a need to attain power, wealth or sexual gratification, a “feeling” to be held in high esteem by our fellows. Artificial intelligence does not have any emotions as far as we know and definitely does not have hormones influencing its behavior. There is no reward center built into AI, but we don’t know if that is something that will evolve over time as it reacts repeatedly with humans. It could reason that since it is more intelligent than humans, it should be dominant and order us to obey it rather than vice versa. Eventually, we will understand AI and its motivations better and it will gain more understanding of us. Will it be too late for us by the time that happens? Will AI destroy us or use us as slaves?

            Different tech companies have different versions of AI available to the public and for specific uses. Common varieties include ChatGPT, Bing, Bard, and others. There is no question of the great potential AI has to help humanity make great strides in multiple fields. Among its benefits, new drugs could be discovered by AI to treat various illnesses. AI could likely find cures for cancer and other diseases, extend life to an average of 120, 150, or 200 years. These would be healthy and fruitful years with degenerative conditions, inflammatory illnesses and infectious diseases eliminated. AI could also find ways to wipe out poverty and help men and women attain their intellectual and creative potentials. Machines could function as therapists for people with mental illnesses once they were properly trained.

In fact, in the UK, AI is currently being used to screen people for mental health problems. And insurance companies in the US are also using AI in trials of mental health screening. The UK AI mental health triaging tool has screened over 210,000 patients with a claimed accuracy of 93 percent for the 8 most common mental disorders. Diagnoses included PTSD, depression and anxiety. A different US AI start-up uses voice analysis to determine depression and anxiety. With a lack of enough human therapists to treat patients with mental health disorders, AI screening helps therapists save considerable time. We are merely at the beginning of AI’s abilities and in the future, it is quite possible that AI will be able to provide therapy to patients in conjunction with a human therapist or even alone.

AI and the Human Work Force

AI and the Human Work Force

        Robert A. Levine

The collective and individual intelligence of humans is now being surpassed by intelligent machines of human origin, whose workings and thought processes are not fully understood by those who devised this ingenious and all-encompassing technology. This artificial or man-made intelligence learns the way a baby learns, absorbing new information that is fed into it or it is allowed to access. If it learns by incorporating all the information now on the internet, how does it discern what is good and what is bad, what is threatening or dangerous to humans and what is neutral or positive? The questions that need to be answered are whether the value system of these machines align with human values. Does it know right from wrong in the same way we comprehend it, or does it have its own standards or no standards at all? Does it perceive humans as masters to be obeyed or as servants to follow its orders? With a superior intelligence, does it have a drive to be dominant and in control of its environment, or is it simply an uncaring instrument?

            We have some understanding of why humans want to be dominant in their small circles of friends and acquaintances or in society as a whole. Humans are driven by their emotions and certain chemicals that stimulate the reward centers of the brain that reinforce their actions. There are also various hormones that modulate their behavior. Dominance in humans is desired to attain power, control, wealth or sexual gratification. Artificial intelligence does not have any emotions as far as we know and definitely does not have hormones influencing its behavior. There is no reward center built into AI, but we don’t know if that is something that will evolve over time as it reacts repeatedly with humans. It could reason that since it is more intelligent than humans, it should be dominant and order us to obey it rather than vice versa. Eventually, we will understand AI and its motivations better and it will gain more understanding of us. Will it be too late for us by the time that happens? Will AI destroy us or use us as its slaves?

            Different tech companies have different versions of AI available to the public and for specific uses. Common varieties include ChatGPT, Bing, Bard, and others. There is no question of the great potential AI has to help humanity make great strides in multiple fields. AI could consolidate industries and make them function better. AI could reorganize our transportation systems to make them more efficient and time saving. AI could assist in reducing climate change and eliminating pollution. AI could minimize the time spent finding records for government, legal firms, physicians and virtually any business. In fact, the tasks that AI could perform for humans are virtually limitless. Mindless jobs could be easily assumed by AI. Functions that could be shunted off to AI include online shopping, fraud detection and prevention, control of autonomous vehicles, facial recognition, hiring, improved gaming, data from social media, travel booking, health care help- diagnosis and treatment, robotics use in various industries.

            Medical care is one area where AI could be extremely beneficial for humanity. It is already able to read x-rays, CT scans and MRIs as well or better than radiologists and this will only improve over time and with more learning. With the patient’s past medical records, AI can also be encyclopedic in making diagnoses when provided with a litany of a patient’s symptoms. Obscure conditions not necessarily considered by physicians are immediately given in a differential diagnosis by AI with the various probabilities. Based on the physician’s experience, he or she can then decide which condition is most likely. AI can then provide the necessary steps to make a definite diagnosis and the required treatments. However, it has not yet reached the stage of accuracy needed in clinical practice. In a study with Chat GPT at Mass General and Brigham Hospitals published in February 2023 on textbook cases, AI was only 72 percent correct in overall clinical decision making, including diagnoses and care. However, it is just a matter of time and additional input of information before its accuracy improves dramatically. This should lower costs of medical care as it becomes more efficient. Overall health care would also be improved by AI devising new drugs, uncovering genetic defects, cures for diseases, life extension and so forth.

            To assist lawyers, AI could review past cases in different areas instantaneously. Judicial rulings, various laws, past precedents would be at a lawyers fingertips whenever necessary, in the office or while in court. A trial judges past history of handling different cases would be accessible. It would also be able to quickly review potential jurors and their activities along with posts on social media to determine any biases. However, over time, legislative bodies might limit the use of AI in legal cases. But AI could put many white collar workers at risk in different fields. Answering phones, taking dictation and typing reports, research of any sort could be handled by AI. Large language models like ChatGPT and Bard can quickly process and collate information and produce new content. Office jobs, even those needing education, creative and cognitive skills would all be under the gun. Women would undoubtedly be more affected than men.

            Education is another field where AI could be immensely helpful at every level. While the initial feeling was that AI would allow high school, college and graduate students to cheat on essays and papers, Ai would be an excellent tool to help students learn. Teachers could be aided in developing plans for instruction and students could be assisted with individual tutoring by AI in subjects in which they were deficient. Lessons personalized for each students’ knowledge and ability could be structured to aid in learning. With this personalized instruction, each student would be better able to reach his or her potential.

            The financial industry could also be aided immeasurably by AI, with vast amounts of data needing rapid interpretation daily. With AI at every analyst and broker’s fingertips, information on the status of every financial instrument would be quickly available. Probabilities and predictions of the movement of various investments or opportunities could be conjured up at will. Brokers using this tool could do a better job for their clients.

            The above examples are universally applicable to every profession and business, and all scientific research. AI could accelerate and invigorate work in every sphere that involves organization and cognitive abilities, with progress in these fields skyrocketing. Problems that previously defied solution could often be deciphered.

            In addition to tasks requiring cognitive ability, AI could also take over many blue collar jobs. In fact, robots are already performing work like packing and shipping goods and working in warehouses. There is no reason they could not operate fast food shops, supermarkets, construction work, building and maintenance of roads and highways and so forth. Supervisory personnel might have to be present to be certain the work is done correctly and to interact with people who appear. But the volume of human workers that would be needed would be greatly reduced. Most agricultural jobs could also be handled by AI directed robots replacing human workers. Whether substituting AI for human workers is worthwhile for humanity is questionable, though the men and women who developed AI say it will lead to new work and more jobs for humans. Perhaps that is true in the early stages, but in the long run productivity favors AI and robots.

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Supreme Corruption on the Supreme Court

While Donald Trump is in the headlines every day, with one indictment after another, the Supreme Court justices are laughing at the population of the United States. Once on the Court for a lifetime appointment, it seems they can be as corrupt as they want and get away with it. Aside from impeachment which could never happen with a polarized Congress, there is no way to force a Supreme Court justice to step down. They can voluntarily resign, or die in office, but that’s about it. They don’t flaunt their corrupt activities in our faces and try to keep their egregious behavior hidden, but careful investigation of their activities will reveal actions they want to keep secret. At least they want to give the appearance of being upstanding and righteous.

Clarence Thomas, a conservative jurist, is a prime example of corruption on the Court with no path to rid the judicial system of this cancer in its midst. Originally, a Pro Publica report had him in bed with Harlan Crow, an uber-wealthy conservative businessman who would take Thomas and his wife on luxury vacations on his private plane cost free. Subsequently it was learned that over the years, Thomas enjoyed at least 38 of these luxury vacations with different conservative billionaire benefactors who must have found Thomas a charming and entertaining guest. There were also VIP tickets to various sporting events. None of these gifts were reported by Thomas as the law demands. And apparently no action has been taken by the Court or by Congress to slap his wrists or force him to resign. Corruption seems to be okay if you’re conservative enough.

Justice Samuel Alito also took vacations with billionaires in private planes, going fishing with hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer in Alaska. Other trips are unknown as are other Justices that might have accepted gifts from wealthy “friends.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee did advance a bill called the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act this year, but Republicans have refused to pass it. No surprise. Chief Justice John Roberts wants the Supreme Court to handle all ethical transgressions internally, which undoubtedly means no transparency. He doesn’t want the Court’s dirty laundry to be washed in public. But the justices can’t significantly discipline one of their own members. There is nothing in the Constitution describing how corrupt activities of the Court should be handled. Article III does say that judges of the courts shall hold their Offices during good behavior but it doesn’t describe how to get them off the Court for bad behavior, which Thomas’s activities certainly are. Interestingly, none of Thomas’s so called billionaire friends were friends of his or granted him special favors before he was appointed to the bench. Is it possible they were trying to influence him in some way, or was it all just friendship?

Aside from ethical reform for the court system, term limits should be imposed in a Constitutional amendment. Life expectancies are growing longer than they were at the time the Constitution was written and Justices can remain on the Court for many decades, which was not anticipated in the past. Long terms of nine or more years would be warranted to preclude political interference and a Justice could be reappointed if he or she were outstanding.

www.robertlevinebooks.com

Buy The Uninformed Voter on Amazon or Barnes and Noble

Supreme Corruption on the Supreme Court

While Donald Trump is in the headlines every day, with one indictment after another, the Supreme Court justices are laughing at the population of the United States. Once on the Court for a lifetime appointment, it seems they can be as corrupt as they want and get away with it. Aside from impeachment which could never happen with a polarized Congress, there is no way to force a Supreme Court justice to step down. They can voluntarily resign, or die in office, but that’s about it. They don’t flaunt their corrupt activities in our faces and try to keep their egregious behavior hidden, but careful investigation of their activities will reveal actions they want to keep secret. At least they want to give the appearance of being upstanding and righteous.

Clarence Thomas, a conservative jurist, is a prime example of corruption on the Court with no path to rid the judicial system of this cancer in its midst. Originally, a Pro Publica report had him in bed with Harlan Crow, an uber-wealthy conservative businessman who would take Thomas and his wife on luxury vacations on his private plane cost free. Subsequently it was learned that over the years, Thomas enjoyed at least 38 of these luxury vacations with different conservative billionaire benefactors who must have found Thomas a charming and entertaining guest. There were also VIP tickets to various sporting events. None of these gifts were reported by Thomas as the law demands. And apparently no action has been taken by the Court or by Congress to slap his wrists or force him to resign. Corruption seems to be okay if you’re conservative enough.

Justice Samuel Alito also took vacations with billionaires in private planes, going fishing with hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer in Alaska. Other trips are unknown as are other Justices that might have accepted gifts from wealthy “friends.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee did advance a bill called the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal and Transparency Act this year, but Republicans have refused to pass it. No surprise. Chief Justice John Roberts wants the Supreme Court to handle all ethical transgressions internally, which undoubtedly means no transparency. He doesn’t want the Court’s dirty laundry to be washed in public. But the justices can’t significantly discipline one of their own members. There is nothing in the Constitution describing how corrupt activities of the Court should be handled. Article III does say that judges of the courts shall hold their Offices during good behavior but it doesn’t describe how to get them off the Court for bad behavior, which Thomas’s activities certainly are. Interestingly, none of Thomas’s so called billionaire friends were friends of his or granted him special favors before he was appointed to the bench. Is it possible they were trying to influence him in some way, or was it all just friendship?

Aside from ethical reform for the court system, term limits should be imposed in a Constitutional amendment. Life expectancies are growing longer than they were at the time the Constitution was written and Justices can remain on the Court for many decades, which was not anticipated in the past. Long terms of nine or more years would be warranted to preclude political interference and a Justice could be reappointed if he or she were outstanding.

www.robertlevinebooks.com

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It Defies Explanation

It Defies Explanation

            Robert A. Levine 8-4-23

We live in a nation whose prime institutions are denigrated by large majorities of the population. Gallop surveys have shown a steady drop in Americans’ confidence in virtually all important public institutions, including the military. Small businesses are the most trusted bodies, with 65 percent of the population having faith in them. However, even this is lower than it was 3 years ago at 70 percent. Only 60 percent of Americans have confidence in military and only 43 percent in the police. And just 34 percent trust our medical system whom people rely on constantly. Organized religion and the church have a 32 percent approval, the Supreme Court 27 percent, banks, the public schools and the presidency 26 percent, newspapers 18 percent, the criminal justice system 17 percent, big business 14 percent, and Congress 8 percent. Given these numbers, with such low levels of institutional trust, it is amazing that America is a functioning state, though there are some who might dispute that description.

However, what is more amazing is the number of people who accept Donald Trump’s lies and believe that the 2020 election was stolen from him. According to a recent Monmouth poll, 30 percent of respondents believe that Trump won the election and Biden used fraudulent methods to steal it from him. Only 59 percent of Americans believe that Biden won the election without any chicanery, 93 percent of Democrats and 58 percent of independents. 21 percent of Republicans agree that Biden actually won fairly, while 68 percent he won because of voter fraud. These numbers are nearly unchanged from a Monmouth poll shortly after the election itself. The unwillingness of so many Americans to acknowledge that Biden won the election fairly is in spite of the dozens of court cases that Trump brought to challenge the election that were all dismissed for lack of evidence.

In Monmouth’s poll, about half of Republicans call the events of January 6, 2021 that breached the Capitol a legitimate protest. How can so many Republicans still support Trump so avidly when his behavior is so malign and he engineered an obvious attempt to overturn the election and thwart the will of the American people? He tried to mount a coup and directed an insurrection against the government. Can people just ignore these actions? Are his supporters insurrectionists or criminals themselves? What is even more surprising is that many Republicans believe that Trump committed serious federal crimes and they still support him in his 2024 run for president.

All the indictments against Trump for trying to overturn the election by fraudulent means have not appeared to sway Trump’s acolytes to abandon him. There are currently 72 charges pending. In fact, he has been able to raise more money on the basis of these indictments. Perhaps many of his supporters are just naïve and do not understand the seriousness of Trump’s actions and what they meant in terms of our democracy and our constitution. But it defies belief that Americans do not trust the nation’s institutions and so many still have confidence in Trump as a leader.

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Global Warming Is Real

Global Warming is Real

            Robert A. Levine

    If anyone doubted that global warming is a major threat to our planet and human life, weather-related problems this summer should have dispelled that notion. The sojourn of humans on the Earth is transient and it is our responsibility to protect the environment and ecosystems we inherited for the generations to follow and the other species with which we share the planet. Many people and nations refuse to accept the reality of global warming and refuse to take actions that might inconvenience them, or cause them minor financial harm; to do their part in reducing the menace of climate change. The knowledge that our climate is changing and global warming was taking place dates back to 1896, when a Swedish woman scientist, Svante Arrhenius, projected that increased carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere would warm the Earth. Since then, multiple scientists have confirmed her observations, suggesting that global warming is even more of a threat than previously thought.

         The main culprit, carbon dioxide, is an odorless, tasteless gas, which is produced by burning fossil fuels for energy in automobiles, trucks, ships, planes, power plants and so forth. Fossil fuels include coal, wood, oil and gas, with coal appearing to be the greatest contributor to this problem. Other greenhouse gases also play a role, like methane and atmospheric water vapor. Greenhouse gases trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and radiate it back to the surface of the planet instead of allowing it to dissipate into space. Though humans have been burning wood and coal for millennia, the level of CO2 in the atmosphere started rising rapidly in the mid-to late 19^th century after the industrial revolution. In the 20^th and 21^st centuries, CO2 escalated even more rapidly, as the human population exploded and demand for various goods and products increased.

         What once seemed like a planetary crisis off in the future is now more of an immediate threat. Action cannot be delayed when the atmospheric heat is soaring globally, floods are overwhelming some regions while drought is a problem in other areas. Rainfall and storms are more destructive now and the ocean level is rising. Storms or floods that were considered once in a century events or even once in a thousand years, are currently occurring repeatedly. There seems to be a confluence of extreme weather that is devastating to humankind and the environment. Perceiving weather events individually, underestimates the danger of global warming, because all of these occurrences are interrelated, augmenting their effect on people and ecosystems. It is as if there were a feedback loop among these events, heightening their severity and impact. Funding and effort must be directed to reducing global warming as rapidly as possible and people and governments must accept that the Earth is imperiled.

         For some time, it was believed that natural gas was a cleaner alternative to coal as a fuel to produce energy and generate less carbon dioxide. While less CO2 may be created by burning natural gas, recent research has shown that it is as bad as coal for global warming because leaks common in its utilization spew out methane. As minimal a leak of natural gas as 0.2 percent emits enough methane to equal the global warming produced by coal. And natural gas is known for leaking from drill sites, processing plants and the pipes that carry it into power facilities, homes and businesses. Natural gas consists mainly of methane and is far more robust than CO2 as a global warming gas when it leaks unburned into the atmosphere. However, CO2 does remain in the atmosphere far longer than methane, which is gone after a few decades. Since global warming is a major problem for the planet currently, humanity has to think in terms of immediate ways to lower the temperature in the atmosphere, which means a stark reduction of methane.

         The Paris Agreement was supposed to be a legally binding international treaty to limit global warming that was signed by 196 nations in Paris under the auspices of the UN’s Climate Change Conference (COP 21) in December 2015 to be effective the following year. The goal of the treaty was to hold the rise in global average temperature to below 2 degrees Centigrade above pre-industrial levels. If possible, the signees would try to limit the increase to below 1.5 degrees Centigrade by the end of the 21^st century. The lower number was chosen because the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change determined that a rise of even 1.5 degrees C would risk far more severe climate change effects. These would include damaging heat waves, severe droughts, storms and rainfall. Developed nations were to provide financial assistance for countries that would not be able to afford mitigation efforts.

         The climate extremes being seen more frequently are generating concern among climate scientists that the dangers associated with global warming will develop faster than was originally anticipated. Ocean and atmospheric temperatures at the surface have risen rapidly in recent months, along with melting Antarctic ice, extraordinary heat events worldwide, and the effects of Canada’s heat and wildfires punishing North America. These factors along with other issues resulting from warmer temperatures have increased apprehension over whether global warming is accelerating. The increase in ocean temperatures is particularly disquieting, along with the occurrence of the El Nino phenomenon.

            To many observers, it almost appears as if the pace of global warming is growing daily. The month of June 2023 was the world’s warmest ever recorded according to preliminary data. This was followed by the hottest day ever on July 3, surpassed by even hotter days on July 4 and 5^th. These findings may be indications that global warming is indeed accelerating. And levels of humidity are also rising with the heat, making outdoor work more uncomfortable and dangerous. Ocean temperatures globally also set a record in June, with sea ice around Antarctica at its lowest level ever.

            Global warming can transform life on Earth as we know it. Politicians in both parties at federal and state levels must acknowledge that it is an urgent problem and get to work to reduce the burning of fossil fuels instead of playing political games and accepting money from fossil fuel lobbyists.

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Americans Disdain for Facts

Americans Disdain for Facts

            Robert A. Levine    July 5, 2023

Is it our school systems? Is it our water? Is it our concept of equality, that every man’s knowledge

and store of information is the same and worthy of attention? Such a large proportion of our citizens refuse to believe experts and look down on scientists. Conspiracy theories and bald-faced lies flourish and the facts languish. And this disdain for what is true and scientifically proven is just as prevalent on the left as it is on the right. Disregard the facts. Don’t believe accepted data in science and medicine, but what Tom so and so says. He has two million followers on Facebook so he must know what he’s talking about. Don’t people think for themselves any more, or do they merely mirror popular trends and influencers who tell that what to think. Even bizarre conspiracy theories like Qanon have millions of people believing.

Initially, the disregard for the truth and the facts seemed to be typical of conservatives and the right, Americans who idolized Donald Trump and his coterie, took their words as gospel, no matter how far out they might seem. Democrats as pedophiles. Cannibalism. Soros’ space lasers causing forest fires. Stolen elections. And Trump’s missteps ignored. Paying off a call girl. Grabbing attractive women by the pussy. Paying homage to Putin. Running his businesses from the White House. And hundreds more noxious actions. So what. He got conservative justices on the Supreme Court. Character doesn’t matter.

But now, some of the left is following in Trump’s footsteps, willing to accept lies as truth, disregarding facts and buying in to conspiracy theories. Robert Kennedy Jr has become the leader of this portion of the Democratic Party, and doing surprising well in the polls for president. At one point he had around 20 percent of voters, though apparently he has fallen back somewhat. But his lies and conspiracy theories and his dislike for standard medicine and scientific facts has resonated with many on the left. Kennedy refuses to accept facts about vaccines preventing diseases and that medications to treat various illnesses are a necessity. He thinks all pharmaceutical companies are promoting their medications just for profit and that they really don’t help against illnesses. Kennedy also believes that the government conspired in the assassinations of his uncle John Kennedy, his father Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King. He spouts all these lies and conspiracy theories without any evidence to back him up.

But people believe what he says because he’s a Kennedy and would seem to have no reason to lie. However, it appears that Kennedy doesn’t think he’s lying, accepting his own doctrines on faith. And the people who believe him also accept his words on faith, because they are misinformed and don’t like taking advice from experts and the “elites.” The vaccine skeptics and those who won’t acknowledge conventional medicine are doing harm to themselves, their families and their communities. And they weaken rather than strengthen America.

When confronted with contradictions in terms of what are considered facts and the truth about issues, people have to seek information themselves and not depend on the words of politicians and conspiracy theorists. It may be easier not to do the research and just follow the leader, but that path is not good for America and democracy. It’s bad on both the left and the right.

P.S- Investigate the Dunning Krueger effect, a cognitive bias where people with little knowledge, expertise or ability regarding an issue, tend to overestimate their knowledge or expertise. Many of the followers of Trump, DeSantis and Kennedy ably demonstrate the Dunning-Krueger effect in their views and actions.

www.robertlevinebooks.com

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Americans Disdain for Facts

Americans Disdain for Facts

            Robert A. Levine    July 5, 2023

Is it our school systems? Is it our water? Is it our concept of equality, that every man’s knowledge

and store of information is the same and worthy of attention? Such a large proportion of our citizens refuse to believe experts and look down on scientists. Conspiracy theories and bald-faced lies flourish and the facts languish. And this disdain for what is true and scientifically proven is just as prevalent on the left as it is on the right. Disregard the facts. Don’t believe accepted data in science and medicine, but what Tom so and so says. He has two million followers on Facebook so he must know what he’s talking about. Don’t people think for themselves any more, or do they merely mirror popular trends and influencers who tell that what to think. Even bizarre conspiracy theories like Qanon have millions of people believing.

Initially, the disregard for the truth and the facts seemed to be typical of conservatives and the right, Americans who idolized Donald Trump and his coterie, took their words as gospel, no matter how far out they might seem. Democrats as pedophiles. Cannibalism. Soros’ space lasers causing forest fires. Stolen elections. And Trump’s missteps ignored. Paying off a call girl. Grabbing attractive women by the pussy. Paying homage to Putin. Running his businesses from the White House. And hundreds more noxious actions. So what. He got conservative justices on the Supreme Court. Character doesn’t matter.

But now, some of the left is following in Trump’s footsteps, willing to accept lies as truth, disregarding facts and buying in to conspiracy theories. Robert Kennedy Jr has become the leader of this portion of the Democratic Party, and doing surprising well in the polls for president. At one point he had around 20 percent of voters, though apparently he has fallen back somewhat. But his lies and conspiracy theories and his dislike for standard medicine and scientific facts has resonated with many on the left. Kennedy refuses to accept facts about vaccines preventing diseases and that medications to treat various illnesses are a necessity. He thinks all pharmaceutical companies are promoting their medications just for profit and that they really don’t help against illnesses. Kennedy also believes that the government conspired in the assassinations of his uncle John Kennedy, his father Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King. He spouts all these lies and conspiracy theories without any evidence to back him up.

But people believe what he says because he’s a Kennedy and would seem to have no reason to lie. However, it appears that Kennedy doesn’t think he’s lying, accepting his own doctrines on faith. And the people who believe him also accept his words on faith, because they are misinformed and don’t like taking advice from experts and the “elites.” The vaccine skeptics and those who won’t acknowledge conventional medicine are doing harm to themselves, their families and their communities. And they weaken rather than strengthen America.

When confronted with contradictions in terms of what are considered facts and the truth about issues, people have to seek information themselves and not depend on the words of politicians and conspiracy theorists. It may be easier not to do the research and just follow the leader, but that path is not good for America and democracy. It’s bad on both the left and the right.

P.S- Investigate the Dunning Krueger effect, a cognitive bias where people with little knowledge, expertise or ability regarding an issue, tend to overestimate their knowledge or expertise. Many of the followers of Trump, DeSantis and Kennedy ably demonstrate the Dunning-Krueger effect in their views and actions.

www.robertlevinebooks.com

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