My husband went to a scientific meeting last week.

[redstatebluegirl]

He came home and looked so sad, he said it was like going to a funeral. Everyone was sad, feeling hopeless. He said it would take 40 years to fix what this administration has done to scientific education and discovery in one year.

Makes me so angry.

[Bluestocking]

1. To scientific education in the US

Canada, China, Japan, South Korea, and the EU countries will continue to move forward and the US will be just like Russia who used to be at the top of the scientific community.

If I were starting out, I would be moving to a different country.

[slightlv]

8. I tried so hard once trump was installed the first time

to get my daughter to think about moving to another country. Everything I told her I saw coming has so far come true here in the U.S., but here she is. Caught in government shutdown after shutdown, and no further to advancing her in a career than she was when she first left college. Sometimes mothers DO know what's best! (LOL)

[NNadir]

2. Most scientists, myself included, feel the same way. AAAS sends all these thinly veiled emails of "concern."

They try not be political but the "concern" is actually closer to terror.

A scientific powerhouse has committed suicide.

[markodochartaigh]

6. "...has committed suicide."

It seems like instead of blowing our nation's brain out quickly so that the world can quickly move on from our needless suicide, we have chosen to hijack the plane and fly it into a mountain taking as many people as possible with us.

[hatrack]

17. In the same way that civilians on Okinawa "committed suicide" in 1945 . . .

With some assistance, of course, from those patriotic Imperial Japanese marines and soldiers.

[cab67]

3. That was the general tone at my meeting this past November.

[BeneteauBum]

4. As a retired estuarine biologist

I’ve seen what can be done to reverse harmful ecological impacts. With a consensual goal, we can make our planet a better place. However, these actions are extremely difficult without government support….which this administration does not offer. The science is being ignored in order to enrich the already morbidly rich. Sucks.

Peace ☮️

[wolfie001]

5. Joe Fucking Rogaine

Don't forget that 5'6" pig.

[mr715]

7. I'm a scientist and a science educator.

Times are very rough. We have to dance certain words, such as climate change, diversity, and inclusivity.

Last semester, a student came up to me after the Charlie Kirk assassination and asked me about my religious beliefs (I'm a biologist). We had a very lovely conversation but we both spent the entire time looking over our shoulders to make sure no one was listening.

This student was a Bible literalist, born again, but still extraordinarily respectful of my somewhat more humanist stance. She also confided how difficult it is to have real conversations in universities now -- this coming from a student that I can only assume is at least somewhat conservative leaning.

There are anti-abortion activists on campus all the time, and people blaring how they should drop their books and repent. Forget Plato and Kant when you have Jesus.

I take solace in the fact that 98% of scientists are truly good people, devoted to truth more than anything, and will outlast this administration.

I wonder to what extent covid made us crazy as a nation.

[modrepub]

9. Portrayal of Scientist in Entertainment

Has usually been negative. The “mad” scientist villain is routinely used in superhero lore. How many shows portray scientists as geeky loners out for revenge? There are exceptions of course but they are rare.

[progressoid]

11. Let's not forget a lackadaisical and compliant "news" media.

[mr715]

12. I think scientists are more diverse in media

The 1950s-1960s were just full of scientist action heros in all those B movies.

Iron Man is a scientist. So is the Hulk.

Though I hate it, the Big Bang theory made nerdiness popular and mainstream.

Science is cool though. The most powerful tool humans have ever developed for the pursuit of truth. The flame Promethean.

[modrepub]

15. Supervillains

Doc Ock, Riddler, Joker, Harley Quinn, Frankenstein, Megamind, Dr No, Doctor Evil, Doctor Strangelove, Dr Wu to name a few. All scientists.

And almost all zombie or plague books/movies originate in a science lab. Nearly all plagues and nasty viruses, however, are naturally produced. The Covid crowd blaming Chinese scientists goes right along with this prejudice.

[mr715]

16. Yeah, it all starts in a lab

because thats where cool stuff happens. Not all the time, but sometimes.

Were Riddler and the Joker scientists? I know Harley Quinn is a psychologist, which is atypical for a supervillain type.

There used to be a great animated series called the Venture Bros that is a deconstruction of what "super scientists" would live like in the real world. Very funny.

Good guy scientists -- basically everyone on Star Trek, the lady from Avatar...etc. There are lots.

[dedl67]

10. The essential role of science in our wellbeing is not widely recognized.

Science is in a constant race to protect our food supply from rapidly evolving pests and to protect our health from bacteria's rapidly evolving resistance to antibiotics, among many other threats. Staying ahead in this race requires the highest quality of science. This is being destroyed and the consequences will be severe. Not to the uber-wealthy of course. They can buy their way out of anything. But for the rest of us, things will be grim.

[Initech]

13. This administration sucks so fucking bad.

And it sucks that the people who wanted us "owned" on social media are the ones who voted for the fucking asshole. Well, guess what, guys? When you vote to "own" the other side, it is ultimately *YOU* who will get owned.

[a kennedy]

14. I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHO IS GONNA STOP HIM???? WHO???

and I know it’s gonna take forever to fix all he’s destroyed. 🤬 🤬