Sometimes it’s the message that’s not to be trusted, sometimes it’s the messenger, sometimes it’s both. How can we tell the difference? What is confusing is that so many messages are a mixture of (best known) truths, (manipulative) falsehoods, (honest) mistakes, and (unstated) uncertainties. Life, death, disabilities, fear, hate, blame, loss of trust, disbelief, disgust,Continue reading “Science, Policy, Messages, Messengers”
Tag Archives: policy
TRADITIONALLY, THE VERBAL DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLIC POLICY BY PUBLIC OFFICIALS HAD TO BE PERFORMED USING BASIC LANGUAGE, WITH DEFINITIVE WORDING, USING SOUND BITES, EVEN IF THE POLICY WAS NUANCED, AND THE SUPPORTING INFORMATION AND THOUGHT PROCESSES WERE COMPLEX, FLUID, AND NONDEFINITIVE.
With the internet of rapidly available information, along with opinion blogs, others can rapidly check an official’s word, work, current and previous statements, as well as obtain contrarian information and viewpoints. Now, more than ever, public officials need to explain their thinking, their sourcing of information, the implications and consequences of the stated policy, andContinue reading “TRADITIONALLY, THE VERBAL DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLIC POLICY BY PUBLIC OFFICIALS HAD TO BE PERFORMED USING BASIC LANGUAGE, WITH DEFINITIVE WORDING, USING SOUND BITES, EVEN IF THE POLICY WAS NUANCED, AND THE SUPPORTING INFORMATION AND THOUGHT PROCESSES WERE COMPLEX, FLUID, AND NONDEFINITIVE.”
AT BEST, SCIENCE SHOULD INFORM POLICY. HOWEVER, IT IS CULTURE, HISTORY AND RISK TOLERANCE THAT WILL INFORM WHAT WE ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT AND WILLING TO DO.
Charles Tadros, M.D. May 1, 2021 Saint Louis, Missouri