EDUCATION VS. MISEDUCATION

Recently I had a conversation with a friend of mine about a show called “Adam Ruins Everything.”(*)  on paper, the show has a particularly good concept; every episode talks about misconceptions about the given topic in a humorous way. The host invites experts on the topic mid-way through the episode to add legitimacy to their claims.

The argument was about how these infotainment shows are great for public education, but they are also extremely dangerous; the potential for public indoctrination is enormous. Just to give you one example: the whole “anti-vax movement” was started by a misguided TV show that was not even built on the premise of educating or informing the viewer. When you combine such techniques to boost your credibility, such as a  specific type of self-deprecating humor (lowering the guards we have against propaganda), quoting scientific studies or articles to support your statement, and even hammering it home with expert cameos, you have a powerful tool for education or miseducation.

Most episodes are relatively harmless and indeed factually correct with extraordinarily little deviation from scientific publications. There is, however, a noticeably clear bias of the show being of the same political belief and demonstrating facts from their perspective.

Potential harm exists when the show is incorrect, such as in the episode about mammograms and how it advises against the medical guidelines. I have personally talked to (watched that episode with) my friends in the medical field. Their reaction was complete disbelief that something like this was even allowed to air for public viewing.

Anti-Vaxers, Flat Earthers, and conspiracy theorists can post whatever biased evidence they wish onto the internet, even on TV.

It is up to us, the viewers, to raise the questions and decide what we should believe. It is only by questioning that can we reach the truth. We cannot expect the truth to just come to us. When it does, it is usually somebody else’s truth.

(*) “Adam Ruins Everything” is an American educational comedy television series that aims to debunk commonly held misconceptions held by the public on a variety of topics.

Editor’s Note: The whole anti-vaxer movement is taking a whole new meaning, especially during the Coronavirus and Trump era.