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October 31, 2004
I am going to buy 2,000 subscriptions to National Geographic












This is beyond awesome. In its current issue, National Geographic -- a magazine that sells directly to heartland America -- takes on the idiocy of creationism as bluntly as possible. That first picture above? It's the cover. The second picture? The opening page for the article.

Indeed, that layout has a quality of bait-and-switch that is practically Onion-esque. As Evan Ratliff wrote in a brilliant Wired article last month, a chief goal of modern creationism isn't really to persuade scientists. It's merely to be taken seriously by major publications and government figures; if creationists can manage to get invited to comment at a conference or in a magazine article, it allows them to "prove" to their flock that creationism is a serious, scientific rival theory to Darwinism. Merely being in dialogue with the scientific establishment gives them crucial street cred amongst their real audience, Christians.

So one can imagine a creationist spying the magazine and excitedly grabbing it, assuming that a magazine as prestigious as National Georgraphic has now been forced to take creationism seriously. But that deliciously teasing cover line is really just a set-up for the typographically brilliant "NO". It is not merely a good article; it's a rhetorical pie in the face to this brand of barking-mad spiritual literalism that is so badly screwing the scientific future of the country. The US states that are home to the main proselytizers of creationism are falling further and further behind in science; students trained in creationist high schools never develop crucial skills of inquiry, so those states are producing virtually no scientists or scientific discoveries of note. If it were up to these people, we wouldn't have aspirin or light bulbs.

It is sad comment on modern America that National Geographic even has to publish this. But it's nonetheless wonderful that the magazine did. And by the way, to those creationists who protest that Darwinian selection is "just a theory?" As National Geographic notes:

In the same sense, relativity as described by Albert Einstein is "just" a theory. The notion that Earth orbits around the sun rather than vice versa, offered by Copernicus in 1543, is a theory. Continental drift is a theory. The existence, structure, and dynamics of atoms? Atomic theory. Even electricity is a theoretical construct, involving electrons, which are tiny units of charged mass that no one has ever seen. Each of these theories is an explanation that has been confirmed to such a degree, by observation and experiment, that knowledgeable experts accept it as fact. That's what scientists mean when they talk about a theory: not a dreamy and unreliable speculation, but an explanatory statement that fits the evidence.

Of course, creationism is not a scientific theory because it does not have a whit of evidence that knowledgeable experts accept as fact.


(Thanks to Waxy.org and Iron Circus for this one!)

Posted by Clive Thompson at October 31, 2004 11:47 PM

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» Monday, November 01, 2004 10:25 PM from Critical Section
Clive Thompson notes the latest issue of National Geographic, which has the cover story "Was Darwin Wrong?" I'll spare you the suspense: No. It is a terrific article but of course with their readership it is likely preaching to the choir. Of course... [Read More]

Tracked on November 2, 2004 6:00 AM

» Evidence explained from ad Weblog
Clive Thompson takes a look at arguments against creationism. More on the crusade (as they title it) against evolution in Wired 12.10 and National Geographic. It´s a while ago since I followed some discussions on the subject, lacking much scientific [Read More]

Tracked on November 7, 2004 5:24 PM

Comments

That made me happy and almost a little lollery.

Posted by: Joel at November 1, 2004 8:06 AM

I for one welcome our Darwinian overlords.

Posted by: chris at November 1, 2004 9:06 AM

I for one welcome our Darwinian overlords.

Posted by: chris at November 1, 2004 9:07 AM

"Idiocy of Christianity"

HHAHAHHAAHAHAAHAHHHAAHHAHAHAAHAHAHA

HAHHAAHAHHAHAHAHAAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA

Posted by: CJ at November 1, 2004 9:19 AM

But if you call it "intelligent design" it sound so much more acceptable, right? ;-)

Posted by: Anthony at November 1, 2004 9:33 AM

I managed to get through school without a single biology course. Whahoooo!

But seriously, all this descending from monkeys crap is ridiculous. I descended from the giant squid.

Posted by: Joel C. at November 1, 2004 9:45 AM

Surely we're evolving TOWARDS the giant squid?

Or... Megasquid!

Posted by: Tony at November 1, 2004 10:15 AM

We must be evolving towards a squid-human hybrid that can function both on land and in the sea.

Posted by: Tom at November 1, 2004 10:54 AM

That sounds about right to me.

Posted by: Clive at November 1, 2004 12:15 PM

Man, when I saw that cover, I just about died. I figured that even the NatG had turned into a Ashcroft-singing, Jesus fearing, trailer-living rag. What next -- a center map of Ashlee Simpson's Elementary School? But no, thank Darwin, it was answered with that big NO.

MMmmm...squid. Mmmmmm.

Posted by: bob at November 1, 2004 1:30 PM

That's fan-fucking-tastic. I agree that the bait-and-switch tatics are quite Onion-esque. I picture an Ashcroft type, sitting at home with a martini glass in one hand, NatG in the other, roaring fire behind him, monocle and top-hat on, opening to the article and going "WAHHH?!" ala Moe from the Simpsons. Then his monocle falls into the martini glass in a high comical fashion, just before he slips on a bananna peel.

dada-da-dada-da, DONK

Posted by: Phil at November 1, 2004 2:17 PM

But have you seen the comments the jesus-freaks are posting on the NG forum? They're certainly not taking this one lying down.

Posted by: Will at November 1, 2004 9:04 PM

That is quite brilliant. I shall have to go and get my very own copy as soon as I can.

It is sad comment on modern America that National Geographic even has to publish this.
Isn't it? But looking at the picture, and then at the main page, I can only imagine the slappedintheface expression some people will be bound to have. Brilliant.

Posted by: Gil at November 2, 2004 12:09 AM

What! "Dinosaur Adventure Land" isn't legit?!?

Posted by: Lorne at November 2, 2004 12:13 PM

Phil, I laughed out loud at your sound f/x.

Will, I've not yet checked out those forums! Checking now ...

Gil, yes, for sure, get a copy!

Lorne: I'm so sorry to have had to break the news to you.

Posted by: Clive at November 2, 2004 12:28 PM

This warms the cockles of my heart.
While I for one, am of the opinion that anyone with a modicum of common sense and intelligence accepts evolution as fact, this is great for all the wee-little ones who are still impressionable by all the religious rhetoric. "Owl" was my first magazine subscription, courtesy of my grandmother - it soon got upgraded to "National Geographic", which thankfully got me through many initial school projects. The idea of some 12 year old opening up their latest copy of NG only to find an eloquent article annhilating what their teachers have been teaching them is enough to put a grin on my face for days (NB - said "grin" could be removed prior to anticipated "days" due to US Presidential election).
Clive - get on the election coverage man!!!

Posted by: brian at November 2, 2004 1:02 PM

Brian, yes, precisely, I think the main wonderfulness here is that National Geographic is read very heavily by children; my grandmother used to buy me a subscription every year!

As for election coverage ... I'm probably going to give it a pass, simply because there are so many blogs already giving it such deep coverage; I'm unlikely to add anything useful to the chorus. The exception, of course, is any news that is about electronic voting-machine shenanigans, which strongly interest me.

And if there's any giant-squid news that pertains to the vote, well, bring it on.

Posted by: Clive at November 2, 2004 1:21 PM

Right - Giant Squid related voting news - Why didn't you tell us earlier that you were looking for such information?

Giant Squid for President.
http://www.poormojo.org/cgi-bin/gennie.pl/cgi-bin/gennie.pl?Squid+146

Voting machine screen error in Santa Clara County (courtesy of BoingBoing)
http://www.boingboing.net/images/votesaveerrror.jpg

Posted by: brian at November 2, 2004 1:45 PM

Seeing how so much depends on Ohio at the moment, I ought to tell you all that I voted in Ohio, and wrote in Bigbird because I couldn't decide who to vote for. I'm so ashamed!

Posted by: Joel at November 3, 2004 9:02 AM

If you'll forgive the shameless plug, all those of you who were pleased by the latest National Geographic are cordially invited to join The Friends of Charles Darwin. It's just a bit of fun, and membership is totally free. Best of all, you get to write the letters FCD after your name.

Posted by: Richard Carter, FCD at November 3, 2004 2:10 PM

Clive, if you are getting 2,000 subscriptions to the National Geographic, will you please do a poor college student a favour...send me one.

Posted by: dysgrace at November 3, 2004 6:16 PM

"Merely being in dialogue with the scientific establishment gives them crucial street cred amongst their real audience, Christians."

Isn't it ironic that creationists have to beg for approval from science when a few centuries ago science had to basicly hide from religion just to develop.

Posted by: Mike at November 4, 2004 2:06 PM

Clive, if we are evolving into a giant squid, I think you have a good arguement there for resubmitting your postal stamp...

Posted by: Pork Chop at November 5, 2004 9:12 AM

Pork Chop, ahahahaha! I wish I could resubmit it. The company has ceased the service.

Hey, who let the spambot in here?

Posted by: Clive at November 8, 2004 10:04 AM

2 much spam in here :-(

Posted by: stadtplan at November 11, 2004 1:16 AM

thanks -- just read this via LJ user peregrin8, and just bought a subscription. They're just $19! I am thrilled to put my hard-earned money to good use -- educating our friends in the Heartland.

Posted by: shavenwarthog at November 11, 2004 6:10 PM

Hi-Allll!

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Hi-Allll! I am a filthy comment spammer. See my site to learn how I spammed you: http://gir.dyndns.org:3400/

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Posted by: Ben Maluchska at November 15, 2004 9:14 PM

nice site, was glade to see it...

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thanks -- just read this via LJ user peregrin8, and just bought a subscription. They're just $19! I am thrilled to put my hard-earned money to good use -- educating our friends in the Heartland.

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