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Comment by vertr07 | Hacker News Reader

'Natural' products appeal to people who apparently have a distrust of technology, drug companies, etc. I think the notion of natural breakfast cereal, or natural processed products is hilarious to begin with (where exactly is this in nature?). I think if you label a product as natural it is pretty out of touch with the actual definition and intention of the word.

I'm not sure that I agree though that diluting the word natural is the best course of putting the hucksters out of business. We already have a lot of that, and people still buy into natural cures and food without any scientific backing whatsoever.

Perhaps we need more aggressive public education in skepticism and rational thinking?

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Maybe. I think part of this fear of technology is scary is that is seems like magic to most people. And I believe that's partially caused by scientists not selling themselves properly. I'm actually glad they don't, because they are doing best. But here's the part where skilled marketers can do a lot of good.

The word natural is the only working homeopathic. The more you dilute it, the stronger it seems to become. Hell, there are "Natural Taste Malboros" out there, with their packaging resembling coarse brown paper. They aren't exactly healthier, are they?

Yes, more aggressive public education in skepticism and rational thinking will certainly help to an extent, but it's preaching to the reformed. For those children which have been indoctrinated by their parents that science isn't to be trusted, and that technology is trying to repress us? It'll just play into that narrative. Australia is withdrawing child benefits from people not vaccinating their children. How long do you think it will take till that's another selling point on those anti-vac sites?

> And I believe that's partially caused by scientists not selling themselves properly.

From a public relations perspective, yes, that makes sense. But from a professional perspective it's a non-starter, because scientists are trained to doubt everything, including their own work. Scientists who become boosters for science itself end up being shunned by other scientists -- witness Carl Sagan's inability to be inducted into the National Academy of Science, thought to result from his science popularization activities.

So don't count on scientists to be public science representatives or boosters -- it conflicts with scientific skepticism and objectivity, normally thought to be a "good thing".

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