GMOs. Vaccines. Death Panels. There are a lot of “beliefs” circulating about a wide variety of health policy issues. Luckily, these are all pretty well researched areas. Thanks to thorough investigations, we can conclude with certainty that vaccines are safe and effective, that GMOs are generally safe, and that the Affordable Care Act was not intended to execute any old people. But here’s a funny thing about these beliefs: giving the facts to people who are against these things doesn’t convince them to change their mind. Often, the people who hold to these ideas most stridently are the least knowledgeable about science, but BELIEVE they are the most knowledgeable about these subjects. Let’s talk about Dunning-Kruger and the paradox of incompetence.
This video was adapted from a column Aaron wrote for the Upshot. Links to sources can be found there.
