If pop-scientists have taught us anything, it is the utter folly of scientists who are so enamored with their own reflection that they conclude that since they have received specialized training in what is usually an extremely narrow field of research then, by golly, they self-identity as an oracle on any and all subjects.
The hashtag #BillMeetScienceTwitter is currently ablaze since “Nye’s new Netflix show”—which is messianically titled Bill Nye Saves the World—“largely leaves the hard science up to Nye alone.” Now, I have often pocked fun by calling him Bill Nye “the ‘I’m not a scientist but I pretended to be one on a children’s TV’ show guy” and some have replied that well, he was an engineer decades ago (before most of his new fans were born). As one put it they are “a fan of Nye, or, at least, I was a fan as a 10-year-old, which makes me the target market for his new Netflix series” indeed, I have fond childhood memories so it must be true! By the way, apparently, I am a dishwasher because I worked such a job when I was in ninth grade.
In any case, as Dani Rabaiotti put it, “In science what you do is say, ‘oh, that’s not my area of expertise, but here is someone who knows the answer.’” She is one of the personages who introduced herself to Nye and did so thusly, “I study the effect of climate change on African wild dogs, and wrote a book on animal farts” WOW!!!! I got into the wrong line of work. Think of it: I could have gotten tax payer government grants to research the effect of climate change on dyslexic chinchillas and could write a book on animal sneezes. She was joined by (at least as of May 19, 2017 AD) 3,400 others from around the globe.
So the “hard science” is largely left up to Nye alone and “hard science” is hard for Nye. For example, a child asked Nye “Does the universe go on forever?” and the reply should have been, “Look kid, in science what you do is say, ‘oh, that’s not my area of expertise, but here is someone who knows the answer’ so don’t ask me—I mean, I have not even been an engineer since before you were born!”
Sources:
Hilary Brueck, “Why A Bunch Of Scientists Are Heckling Bill Nye With #BillMeetScienceTwitter,” Forbes, May 19, 2017 AD
“Does the Universe Really Go on Forever? Bill Nye Answers,” Futurism
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