“Science is more than a body of knowledge; it is a way of thinking. I have a foreboding of an America in my children's or grandchildren's time – when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the key manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what's true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness.” - Carl Sagan, Demon-Haunted World (1995)
Although an agnostic himself, he seems to be rooted in discovering the truth, no matter the cost. Clearly he believes that truths are absolute, even if unknowable; that feelings can be deceiving to that pursuit. It’s amazing to me how much this aligns with the world today. US manufacturing is dead. We export culture and services globally. BigTech is controlling information flow with unchecked power. Schools teach beating the test, not rational independent thought. CNN is literally telling us to stop thinking critically or else we’re conspiracy theorists. Social progressives compare star charts, rubbing their crystals, waiting for retrograde to be done with.
The Leftists think they’re so free because of their “I fucking love science” attitude, “freedom from religion”, or unwavering adherence to Marxist axioms. They’re blind to the fact they’re just zealots who ignore science that disagrees with their worldview. Authority derives from their dear dogmatic leaders. If you dare ask too many questions, then clearly you are a racist, transphobic, bigot.