I just had a really great interaction after someone DM'd me and asked about scientific communication and I thought I'd turn it into a post, largely because it's been kicking around in my head recently anyway.
This person started with "Do you expect people who read your posts to read every paper you link to?" The answer is no! If it helps you to read it yourself, then please do, but, I link to so many papers(hundreds in 2023, I'm sure) so that you know I'm not full of crap, to be blunt. You don't know me, and please don't trust every rando you run into on the internet who says they're a scientist. I've had a couple of interactions here on Mastodon recently where people who claim to be scientists confidently tell me that they're "following the science" by completely ignoring COVID. One was a self-proclaimed physicist, and one was a microbiologist. Neither one, to date, would provide me any papers or studies suggesting that their belief was factual. Hopefully, after you read one of my science posts, you come away from it with some knowledge *and* the belief that at least I can point to something to back that knowledge up.
As the discussion unfolded with this person who DM'd me they wanted to know whether I was OK with being called out publicly if they disagreed with me or if I blocked everyone, because they didn't want to lose the discussion by being blocked. YES! Big yes. Please do, if you're willing to go about it one of a couple of ways:
One, being "Hey, I read that article that you linked to and I don't think it says what you believe. Here's why..." I'm just another human being. I make mistakes. I read things while doing other things. I'm just as tired as you are. It happens.
Two, "I read that paper and I think it's wrong. Here's some evidence it's wrong" either with another paper(remember, not all papers are created equally and maybe I linked to one that sucked for one reason or another) or even some strong anecdotal evidence, or a forthcoming study, etc. If I can't back up something I said, then I shouldn't have said it. Further, if I can't have a conversation about it, then I'm too thin skinned to be posting about it to begin with.
This led me to another interaction I had recently which involved yet another person claiming to be a scientist, this time telling me that my reading of a paper was wrong. No discussion or anything. Just, basically, "You're wrong." When I quoted directly from the paper they deleted their post and blocked me. I'm never afraid of a discussion when I have the time and energy. Yes, there are scientists on here who make posts and link to science and wouldn't respond to you if your life depended on it. That's not me.
So, in short(haha):
Don't believe someone who won't post anything to back up their scientific belief.
Read papers if you're willing and able, but if you're not, read what people say about it. We're probably ALL a little too eager to re-toot that one paper that reinforces exactly what we believe without any other evidence.
Engage! I'm certainly not here to tell you that you don't understand and therefore suck. If you're not being confrontational with me I won't be with you, even if we disagree. As long as we're discussing facts and not *just* opinions I enjoy the discussions.
