Dear Malcolm,Extinction risk for almost all the charismatic endangered species today (terrestrial and marine) is linked to the fallacies you describe, particularly to the promise of aphrodisiac power. Rhinoceros horns, seaturle eggs, Bengal tiger testicles, dried up seahorses, shark fins, live reef fish trade, etc. The list is way too long for one email. Ingesting powdered rhinoceros horn has the same aphrodisiac power than bitting of your fingernails. Yet, false advertising (whether in the media or in more mouth-to-mouth urban legends), continues to fuel the carnage, and many species will eventually disappear if people at large continue to ignore science and believe instead on an easy fix to their problems. There might be ways in which legitimate scientists can team up with non-scientists, so we fight ignorance in today's post MTV, media hungry world. For example, in previous conservation-related conferences I proposed conservation scientists to team up with the makers of Viagra and Cialis, some sort of advertising campaign, that will allow to redirect demand towards the little blue pills and away from the critically endangered animal species. The reaction from my fellow scientists was quite negative. But we must fight fire with fire, and I am convinced my proposal should work. Marketing lies is part of today's economy, and when it comes to Biodiversity, marketing extinction becomes the norm. It will take a great deal of creativity and innovation, both from scientists and non scientists, if we want to change things around. Sarah Frias-Torres, Ph.D. Marine Conservation Biologist http://independent.academia.edu/SarahFriasTorres
> Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:11:47 -0600 > From: [email protected] > Subject: [ECOLOG-L] now I've seen it all > To: [email protected] > > At what point does the scientific community realize that the current > surge in patent medicines and nonsense medical devices are seriously > eroding the nation's confidence in science? > This is not directly related to ecology, but ecology is science and if > people misuse science to sell products that are medically irrelevant > it certainly must affect all science. > > For example, if the average person sees a supposed physician on TV > parading products that "absorb fat out of your body" or send "magnetic > impulses into your joints" or provide the "healing effects of light", > he/she does not necessarily recognize the difference between > commercial claims and scientific ones. Further, if that person is > suckered in to buy this sucker bait, he/she is certain to find, once > any placebo affect passes, that it is shear snake oil. Consequently, > these folks see these advertisements with supposed nutritionists, > phds, MDs, etc. and learn not to believe what they say. Along comes a > scientist claiming extraordinary changes such as climate change, ozone > layer issues, problems with pollution, and endangered species...on TV, > even in commercials. Why should they believe them? It looks and > smells just like that snake oil aunt Martha bought off TV that did > nothing but moisten her skin. > > Does anyone else see that a deeper problem exists here? These > products are much more harmful that simply misleading people, they are > more than simply false advertising, they really should not be allowed > to make the extraordinary claims that they do. Some of the products > are harmless, some are dangerous simply in the fact that folks choose > to depend on these prior to seeking real medical advice, but all have > a serious potential to erode the general public's view of the > scientific community. > > -- > Malcolm L. McCallum > Associate Professor of Biology > Managing Editor, > Herpetological Conservation and Biology > Texas A&M University-Texarkana > Fall Teaching Schedule: > Vertebrate Biology - TR 10-11:40; General Ecology - MW 1-2:40pm; > Forensic Science - W 6-9:40pm > Office Hourse- TBA > > 1880's: "There's lots of good fish in the sea" W.S. Gilbert > 1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, > and pollution. > 2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction > MAY help restore populations. > 2022: Soylent Green is People! > > Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any > attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may > contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized > review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not > the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and > destroy all copies of the original message.
