Jerry Coyne worries about one of the many outcomes of the COVID-19 crazy:
It’s bad enough that venues like NBC News and the New York Times publish news—without caveats—stating that Jesus was not only a real person, but did the deeds and said the words described in Scripture. Now The Guardian has published a longish piece in which five astrologers predict what will happen after the pandemic begins to abate. Not only that, but they add no caveats about astrology being bogus, and in fact make statements that there might be something to it. Is this the kind of “post-truth” journalism that we can expect now?
Jerry Coyne, “The Guardian touts astrology” at Why Evolution Is True
Couple of things. First: For many decades, newspapers have published astrology columns, making no issue one way or the other about astrology because, well, why? Is the City Desk Editor supposed be a judge of what happens in the heavens?
Second, we keep coming back to this: The internet killed traditional media. You don’t need them to find out the snow warning any more or who won last night’s game. They now exist only as courtiers for powerful interests. So who cares if they publish astrology if it does no obvious harm.
Third, Darwinism is pretty much as silly as astrology but it basks in the golden glow of “science.” It must be true if it is endorsed by science institutions and all that. Okay, whatever.
Hold the censorship. You don’t know what you think you know.