pg. 261 fast food nation

[great_unibrow]

'no society in human history worshipped science more devoutly or more blindly than the soviet union, where "scientific socalism" was considered the highest truth. And no society has ever suffered so much environmental devastation on such a massive scale.'

Comments

[anonymous]

I've been puzzling over this quote for a few moments now. Each time I think I understand the author's intent, and follow it to it's logical end, I arrive at a sillier conclusion than on the previous round. I'd rather not continue this downward spiral, so I'll just ask you

part 1

[great_unibrow]

the author is Eric Schlosser

part 2

[great_unibrow]

To be honest your criticsim of Marx alarms me. I wonder what you have read of him to make you think so of him, (I am of the opinion that you should have a decent understanding of someone or something before making strong judgements and/or making an arguement of an idea of theirs). Everything that I have read of him praised him as at least an innovative thinker and critic of many of the problems with modern western life at the time and in the past. Whether or not we agree with his political/sociological/economic theories and ideas is another issue because here you openly call anyone who followed him stupid which I have trouble agreeing with. Obviously the Soviet Union was a mistake and so have many countries that have claimed to base their politics off of marxism as well but some still exist now too. Whether or not these countries actually embody Marxism is another arguement all together one I am not honestly prepared to argue well, (only off of secondary sources) fore I would need to read much more about Marx's theories and the

[great_unibrow]

I have to mention that I am incredibly dissappointed that I haven't gotten a resposne from you yet.

-b

[kathman]

Your obvious intent in posting that quote was to undermine science.

Science is a combination of method and theory that has been ongoing for most of modern human history. It includes observation, but importantly, falsifiability in its operational definition. Marxism is generally criticized as unscientific because none of its hypotheses can ever be disconfirmed. Like psycho-analysis, phrenology, and other pet theories in the late 19th Century, Marxism suffered from a lack of scientific scrutiny, not an excess.

The author of that quote seems to want to suggest that it was the Soviet Union's worship of science that led to its downfall. Exactly what "blind worship" of science means, I have no idea. But I don't see any demonstrable relationship between respect for science and the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Our own country would do a lot better if it had a more healthy respect for science.

Just my opinion.