For those curious about learning more about the problem with the "overpopulation" framing, I recommend reading Martin Empson and Ian Rappel's essay on the topic for more details on why this position might not be so straightforward. And, you know, maybe how they have been taken advantage of by other societies (cough, cough imperialism) to obtain said resources is also a problem. Maybe it's not the population itself that's the problem, but how those societies distribute resources. In short, focusing on "overpopulation" is a framing that ignores the impact of those populations' economic systems. This theory is a popular, albeit highly controversial position we don't have time to go into depth here. The video asserts a direct link between "overpopulation" (a term as nebulous as my dating life) and poverty. This stance leads to overwhelmingly technocratic and market-oriented positions, often excluding all dissident opinions out of hand as unrealistic (if they are mentioned at all).įor example, in their video Overpopulation & Africa, the narrator describes how promoting education, better healthcare, and contraception will reduce poverty. Our ideologies always affect how we see the world, including Kurzgesagt, which uses its platform to often reinforce the current political and philosophical consensus (i.e., the promotion of "neoliberalism" or the belief in free-market capitalism, deregulation, and reduction in government spending.). No one is immune from this type of distortion. In this case, that only Chads could get laid. None of his arguments were particularly compelling, even given the information presented at the time, but his ideology warped his reading of the data to reinforce existing biases. Darwin argued that evolution made man "superior" to women (he was an incel before it was cool, you guys). One infamous example is scientist Charles Darwin's position on sex. Facts can retrospectively turn out to be very subjective. The problem with this assertion is that the use and study of science is never objective, especially when new information conflicts with well-established worldviews. If the facts clearly support a conclusion its OK to present it as such.” Climate change is real but organic food is not a good way of solving it. Homeopathy does not work and meat is really bad for the planet. That’s not saying that we don't draw conclusions from the research. “When we express an opinion, we market it as such. As the narrator in the video Can You Trust Kurzgesagt Videos? says of the company's process when forming opinions: This position is where proponents try to divorce the philosophical assumptions baked into how people interpret the data from a particular source, and we see that sort of reasoning happening here with Kurzgesagt videos as well. When we talk about science, it's very easy to devolve into a "well, that just what the data says" kind of argument. They are not "objective" - if such a thing is even possible - when it comes to the presentation of the stories they tell, and that is something viewers should be mindful of when they watch these videos. However, there is a philosophy underpinning most of these videos that's more than simply "the scientific method." While they claim to be science-driven about the positions they have taken, the Kurzgesagt company that makes these videos has a worldview that fosters market-based, arguably "neoliberal" solutions when it comes to tackling humanity's biggest problems. The research underpinning them is far more in-depth than your average YouTube video - something that should be applauded. I have found their videos to be an excellent place to start for certain topics. Each one involves a narrator breaking down complex topics as cutesy animated ducks act as our visuals (seriously, I love these ducks). It should also be noted that the quality of these videos is beyond superb. We should encourage people to learn more about our world. CEO Philipp Dettmer claims that the channel's goal is "to spark curiosity….to inspire people to do very, real research for themselves." This aim is undeniably a good thing. #Kurzgesagt narrator how toIt's one of the most-watched science channels globally, and it covers every topic, from the origins of consciousness, to how to create solar engines. It has over 17 million subscribers, and each one of its videos averages millions of views. The YouTube channel Kurzgesagt - In a Nutshell advertises itself as a science-based educational platform.
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