One Question

“Disagreement isn’t a problem; the issue is that we don’t debate based on a common set of facts, and the key to resolving this is education. The more we can educate stakeholders, the greater chance we’re going to let true facts versus alternative facts rule the day. If we can’t determine what is disinformation, then it is impossible to find the truth—and there is no way to do that except through education.”

Michael Kempner, MikeWorldWide

Those statements might hinge on qualitative rather than quantitative data, but even things that can be measured don’t automatically engender agreement. Discrete data points might be easier to express than reasoned arguments, but they’re less robust than critical thinking as an educational model: at its most sustainable, education is something continuous rather than finite.

Just because you can produce statistics to show that a medicine reduces risk of death from an illness by 50%, for instance, it doesn’t follow that everyone who hears those numbers will agree to take it; after all, they may be using different metrics altogether to guide their choices, informed by other (less reliable, but no less convincing) sources.

“You would think that, if you get a vaccine, your chances of dying are reduced, would be a pretty effective slogan. But of course, the reaction from certain proportions of the population was a variation on the theme of you need to educate yourself, you need to do your research… I will not be going along with all the people who are not as educated as I am, to have a vaccine for COVID.”

Joe Twyman, Deltapoll

Of course, expanding a definition requires discussion before something like consensus can be obtained. As such, talking about education beyond classrooms and textbooks unsurprisingly prompted debate; meanwhile, the questions of misinformation – how to combat it and whose responsibility that would be – and regulation – the role of mandated standards and limits to steer business towards its capacity for societal good – were both left unasked in the US conversation, mirroring a conflict beyond the round table.

“Over the last five years, we’ve found the companies and corporations that have the biggest reach, and therefore present the best opportunities, do not want to engage in education in a way that is actually meaningful. In fact, they often spend their money in a way that is counterproductive, which is its own separate ball of wax.”

Amanda Litman Run for Something