The Little Encyclopedia of Modern Ignorance

By Kevin Casey

The Little Encyclopedia of Modern Ignorance

by Kevin Casey

 

This book takes a no-holds-barred look at some of the baffling ways our brains temporarily cease to function as we navigate the 21st century.

 

As a species, we appear to be transforming from healthy scientific skeptics into ill-informed, outraged cynics. We are losing our intellectual humility, reluctant to accept the limits of our knowledge. We are entering a new post-factual age in which spin overrides reason and science is forced to compete with head-in-the-sand denial. Alternate truths are driven by ideology and selfish agendas.

 

The Little Encyclopedia of Modern Ignorance is a timely, confronting and thoroughly researched examination of the many ways today's human not only suffers from ignorance, but at times even enthusiastically embraces it.

 

Taking unflinching aim at topics as wide-ranging as astrology, bottled water, dieting, economic growth, life coaching, psychics, racism, recycling, religion, soft drinks, vaccination and even cinema popcorn, this book explores some of our most common forms of contemporary ignorance – and explains just how harmful they can be to our health, environment, progress as a species and integrity as a society.

 

In an age where belief, misdirected emotion and personal/political agendas so often override fact, The Little Encyclopedia of Modern Ignorance is a breath of fresh air that aims to swing the pendulum gently back toward intellectual curiosity and diligently acquired knowledge. Above all, it emphatically demonstrates that ignorance is not bliss - and never will be.

 

We don't know what we don't want to know. Ignorance isn't an inability to spot the truth - it's a fearful reluctance to pry our eyes open when it's right in front of us. This book encourages us to open our eyes and reevaluate our preconceptions. Only by confronting our own collective ignorance can we reinvigorate reason, rational objectivity and healthy scepticism.

 

Confronting, entertaining, controversial and unashamedly politically incorrect, The Little Encyclopedia of Modern Ignorance is THE MUST-READ BEST-SELLER of 2021. The author doesn't hold back in convincingly ripping apart some of our most cherished 21st-century perceptions. Warning: this intelligent, superbly written page-turner may completely change how you view the world... and yourself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kimberley Publications
• Release date: Feb 26, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393581802

Book preview

Anti-aging products

A large proportion of the world’s $400 billion skin care industry exists for the purpose of taking financial advantage of our desire for reduced wrinkles, smoother skin, less noticeable eye bags and a glowing complexion. But as we continue to purchase hope in a jar and pursue the promise of everlasting youth, are we getting value for money?

The facts:

Science has never found a single ingredient or combination of ingredients that can turn back the aging process

Aging is a gradual, irreversible and completely natural process that’s inevitable after reaching maturity

The most expensive anti-aging serums can retail for as much as $1800 per fluid ounce

The anti-aging industry is profitable because of (a) a dim-witted obsession with celebrity endorsement, (b) heightened insecurity about personal appearance in a youth-obsessed culture, (c) an aging population, (d) a desperate need to believe deceptive/bogus advertising claims conveniently hidden behind legislative loopholes and (e) a laughably loose interpretation of the term ‘skin care expert’

The vast majority of anti-aging, wrinkle-smoothing, fine line tightening, skin plumping and dark circle reducing products are marketed as cosmetics rather than drugs, which means they’re normally not bound by the same legal requirements as pharmaceuticals to prove effectiveness or safety; in the US, for example, cosmetic skin products don’t need FDA approval before going to market

Most anti-aging skin care products are formulated as moisturisers but since there is no science-based rating system for moisturiser effectiveness, you have only the manufacturer’s bold assertions and your own experience to gauge whether a product increases your skin’s water content or provides any benefit at all

There is no scientifically proven difference in efficacy between expensive, luxuriously packaged anti-aging products and affordable supermarket varieties, and absolutely no correlation between a product’s retail price and its ability to hydrate human skin

Although anti-aging creams may temporarily improve skin appearance by increasing the moisture content of superficial outer layers, it is physically impossible to ‘moisturise away’ wrinkles

The additional sales-enhancing, marketing-tool ingredients touted in many of these products, whether vitamins, anti-oxidants, collagen and/or diluted retinoids, are not scientifically proven to reverse the aging process

Eye creams don’t have any special ingredients specific to the eye area, any more than night creams have been proven to work better while you sleep (ingredients don’t wear a watch – they have no idea what time it is)

The vast majority of anti-aging lotions are similarly formulated, regardless of brand or price; they’re water-based and contain the same basic recipe: humectants (that help the skin absorb water), emulsifiers (that keep water and oil components separate), occlusives (that reduce moisture evaporation from the skin), fragrance, thickener and some preservative; to this starter mix, manufacturers might add any number of extra ingredients from caffeine to antioxidants, mainly in an attempt to distinguish their product from others in the market

The ingredients in some anti-aging creams are bizarre; bee venom, chicken bone marrow, crushed fish scales, urea, placental extract and snail mucus are just a few examples

There is no proof that ‘natural’ or ‘plant-based’ ingredients make these products any safer or more effective, since plant extracts must typically be chemically modified and heavily processed in order to be incorporated into moisturisers, thereby surrendering their original form

While many skin care products are legitimately advertised by celebrities, scam ads often use a famous person’s likeness without their knowledge or permission (similar fake endorsements can be found in dodgy cryptocurrency ads)

Glossy health and beauty magazines are costly to publish and distribute and therefore rely heavily on advertising dollars from skin care manufacturers; if they featured articles stating that these products don’t work, many would not survive

The high-profit, hard-to-substantiate world of anti-aging products is a perfect breeding ground for fake social media product reviews, meaningless marketing buzzwords, biased ‘skin expert’ hawking and suspect pseudoscience; you would be hard pressed to find much in the way of truly independent, methodical scientific research into the safety and efficiency of these products

Bottom line:

According to professional dermatologists, the best anti-aging product on the market today is not a magical cream costing $395 a jar - it’s sunscreen. About 90% of the visible changes to our skin (wrinkles, dark spots, etc.), are caused by cumulative sun exposure over the course of a lifetime.

The best way to slow skin damage and extend your skin’s youthful appearance is to reduce sun exposure, use a broad spectrum sunscreen (SPF30 or higher), exercise regularly, eat healthy food, don’t smoke and get enough sleep. If you want to apply a daily moisturizer to make your skin look and feel better, that’s okay too.

Just don’t pay $1800 an ounce for it.

Astrology

Astrology is a fine example of a pseudoscience. It has been tested over and over for any shred of scientific basis and failed every single test. It irrationally defies core laws of nature and scoffs at legitimate reason - much like ESP, telekinesis, psychics, flat earth theory and palm reading.

Writing horoscope columns is something of an art form. Creating deliberately vague predictions that are hard to test but still convince followers that ‘something really interesting is just around the corner’ is a true skill.

The main failing of astrology is its inability to demonstrate any physical mechanism by which the movements of stars, moons and planets could possibly influence human behavior in purportedly predictable ways. Yes, celestial bodies do have some effect on what happens on earth (ocean tides, for example) but not on behavior or life goals.

Another glaring problem with astrology is its inconsistency. Ask 500 astrologers to tell you what they see in next week’s stars and you’ll likely get 500 different answers.

Astrology is also a splendid illustration of how confirmation bias works. Followers have a tendency to selectively remember astrological predictions. The ones that turn out to be false are quickly forgotten but those that come true are vividly retained in the memory.

Psychologically, astrology exists for the same reason some people believe in angels, prayer or reincarnation. As a species, we have a desire to feel connected to something larger than ourselves and to imagine we can gain some sense of control in an unpredictable world. We are inclined to latch onto any idea that supports existing beliefs, while pointedly ignoring all evidence that contradicts them.

What psychologists term the Barnum effect also plays its part. This is a propensity to believe that general, ambiguous statements apply uniquely to us and take on a personal meaning. When your horoscope says ‘you will soon receive an unexpected piece of good news’, it’s absolutely right - you will, eventually. So will everyone else on earth. And when that finally happens, tomorrow or a month from now, you’ll say "Aha! My horoscope was dead