The Assault on Reason

Allan Gregg discusses the decline of reason in public policy, drawing parallels to Orwell’s “1984,” and highlights the dangers of dogma and misinformation.

Highlights
📺 Media Influence: Television creates an illusion of authority but often lacks depth in discussions.
📉 Evidence Decline: The government is increasingly ignoring scientific evidence in policymaking.
🚧 Public Good: Collective action and enlightened public policy are essential for societal progress.
🔍 Census Cuts: The decision to cut the mandatory long-form census undermines informed decision-making.
📉 Resource Cuts: Significant budget cuts to research bodies hinder evidence-based policymaking.
⚖️ False Choices: Politicians often present misleading options that obscure true policy intentions.
🌍 Global Citizenship: Canada’s withdrawal from international agreements reflects a troubling trend in governance.
Key Insights
📺 Media’s Double-Edged Sword: While television connects people, it can distort public discourse by prioritizing sensationalism over substance. This leads to a superficial understanding of complex issues.
📉 Erosion of Evidence-Based Policy: The shift away from using scientific research in policymaking jeopardizes societal welfare, as decisions become influenced more by ideology than by facts.
🚧 Importance of Collective Action: Effective governance relies on collaborative efforts to address public goods, emphasizing the need for pooling resources for common benefits rather than individualistic approaches.
🔍 Consequences of Data Cuts: Reducing access to crucial data, like the census, hampers the ability to assess societal needs, leading to misinformed policies that fail to address real issues.
📉 Impact of Budget Cuts on Research: Cutting funding for scientific research organizations not only impedes progress but also silences voices that challenge government narratives.
⚖️ Manipulation of Choices: The framing of political choices often misleads the public, reducing complex issues to binary options that ignore the nuances of the policy landscape.
🌍 Diminished Global Responsibility: Canada’s retreat from international environmental commitments illustrates a concerning trend that prioritizes short-term savings over long-term global welfare.