I heard on the news this morning that some cress obsessed scientists have isolated a gene that appears to help plants grow in the cold. Handy for Scotland without a doubt, now all we need is one for excessive rain and drizzle and our farmers might start to smile again.
The next news item was similar about another breakthrough. It seems that another set of clever scientist have made a significant link between brain degeneration and vitamin B. I always marvel at these types of stories. I imagine individuals who are persistent, determined and slightly geeky in their passion.
As admiral as I find all this research there’s a little cynical part of me that can’t help but think that logical has left the building. You see what I didn’t mention is the news item before the cress growth outcome. The headline on the local news was the announcement that we (the taxpaying public) should brace ourselves for a big fat budget cut in the healthcare we currently enjoy. Even if you haven’t enjoyed it yet! All I can say is it’s your own fault for eating healthily, living sober and taking regular sensible exercise.
Bit of a digression, but is it just me or does the slow feed media circus annoy anyone else? It’s all patterned like a piss poor 80’s power point presentation:
• Tell them what you’re going to tell them.
• Tell them
• Tell them what you’ve told them and pretend it’s necessary
(and if it’s political – say it’s not our fault)
I have a deep dislike of the way that bad news is delivered to me and the public at large. Dressing it up with ‘it’s coming’ … ‘get ready’… ‘you’re not going to like it’ … ‘it’s a necessary measure’ doesn’t make it easier. All it does is imply that as a collective we’re too stupid to be treated like grown ups. But what do I know!
Back to the news, what occurs to me taking the news as a whole is that those higher echelons of society don’t know how to spend our money wisely.
Let me explain.
The 1st news story says in plain speak
Politicians – ‘we do got no money’
The 2nd & 3rd news story says in plain speak
Scientist – ‘we do got a way of helping, but it’s gonna cost ya’
= we got a problem
But once upon a time, even before that problem there was another. Let me explain.
Scientist – ‘we do got a good idea, give us money to do it good’
Politicians – ‘we do got no money. Oh ok. Here you go’
You’re seeing my point now right? I’m not saying that research should stop and that the help that some research findings aren’t invaluable to mankind and therefore Nobel Prize worthy. What I am saying is think about it from an individual human perspective.
Hello, this is the news. You have been suffering. Scientists have been worried. So we found something to help. That’s good huh?
You’re imagining the joy, relief and the gratitude to those who cared enough to help.
Then comes the crushing – I’m sorry we know lots of Vitamin B will slow does your brain degeneration by 50% but we can’t give it to because if we give it to you, everyone will want it and we simply can’t afford it.
It’s as cruel as offering a child a sweetie only to hold it just out of reach whilst laughing in their face. Someone surely needs to question the validity of funding research projects with public funds without factoring ethical questions regarding the managing the repercussions of findings. In business its called project sustainability. Unlike the science behind these projects being responsible surely is NOT rocket science.
