Charlie Brooker
Saturday August 11, 2007
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguide/columnists/story/0,,2145124,00.html#ar
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In the 18th century, a revolution in thought, known as the Enlightenment,
dragged us away from the superstition and brutality of the Middle Ages
toward a modern age of science, reason and democracy. It changed
everything. If it wasn't for the Enlightenment, you wouldn't be reading
this right now. You'd be standing in a smock throwing turnips at a witch.
Yes, the Enlightenment was one of the most significant developments since
the wheel. Which is why we're trying to bollocks it all up.
Welcome to a dangerous new era - the Unlightenment - in which centuries
of rational thought are overturned by idiots. Superstitious idiots.
They're everywhere - reading horoscopes, buying homeopathic remedies,
consulting psychics, babbling about "chakras" and "healing energies",
praying to imaginary gods, and rejecting science in favour of soft-headed
bunkum. But instead of slapping these people round the face till they
behave like adults, we encourage them. We've got to respect their
beliefs, apparently.
Well I don't. "Spirituality" is what cretins have in place of
imagination. If you've ever described yourself as "quite spiritual", do
civilisation a favour and punch yourself in the throat until you're
incapable of speaking aloud ever again. Why should your outmoded
codswallop be treated with anything other than the contemptuous mockery
it deserves?
Maybe you've put your faith in spiritual claptrap because our random,
narrative-free universe terrifies you. But that's no solution. If you
want comforting, suck your thumb. Buy a pillow. Don't make up a load of
floaty blah about energy or destiny. This is the real world, stupid. We
should be solving problems, not sticking our fingers in our ears and
singing about fairies. Everywhere you look, screaming gittery is taking
root, with serious consequences. The NHS recently spent £10m refurbishing
the London Homeopathic Hospital. The equivalent of 500 nurses' wages,
blown on a handful of magic beans. That was your tax money. It was meant
for saving lives.
Inevitably, the world of science and logic is slowly fighting back. Hence
the recent slew of anti-God books, one of which, The God Delusion, was
written by Richard Dawkins, writer-presenter of The Enemies Of Reason
(Mon, 8pm, C4). Dawkins has softened his style somewhat since his
previous series, The Root of All Evil, in which he toured the globe
interviewing religious extremists. Trouble was, their views made him so
uppity, he occasionally came off worst. They remained eerily calm, while
he huffed furiously. And because he looks and sounds precisely like
Professor Yaffle from Bagpuss, the end effect was often unintentional
hilarity.
In The Enemies of Reason he's still angry - how couldn't he be? - but
this time round Dawkins controls his temper, focusing it like a laser
beam, taking on spirituality and superstition in all its forms. The
overall tone is less hectoring, more persuasive, and occasionally
outright playful. It's more likely to win people over.
The end result is possibly the most important broadcast of the year so
far; important because it presents a passionate argument we really all
ought to be having right now, if we want to prevent a great slide
backwards into mud-eating barbarism. And if you think that's hyperbole, I
suggest you pick up a newspaper and see how many of the world's problems
are currently being caused or exacerbated by the rejection of rational
thought. From fundamentalist death cults to arrogant invasions: a
startling lack of logic unites them all.
Cold, clear, rational thought is the most important thing we have; the
one thing that can save us. If I was made Emperor of All Media, I'd
broadcast something akin to The Enemies Of Reason on every channel, every
day, for 10 years. This is an urgent message that must be heard if we
want to survive, as a species. Oh. And I'd also broadcast a load of Tex
Avery cartoons, just to show off my lighter side. Man, I loves dat
Droopy.
--
Enkidu AA#2165
EAC Chaplain and ordained minister,
ULC, Modesto, CA
"When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?"
John Maynard Keynes
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