Finding an element of trust – the banks well illustrate the nonsense of this!

What was it the former chief scientific advisor wrote in her article entitled, Finding an Element of Trust?: “We trust industry where it suits us: in the toothpaste we use, the pizza we buy or the car we drive. But people seem to have a problem in trusting industry when it comes to influencing policy making.”

The 21^st century’s ‘Great Banking Scandal’ was back in the news once more last week. In chapter one, the banks brought the global economy and its financial system to the brink of ruin through their casino antics, driven by … greed. And we the public, and our children, will be footing the bill for this for many decades to come.

In Chapter 2 of the 21st century’s ‘Great Banking Scandal’ we learned how four banks in Europe and the US, conspired, for reasons of greed once more, to rig the world's currency market. And last week the four banks involved reached agreement with the US Department of Justice to pay more than $5 billion in penalties and to plead guilty to their ‘criminal wrongdoing’. Note the words – this was a crime. They also agreed to assist with investigations aimed at bringing criminal charges against the individuals involved.

The bad news for us is that the banks will not be paying these fines! Oh yes they will hand over the money, but then they will pass this ‘cost’ onto us in the form of increased bank charges, so over time they will recover the money and all will be as it was before. And once again we, the public will end up paying a high price for the banks’ greed.

What was it the former chief scientific advisor wrote in her article entitled, Finding an Element of Trust?: “We trust industry where it suits us: in the toothpaste we use, the pizza we buy or the car we drive. But people seem to have a problem in trusting industry when it comes to influencing policy making.”

Now we know why we should not trust industry and also people like the former chief scientific advisor. I have said before and will say it again: we now live in a time when people advise in their own interests and that of the vested interest group they are part of. You would be very naïve if you thought otherwise. It is all about money – I am referring to science.

The really important question is: how could someone who wrote the nonsense that is the article Finding an Element of Trust?, who said so many stupid things like “science must have a seat in government”, ever get the job of chief scientific advisor to the President of the European Commission? The evidence against such a stupid notion that scientists are in anyway suited to having any role in government, beyond providing expert input when requested, is now overwhelming, but those caught up in the ideology and dogma of science, and who have convinced themselves that they have discovered the way to a better world (as CP Snow believed) will not see it this way – people caught-up in such thinking very rarely do, and neither do they see that the end can never justify the means.

Is it not time for the European Parliament to undertaking an inquiry in the whole affair of the scandal that is the story of the former chief scientific advisor?

Scientists excel in the art of making fools of themselves in public! And this is what the fragmented reductive mind results in. It is time to bring science and scientists under control before their collective delusions and pursuit of fortune and glory bring about … To be continued.