I'm a scientist. I think the most overreaching observation to be made about science in our society today is that our body of knowledge is advancing much faster than our collective wisdom and ability to handle that knowledge. Frankly it's depressing that for all our advances, the chair of the current so-called US Congressional science committee still condemns evolution as "lies from the pit of Satan." I see my older relatives having their lives extended by decades thanks to modern medicine, only for them to thank God for their miraculous recoveries and bequeath their estates to megachurches and televangelists. I wonder, if we really as a culture have to debate whether stem cells are deserving of the same special protections afforded to living people, should we really even pursue stem cell technology?

I don't mean to draw a contrast between science and religion here. Let me be clear: I'm drawing a contrast between people who know and understand science topics, versus those who do not. Paraphrasing Asimov, 'your ignorance does not bear the same merit as my knowledge.' It just happens that so many religious zealots and single-minded businesspeople push anti-intellectual agendas in pursuit of their own goals. That kind of willful ignorance is simply unacceptable if we are to move forward, societally, in a positive way. It overarcs any subsequent discussions of grant funding agencies' internal politics, science education in the public school systems, and so forth.

I love my job, but the older I get, the more I think that if I really want to have a positive impact on the world, I should get into politics.