Don't Be Such a Scientist Quotes

“The other book I've thought about writing is a thorough review of the state of science literacy in America today. It would examine the literary and popular image of scientists in our culture—how they are portrayed in movies and what effect that has on the public's support for science in general. Fortunately, that job has been covered by Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum in Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens Our Future,”
― Randy Olson, Don't Be Such a Scientist: Talking Substance in an Age of Style

“Truly Be the Voice of Science
If you want to make a major contribution to science communication, you need to know from the outset that it will be a long and personal journey. It won't be easy. It won't be safe. And it's doubtful you'll be able to control the timeline.
No one told Carl Sagan to write science fiction novels, get involved with Hollywood filmmaking, or go on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. He simply had an inner voice driving him to reach out and share his passion for science. He was the voice of science, by his own doing.”
― Randy Olson, Don't Be Such a Scientist: Talking Substance in an Age of Style

“Last week I sat through a day of environmental talks. You know what I remember from that entire day? Only one thing-the story a guy told about how he was sitting on an airplane and the lady next to him asked for cream for her coffee, but when they brought her the small plastic containers of cream, she said, "No thanks; the plastic isn't biodegradable." And he thought to himself, "I can hardly hear her over the jet engines that are burning up fifty gazillion barrels of fuel a minute, and she's worried about a thimble-sized piece of plastic?"
That's all I remember from that day. Why is that? It's the power of a well-told story that is also very specific. Stories that are full of vague generalizations are weak. Specifics give them strength.”
― Randy Olson, Don't Be Such a Scientist: Talking Substance in an Age of Style

“This is the dilemma of science-think and yet again a situation in which scientists simply shouldn't be such scientists. Bring in the professionals, and trust them when they tell you to invest in communication. It may be frustrating and seem like a frivolous waste of resources, but what's the alternative strategy—to assume that people are rational, thinking beings? There's a famous quote by Democratic presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson, who heard a woman shout to him that all the thinking people of America were with him. He replied, “That's not going to be enough, Madam; I need a majority of the public.”
― Randy Olson, Don't Be Such a Scientist: Talking Substance in an Age of Style