Disappointed With TedX

[BeckyBird]

***Reminder: I'm Not Vaccinating Forum***

Sigh....TedX, you disappoint me. I enjoyed many of your speakers, but I do not like some of your new Good vs. Bad science guidelines. I understand you want to filter out the bad from the good, but I disagree with some of your criteria for the "bad".

Example:

Red Flag Topic

Food science, including:

• GMO food and anti-GMO foodists
• Food as medicine, especially to treat a specific condition: Autism and ADHD, especially causes of and cures for autism

Because of the sad history of hoaxes with deadly consequences in the field of autism research, really look into the background of any autism-related talk. If you hear anything that sounds remotely like, “Vaccines are related to autism,” — RUN AWAY. Another non-legitimate argument: “We don’t know what works, so we have to try everything.” Pretty much all the time, this argument is designed to cause guilt in suffering parents so they’ll spend money on unproven treatments.

http://blog.tedx.com/post/37405280671/a-letter-to-the-tedx-community-on-tedx-and-bad-science

[BeckyBird]

And

Marks of bad science:

Speaks dismissively of mainstream science.

As we all know, only a drug can cure, treat, or prevent disease.

[kathymuggle]

Is TEDx part of the Ted talks franchise?

[kathymuggle]

I was not in love with the list of how to spot Bad science:

• Has failed to convince many mainstream scientists of its truth
• Is not based on experiments that can be reproduced by others
• Contains experimental flaws or is based on data that does not convincingly corroborate the experimenter’s theoretical claims
• Comes from overconfident fringe experts
• Uses over-simplified interpretations of legitimate studies and may combine with imprecise, spiritual or new age vocabulary, to form new, completely untested theories.
• Speaks dismissively of mainstream science
• Includes some of the red flags listed in the two sections below

Right.  Sounds like disagreeing with mainstream science on anything is not allowed.  

[kathymuggle]

More lovely snippets:

"Because of the sad history of hoaxes with deadly consequences in the field of autism research, really look into the background of any autism-related talk. If you hear anything that sounds remotely like, “Vaccines are related to autism,” — RUN AWAY. "

and this  one:

"Demands that TEDx present “both sides of an issue” when one side is not backed by science or data. This comes up around topics such as creationism, anti-vaccination and alternative health."

More suppression of information….

Dang it, becky!!!  I liked TED talks!  

Oh, well, I will probably still listen…but I am disappointed

[BeckyBird]

You crack me up!!

We can still listen to Ted, but don't expect any breaking info about vaccines!

I still love this one..... before the new guidelines about the "anti-GMO foodists".