This article is incredible and one of the few that I’ve read of a growing, very serious problem. Anti-science rhetoric has become a political platform issue for the right. I know Republicans that do support science and believe in things like climate change and vaccines, but they are attacked relentlessly for admitting it. And none of the politicians they would support fiscally line up with their views on science.

My mother was politically liberal for her entire life, and more importantly an educator and supporter of science. Until the last few years when she started to become more conservative. She has totally bought into the anti-science rhetoric, and insists that COVID and climate change are not real, vaccines kill people, etc. I genuinely don’t know whether she really believes these things now or just spouts it off because it’s what the politicians and influencers she listens to are telling her to say and think. I had to go no contact because I was working as a public health researcher last year and couldn’t take her attacks on my field. It’s heartbreaking.