The Hidden Harm of Pseudoscience

In the theatre, when approaching a play for production there is one question we ask ourselves: why now? What is so important about this play and what is going on in the world that makes us believe producing this play will add something to the conversation? I took this approach in deliberating on the topic for this exhibit. I believe that, as a whole, pseudoscience and how it pertains to racial disparities are incredibly relevant topics today. We live in a world where anyone with access to a phone can press a few buttons and potentially have their voice heard by millions of people in a matter of hours. Unfortunately, many people do not use this privilege ethically, and many others do not take the time to vet the information that they are told through the internet. Lies and pseudoscientific principles can now spread more quickly and with less oversight than ever before. It is important, as science communicators, to remind audiences of their role in evaluating the information they take in and of the dangers of misinformation online.

This exhibit serves to do just that. Here I have grabbed a variety of well-known and less-well-known examples of pseudoscience to demonstrate the tangible harms it has. It’s very easy to look at these concepts on a surface level, or as a non-scholar, and think that they are harmless. I have designed this exhibit to challenge that idea, and to encourage you as the viewer to think more deeply about the impact of the content you consume and share. I hope to get you excited, to rouse passion within you, even if that passion ends up being redirected–having that passion to learn in itself is more valuable than anything else, and I hope that you will encourage others around you to examine what other people are telling you with a grain of salt.

Exhibit Introduction

Pseudoscience takes many forms, and is harmful in all of them.

To begin, it is important to establish what pseudoscience means, both in general and as it pertains to this exhibit. As defined in A Dictionary of Forensic Science via the Oxford University Press, pseudoscience is “Theories, ideas, or explanations that are represented as scientific but that are not derived from science or the scientific method.” Practitioners claim all the benefits and ethos of being associated with science, but are able to shirk the responsibility of using scientific methods or making sure that what they're saying is correct. There are numerous subcategories regarding specific niches, but what is important to this exhibit is the wider umbrella of pseudoscience.

Through this exhibit you as a reader will learn how to recognize pseudoscience and not only understand the harm it causes, but the disproportionate effect that these "disciplines" have on minorities.