CLC student to stand trial in murder
Nathan Caldwell
Editor-in-Chief
On April 1, CLC student Kristina Aksman, 20, witnessed her mother’s murder.
Her boyfriend Daniel Baker, 21, another CLC student, allegedly beat Kristina’s mother, Marina Aksman, 50, to death with a baseball bat, the Daily Herald reported. He has been charged with first-degree murder.
CLC’s Public Relations office confirmed that Aksman and Baker were enrolled at the college this semester. Music professor Michael Flack, who reportedly had Baker in class, declined to comment.
Purportedly, Baker’s motive was that Marina Aksman attempted to break up Baker and her daughter.
“You are never going to see her again,” she said in a voicemail to Baker. “I think you are bipolar.”
The attempted break up reportedly enraged Baker. He left a voicemail in response as he drove to the Aksman’s Vernon Hills home.
“You’ve messed up everything and there's going to be big trouble and I mean big trouble,” Baker said. “You don't mess with Daniel Baker.”
When Baker reached the home he drove straight toward the front door – the concrete stoop was all that prevented him from crashing into the house. Exiting the wrecked car with an aluminum baseball bat in hand, Baker broke through a glass door in the rear of the house.
Once inside, he is reported to have first swung for Marina Aksman’s legs, followed by several blows to the head.
“She said her mother’s ‘head broke apart like an avocado, it was shocking to watch.’” Deputy State
An autopsy revealed both Marina Aksman's eye sockets were broken, as was her skull – her teeth had been pushed back into her brain, Pavletic said.
Baker then told Aksman to pack her clothes, took $1,000 to $2,000 of Marina Aksman’s cash and drove off in her silver 2009 Nissan Rogue.
The two were missing for five days.
Ashley Telling, Aksman’s high school friend created the Facebook group, “Help Find Kristina Aksman!” when she heard news that her friend was missing.
“I heard about what happened through a text from my brother, who also knows Kristina,” Telling said in an e-mail interview. “I replied to his text, ‘Are you on crack?’”
“I just broke down and started crying because I could not imagine why God made such a nice family go through all this. I created the group because I could not stop thinking about this entire thing and I thought I had to do something to help.
“She was the sweetest girl I have ever met. Yeah she had problems, but she was always nice to everyone and even in the worst case situations she had a smile on her face and a positive attitude.”
On April 5, a sheriff’s deputy in northern Montana
The vehicle proved to be Marina Aksman’s missing car. After a brief chase, the vehicle was stopped, and Baker was caught.
Pavletic said a pair of his pants and shoes were found in the car with what investigators believe are bloodstains.
Once apprehended, Baker allegedly asked investigators, “How many times did you get me (hitting her)?” Investigators estimated five times.
According to the prosecutor, Baker said, “That's me. I don't stop until the threat is eliminated.”
Baker was denied bond.
Genson declined to comment when asked if he was considering an insanity defense.
In Illinois
“Individuals who want to plead not guilty by reason of insanity are admitting that the crime was done, but that they were insane the time of the crime,” CLC psychology professor Dr. Martha Lally said. “They are admitting they did it, but it was because of the insanity.
“The insanity plea is rarely used. Of those cases it is used, it’s rare that is ever found.”
When the insanity defense is used less than 12 percent of cases find for the defendant, Lally said.
Individuals with bipolar are no more prone to fits of rage or committing crime than anyone else, CLC psychology professor Dr. Kenneth Kikuchi said.
“Rage is just a human emotion,” Kikuchi said. “We all have it. It’s no different for someone who has a disorder like bipolar to rageful, like anyone else would be.”
Baker is due in court May 5.
Blood drives make CLC the lifeblood of the community
Ashley Meyer
Staff Writer
Some might consider donating blood to be a frightening experience. Others might say it’s rewarding. According to Adrienne Cole, mobile supervisor for LifeSource, “It’s not a job—it’s saving lives.”
Cole has been with LifeSource for 28 years and knew since college she wanted to go into the medical field and help others. LifeSource was her calling.
Cole said LifeSource is a great organization with great staff and “wonderful donors.”
“It’s a great thing, what we do,” she said.
One significant change Cole has noticed in her years as a phlebotomist, someone who draws blood, is the growth high school students have experienced.
“It’s really something to watch (students) grow,” she said. “Our donors are very heart-warming.”
Cole also noted that, though there have been many recent innovations in medication and technology, donating blood is essentially the same process it has been in the past and donors are still saving lives every day.
Donors are absolutely crucial to the process of blood transfusions. Blood is not something a person can simply buy at the store, nor is it something that comes in large quantities. A person is capable of donating every eight weeks at community blood drives, schools, churches, temples, businesses, or wherever a blood drive may be hosted.
LifeSource operates as far east as Indiana to as far north as Wisconsin 5250-1 Grand Ave. Gurnee , IL
In order to donate, lifesource.org states you must weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good physical health and be at least 17 years old. As a donor, you can potentially save up to three lives.
One donor, John Glueckert, has donated more than 20 times. Only once has he ever had a bad experience. He looks at donating as a way to give back to the community.
“I have the opportunity to try and make a difference in the lives of others,” Glueckert said.
Glueckert donates regularly through both LifeSource and Red Cross, two programs which alternate visits to CLC about three times each in one school year.
Phlebotomist, Cindy Leavell, has only been with LifeSource for a short period of time. After graduating from CLC, she pursued her interest in blood donation and has been on LifeSource’s staff for three years.
Leavell’s intentions are to help others.
“I’ve only had good experiences… I’ve gotten used to the fainting,” Leavell said. “You just want to help (the donor) as much as you can.”
The act of donating blood takes no more than 20 minutes. Registering, waiting, being medically interviewed, and participating in a mini physical are all tedious, but necessary steps to be taken before the donation process can begin. Donors can look forward to the snacks and juice at the end.
Karma 17 to offer Waukegan upscale feel with low-cost mantra
Kat Dankowski
Staff Writer
Karma 17, a new restaurant and nightclub opening May 14 in Waukegan
Located less than a block from the CLC Lakeshore campus, Karma 17’s first floor includes a chic dining area and a 50-foot, remodeled bar with multiple flat-screen TV’s and additional seating. The large staircase, apparent from almost every angle, leads to the nightclub area, dance floor, VIP section and a second bar.
Owner Noe Gomez, 30, from Waukegan
“The first thing I noticed was the renovation done to the outside,” Gomez said. “It looked new, and I always liked downtown (Waukegan
Gomez is also Vice President of Millennium Three, a general construction company. He works there full time, so he depends on his immediate staff of managers.
They include his brother, Marcos Gomez, a CLC alumnus, who will be running the restaurant during the day, long time friend Bonnie Santiago, along with promoter Marquis Barnes, who will work mainly for the nightclub.
“We’re planning a lot of events.” said Santiago
With improvements being made around the city, Santiago
“We are all from Waukegan ,” Santiago
The menu is being “fine tuned” Santiago
“We want people to be able to come in from work or school, on their break, relax and enjoy the atmosphere and food,” Santiago
This means food options for those who are hungry and in a hurry. Options include sandwiches, pastas, steak, soups and wine.
Grand opening of Karma 17 will take place on May 14 at 17 N. Genesee St. Waukegan
Going green can save green, CLC prof says
Vik Bhardwaj
Managing Editor
The Biological and Health Sciences Division organized 14 free lectures and hands-on events to celebrate of Earth Week April 17 through April 24. The events were led by CLC instructors and experts on topics that included conservation, environmentalism, sustainable landscaping, and Lake County
With the added incentive of extra credit from one of my professors, I attended “It’s Easy Being Green” hosted by Biology instructor Kelly Cartwright on April 20.
Cartwright’s presentation was full of ways to live more environmentally friendly from what you eat to how it’s packaged as well as to how you clean.
At the end of the presentation, Cartwright said she wanted people to realize they can change the environment.
Some people think the leap to live more environmentally friendly is too far of a jump. Cartwright said education can bridge the gap.
“I think everyone is going to live in the manner they see fit, but I do hope that people will start to make some small changes,” Cartwright said in an e-mail April 29. “Most of the time people who live in a less environmentally sound manner don’t realize there are different options out there. It is all a matter of education.”
People sometimes fail to understand going green doesn’t necessarily mean going broke.
“Many times buying environmentally friendly products actually saves a person money because you are buying products that last longer and avoiding disposable products which tend to add up in price,” Cartwright said. “There may be a higher cost for the initial purchase but when you look at cost over period of time, the environmentally friendly options come out better.”
Instead of the quick-fix, fat-infested grease baskets people are accustomed to eating, a more conscientious way to satisfy hunger is to eat home-cooked, locally grown produce, and a diet without grain-fed red meat. Doing so is better for the environment, as it systematically drives down CO2 emissions.
Eating locally grown food decreases the burning of fossil fuels. To be considered local, wholefoodsmarket.com says it has to travel less than 7 hours by vehicle. Consumers should buy what is in season for their region, as this gives a market to what is locally grown.
Buying locally also allows consumers to know where their money is going. Consumers Without this knowledge, consumers can’t know whether they are supporting unfair labor conditions in other parts of the world where many farmers work under a free trade system. Preventatively, consumers should buy local and check to make sure their products have the certified fair trade symbol to ensure the farmers better working conditions and wages.
Cartwright also discussed organic products. The term “organic” is used to describe a method of farming. According to mayoclinic.com organic farming is, “designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution.”
Organic products are made without chemical herbicides, pesticides and antibiotics. Organic farmers prevent weeds through crop rotation and the application of mulch and manure. They use traps and birds to get rid of insects and prevent sickness and disease to animals by allowing them to roam free and eat a balanced diet. Organically grown produce may look, taste, and feel the same as conventionally grown products, and Cartwright emphasized organic product labels. All products sporting the certified USDA Organic badge are at least 95 percent organic.
Cartwright also discussed packaging and the importance of knowing what is readily recyclable. To help people better understand, a system was devised to reference the degree of recyclability of the material. A label found on recyclable materials containing a number inside the arrowed recycle triangle tells a consumer this. No. 1 and No. 2 plastics are easiest to recycle while No. 5 and No. 6 are practically unrecyclable and should be avoided.
According to thedailygreen.com, No. 1 plastics contain PETE, or polyethelene terepthlalate, and are the easiest to recycle. It’s found in soft drink, beer and water bottles, mouthwash bottles, peanut butter containers, salad dressing and vegetable oil bottles. Only 20 percent of No.1 plastics are recycled. Those that do get recycled find their way into tote bags, furniture, carpet, paneling, and even polar fleece blankets. As evidence, Cartwright brought in a polar fleece blanket that was once a plastic bottle. Even skeptics couldn’t feel the difference from wool fleece.
No. 2 plastics contain high density polyethylene, or HDPE, found in milk jugs, juice bottles, household cleaner bottles, shampoo bottles, butter and yogurt tubs, cereal box liners, and some trash and shopping bags. These are easily converted into laundry detergent bottles, pens, floor tile, drainage pipe, benches, doghouses, picnic tables, and fencing. Both No.1 and No. 2 plastics are generally safe for curb-side pickup.
No. 5 plastics contain polypropylene, or PP, which is found in some yogurt bottles, ketchup bottles, caps , straws, and medicine bottles. It is recycled into signal lights, battery cables, bike racks, rakes, bins, and trays. It is gradually becoming more accepted by recyclers.
No. 6 plastics have polystyrene, or PS, found in disposable plates, cups, meat trays, egg cartons, carry-out containers, aspirin bottles, and CD cases. It is made into insulation, light switch plates, egg cartons, and foam packing and carry-out containers. The trademark name for PS is Styrofoam. PS can be recycled, but the process is considered inefficient and impractical. Thus, it is better to avoid PS products.
Cartwright next shed some light on environmentally friendly cleaning products. She said chemical-based cleaners and detergents like Pine-sol and Clorox Bleach kill more than the micro-organisms on your floors and toilets. Once they enter the water-ways and rivers that lead out to the oceans, these chemicals continue to kill micro-organisms and harm the ecosystem.
In response, a lot of cleaning product manufacturers stock shelves with greener products that are made with natural ingredients. Vinegar, lemon and citrus oil are ways to naturally clean and can be bought on their own as well.
Cartwright said she doesn’t use laundry detergent to wash her clothes because they cause harm to water ways. Instead she uses reusable, chemical-free, ionic washing disks that break up dirt. The one she brought was called the Tsunami Washing Disk. She said it effectively cleans hundreds of loads. For those tough stains and to brighten whites, an enzyme cleaner is used. Cartwright said many green products are available in stores like Target, Jewel, Whole Foods, and home improvement stores, and people can find less common items online or in catalogs like Gaiam.
Cartwright closed with a short Youtube video of a environmentalist pup who went around collecting bottles, turning faucets off while people brushed their teeth, taking public transportation and picking up after people. To check out the link, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJdGPXFTMYk
Going green is so easy, even a dog can do it.
Career events offer employment opportunities
Alvin Sandique
Staff Writer
One word you can associate with the American Dream is opportunity.
Opportunity is also a word that three women at CLC’s job center used to describe Lake County
“It’s all about providing employment opportunities,” Fresia Woznick, executive assistant of Career and Placement Services, said. “That’s the ultimate goal.”
The career fair also brings in a mixed bag of businesses in search of new prospects to bring to their respective organizations.
“It’s a little bit of everything,” Woznick said.
Any business in need of employees can sign up to participate in the fair. Before the recession, the fair had some 100 companies looking for new workers.
That number has been cut in half, and the number of unemployed people attending the fair has increased over the last couple years.
Some companies that are fixtures in the fair and have a familiar face in this event include Six Flags, Baxter and Clearbroke.
The fair offers a wide variety of industries such as manufacturing, health care, food service and retail.
“Potential workers have opportunities to have face to face talks with a variety of employers,” Woznick said.
Another interesting aspect of this fair is the proximity factor. Workers can go to different companies looking to score new lines of work.
“I think career fairs are an excellent vehicle for job seekers to meet many potential employers in one setting,” Sue Erickson-Runyard, Student Employment Specialist said.
And employers are always looking for workers who can fill their proverbial glass slippers.
“Career fairs bring networking opportunities that are paramount for working with an organization which you are fit for,” Sue Whittaker of Career and Placement Services said.
“The unemployed are provided to meet with company reps that are there and eager to answer and address any question or issue,” she added. “Job fairs allow opportunity for both parties to confirm or even eliminate possibilities for employment. It is all about looking for a good fit.”
Even though the economy is making a tortoise-like recovery, Americans who are struggling to find work remain optimistic.
CLC’s largest upcoming JobMarketPlace career fair of 2010 will be 1 to 5p.m. in building 7 (the P.E. building), and several workshops for preparing for a career fair will be offered on May 3. For more information, visit http://www.lakecountyjobcenter.com/ or call the CLC Career and Placement Services at (847) 543-2059.
A Feminism for Our Time
Sarah Bigler
Staff Writer
When people think of feminism, they think unshaven legs, unstyled hair, bare faces and a loud, clear female voice, usually condemning a society that celebrates men’s rights at the expense of those of women. They don’t think of high heels.
But first, an admission of guilt. March was Women’s History Month, and as a self-proclaimed feminist, I feel I should have written this article two months ago. Having dropped the ball, I offer this piece as an apology and an attempt to salvage my dignity as both a journalist and as a woman.
Let’s set the record straight. Feminists don’t hate men. After all, some of us even sleep with them. Some choose to stay home and raise their children. Some of us do actually shave our legs, and some don’t. Some of us have high-powered jobs, some work down the street at your local grocery store. We enjoy sex, we play with makeup, and yes, we wear both high heels and Birkenstocks, blue jeans and pink dresses.
The face of feminism, like any major movement, has evolved since its inception. Some of the issues have remained the same. Women still don’t make the same wages men do for performing the same job, abortion will always be a point of contention and domestic and sexual abuse against women is an ongoing war being fought across the globe.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott and Susan B. Anthony started the “first wave” of feminism in their fight for women’s suffrage. In the late 19th century, they and like-minded men and women started pushing for equal voting rights. They wrote editorials, held protests and rallies, and one woman, the feisty and bold Victoria Woodhull, even ran for President of the United States
“Let women issue a declaration of independence sexually, and absolutely refuse to cohabit with men until they are acknowledged as equals in everything, and the victory would be won in a single week,” Woodhull said.
The victory wasn’t won in a week, but the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was passed in August, 1920. Anthony, Mott and many of the fighters of their era had long since died and never saw the fruit of their efforts.
These women, and countless nameless others, directly influenced the sexual revolution, or “second wave” feminism of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. The names most associated with feminism come from this era, such as Gloria Steinem, Betty Freidan, and Simone de Beauvoir.
Women were focused on the right to break out of the home and lead independent, fulfilling lives. Steinem, Freidan, Carolyn Maloney and Alice Paul fought hard for the ultimately doomed Equal Rights Amendment, which would have guaranteed that each civil right bestowed upon men would also be valid for women. Federally, the law never passed, but 22 states have it in their books, and various organizations continue to campaign for the ERA.
These ladies led the Women’s Liberation Movement, which fought for “unofficial” rights for women, in contrast to the specific legal and property rights of their predecessors. These rights included safety in the workplace, legal equalities in a wide range of areas, and, most controversially, sexual and reproductive rights.
This was the generation that, according to legend, burned their bras in protest. They eschewed conventional gender roles, shunned makeup and the Miss America pageants. They demanded the right to play sports professionally and in school, and celebrated the sexual liberation that accompanied the invention of the birth control pill.
Since the late 80s, feminism has faced a backlash. Many women today don’t identify themselves as “feminist,” disliking the tomboyish and sometimes militant connotation. Other critics, especially those of minority backgrounds, felt the movement didn’t include them and needs to embrace a larger population.
The focus of women’s rights in the 80s and 90s tended to be workplace and linguistically related.
Anita Hill’s 1991 testimony against the unprofessional conduct of Clarence Thomas in front of Congress brought the issue of sexual harassment to the forefront of national politics. The issue has been studied and fought in every workplace ever since.
The women of the 1990s also took charge of the way they were portrayed. Reclaiming derogatory words, such as “bitch,” or “whore,” or “slut,” and made them commonplace. Women chose to change the meanings and connotations of these words rather than remove them from the vernacular entirely.
In the world of “Sex and the City,” Lady Gaga’s “LoveGame,” and the epidemic of the celebrity sex tape, Steinem and Freidan are often drowned out. The women of today, instead of denouncing sexual objectivity and aiming for the right of employment, choose to celebrate their sexuality and refuse to let their opinions be silenced.
Steinem herself has come around to this more liberal, more sensual brand of feminism.
“A liberated woman is one who has sex before marriage and a job afterward,” she said.
In light of these circumstances, it’s unsurprising some women wonder if feminism is still relevant. They ask questions about whether the movement has failed, or succeeded, or is even still worth the fight.
I spent my adolescence considering myself a truly classic feminist. I was, and still am, pro-choice, pro-ERA, and, frankly, pro-feminist. I became so virulent in my beliefs that simply listening to the other side of an issue put me on the defensive.
The problem with this way of thinking is the complete and utter extremity it brought to my personality. This is a characteristic I was horrified to discover about myself, and a trait I generally malign in other people.
While I still hold most, if not all, of my same beliefs, I like to think my attitude has changed and I’ve mellowed out, at least a little. These days, I’m ready for debate, not dogma.
I’m one of a generation of women navigating their way through the conflicting and ultimately personal views that occur in an era of political correctness and veiled sexism. And sexism still does play a part in America
The election of 2008 showed this to be true. Despite a woman, former Sen. Hillary Clinton, running for president and making to the primaries, and another woman, former Gov. Sarah Palin running for vice president, neither woman could make a move without at least one political commentator mentioning that she was a woman.
Both candidates claimed they had been treated unfairly in their campaign on the basis of their sex. True or not, no one can deny that it’s still a hot button topic.
Feminism is an ongoing and important component of our society. Its effects are all too apparent. According to the U.S. Department of Labor in 2008, women made up around 47 percent of the workforce in America
The numbers are even worse for minorities. Black women make 64 cents to the dollar of a white male. Hispanic women only make about 52 cents to the dollar.
Paradoxically, the more education a woman has, the higher the disparity there is in wages. This is despite making up 51 percent of upper level and higher paying jobs in management and business. Women’s Media, an organization for working women, found that women in high-level professional positions make 72 percent of what men in the same position make.
Domestic and sexual abuse are still, unfortunately, key issues. The American Institute on Domestic Violence estimates half a million women are stalked by a former or current partner per year, and 1,232 women are killed every year in an abusive relationship.
The same organization reports a shocking one in four women will experience domestic abuse or violence in their lifetime. Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women, and costs $5.8 billion in physical and mental health bills in the United States
These are just a couple of the many issues plaguing American women today. The National Organization for Women, or NOW, also includes lesbian rights, and diversity and race sensitivity training among the ongoing issues of abortion and economic discrimination.
So are we living in a “postfeminist” world? I hope not. I certainly hope there hasn’t been a substantial drop in the number of activists working to right the wrongs still ailing America
Today’s feminists look a lot less like hippies and a lot more like the general population, male and female, black, white and everything in between. We still have a long and bumpy journey ahead of us. But true equality for women cannot just be a pipe dream, something we strive for, but feel we might never reach.
Former first lady and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has spoken often about feminism and the role it has played in her life and in today’s world.
“There cannot be true democracy unless women's voices are heard,” she said in 1997.
“There cannot be true democracy unless women are given the opportunity to take responsibility for their own lives. There cannot be true democracy unless all citizens are able to participate fully in the lives of their country.”
The irrational path to death
Dave Balson
Opinion Editor
I’m amazed how often I hear this laissez-faire defense of irrationality: “If people want to believe in fairy tales, what’s the harm?”
Sometimes, it is a fair argument. On Sunday, my horoscope read: “Your taste in art and appreciation in general are heightened. Perhaps this is a good time to select furnishings, colors, and so on--the finer things of life.”
It is irrational to believe such a statement could apply to one-twelfths of the world’s population, and quite offensive to those Aries living in abject poverty in the Third World . For some of them, a more accurate horoscope might read: “You will travel many miles in search of clean drinking water and hope your sister doesn’t die of cholera while you’re away.” But horoscopes don’t directly endanger lives.
Other irrational beliefs do have quantifiable, fatal consequences. In many cases, such as the Catholic Church’s insistence that god does not want people in AIDS-ridden nations to use condoms, the path to death is direct and easy to understand. Whenever the Vatican
For whatever reason, Americans seem less inclined to condemn irrational beliefs like medical quackery and climate-change denial, despite the lethal consequences those beliefs have on their communities.
Homeopathy is a perfect example of our irrational beliefs, why we hold them and the effect they have on our lives.
Millions of people and several first world governments spend billions of dollars annually on homeopathic medicine. Homeopathy is based on a premise its practitioners swear is not satire: The more you dilute a substance, the more potent it becomes. Therefore, the 2 ounce bottle of belladonna you bought at Whole Foods is potent precisely because it’s been diluted to 10 -60.
If you missed class the day your math teacher taught exponents, let me fill you in on how ridiculous a number that is. If you bought enough of the 10 -60 dilution to fill the world’s oceans, it would be extremely unlikely to contain a single molecule of the original belladonna.
The medical system established in modern first-world countries, while imperfect, works incredibly well. Modern medicine has given us longer, more comfortable, productive lives.
Homeopathy is an “alternative medicine,” which is medicine that has either not been proved to work, or been proved not to work. Otherwise we just call it “medicine.”
Unlike actual medicine, homeopathic remedies are not backed by scientific studies and are completely unregulated by the FDA, which is fair, since they’re only selling tiny bottles of water.
If it’s just water, it can’t hurt people. In fact, some people will enjoy the same benefits they would from a placebo. What’s the harm?
Homeopathy does affect the health of people who come to believe the fairy tale. The money they waste on this hyped-up H2O is money they could and should have spent on real medical advice and treatment from real doctors.
According to Reuters, Americans spend about $34 billion annually on homeopathic remedies. Some of that money comes from people with chronic illnesses. This isn’t harmless, new-age nonsense. It’s a nefarious hustle.
People with terminal cancer are as susceptible mark as a con artist can hope for. Their doctor tells them they are going to die soon, but treatments could give them a bit more time with a bit less pain. Desperate, the patient looks for a third way—a cure.
The homeopath hustles the patient. The cancer worsens. The patient returns to the medically licensed doctor but can no longer afford the treatments that would have given him or her more time and less pain.
The patient’s motives are easy to understand, but the terminal patient’s irrational beliefs aren’t really the problem. The real problem lies in the other part of that $34 billion.
The people who reject medicine in favor of snake oil based on a conviction founded in neither fact nor reason legitimize quackery enough for it to appeal to vulnerable victims like our patient. Their motives truly do the damage.
Why would a person want to believe something that isn’t true, if that belief is bad for them?
It gives them a sense of control.
Science and medicine are confusing. Pills can regulate anything from your bowel movements to your dopamine levels. Surgeons can remove a tumor from your brain and put an artificial heart in your chest. It all seems so unnatural.
It is unnatural, of course. It is the nature of our bodies to fail and die. The whole idea of medicine is fend off that natural process.
But isn’t it nicer to believe that the whole medical industry is a scam? Life is simpler if I can go into my local Whole Foods and pick up a bottle of belladonna dilution, or ragweed or milk thistle, any time I get sick, rather than trusting arrogant doctors and scientists who think they know everything.
Homeopathy provides the delusion that life isn’t as fragile; that our bodies aren’t as complex, and sickness and death aren’t as random as they actually are.
It’s not just homeopathy. Some of our most harmful beliefs are based in the comforting delusion of control.
An ocean of evidence says climate change is real and caused by people. As that vast pool of evidence grows, it becomes ever more apparent that some of the dramatic effects of climate change—smaller ice caps, stronger storms, longer droughts, more acidic oceans—have arrived.
And yet, a large group of loud people believe climate change science is a hoax perpetrated by scientists and politicians who seek absolute control over the world economy. That irrational belief has spread throughout the American public, 67 percent of whom do not believe climate change is a “serious threat,” according to a March 12 Gallup poll.
I wish they were right. We can defend ourselves against the lies of powerful men and women much more easily than rising sea levels. If people really are causing climate change, then I have very little control. Even if I live a green, carbon-free life, I can’t make the guy next door trade in his Hummer for a SmartCar.
If we allow ourselves the delusion that there is no problem, we have an excuse not to address it. As any 12-stepper could tell you, the first step is admitting you have a problem.
Irrationality isn’t about stupidity or ignorance. It’s about refusing to face reality. Schools can teach critical thinking skills (CLC does a wonderful job at this). But at some point there is a larger lesson one must learn on one’s own.
Life can be complicated. Sickness and death can strike without reason. The ecosystem is buckling. But life is also full of wonder, in part because we work together to make it so.
When we refuse to accept how much of life we can’t control, we give up what control we do have. Humanity now faces unprecedented challenges. Unless we are willing to summon up the courage to see the world as it actually is, we cannot hope to make the future what we want it to be.
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