Why do you think that many young people turn their back on science?
339655
Because they are not encouraged to study it (or, indeed, much at all). There is emphasis on things like sports and television, instead.\n\nAs a result, they never learn how interesting science is, or, if they do, as a result of peer pressure, they focus on other things, and never think about science until later in life, when they have strange preconceptions about science.\n\nFinally, intellectual laziness is encouraged in our society, and so, children don't have the desire to go out and learn science, because it's difficult, and people, especially most Americans, don't like difficult things. They want easy answers. And they don't want to have to change their minds as a result of new evidence. They want Truth, with a capital T.
690719
Scientists often fall into a fallacious tendency, after studying and describing something according to the methods of their discipline, to believe that their appraisal of it is somehow more real than the thing itself. \n\nMany liberals say science replaces religion as a sort of guide for mankind.  Science is amoral.  Take Germany-they had the most advanced society on the earth for the first half of the twentieth century.  They also gave us death camps-even with their scientific brilliance; their science could not provide a moral compass.  Science is not replacement for religion.
838179
I know that attitude and bias against the subject affects many of my students when they are confronted with the task of learning basic chemistry (probably the bias is mainly fear). When I explain something to them, they nod and claim to understand; then when I ask them to work the problem and what should I do, they look blank and tell me they don't know how to set up the problem. I think they are scared of the material and their brain shuts down. Then they stop thinking and give me outrageous answers, like the height of an average person being 0.02 cm. or the percentage of carbon in a 20 gram sample of an organic substance being 3500 kg.. Their minds are so withdrawn that they cannot analyze the absurdity of their own answers. (I'm sure my observations of them differ greatly from their observations of me, but I'm not sure I want to know what they think of me!) But anyway, I think their powers of observation are severely hindered by their fear of the subject matter, so that they sabotage themselves in their efforts to learn.I hope that answered at least one of your questions with regard to my own experiences.
369094
It isn't always about the facts and figures you are learning.  A lot of stuff we take in become essential building blocks for other types of knowledge later in life.\n\nIt isn't all bogus, it isn't all exactly pertinent either - it's a mixture of both because no two people will ever experience life and learning the same so we need a broad foundation to move forward with as we head toward college or life's experiences.\n\nCheers
1065286
If you know any scientists personally... they will pretty much tell you that it's a majority...not everyone, but there are all kind of crazy ideas in the outer realms of science that are minority beliefs...\n\nbut, just because a majority of the scientists think that it's true, doesn't mean that it is... it just means that all the current evidence points in one direction... that is one thing science proves over and over again...
244713
Well, teenagers always think they know everything, and some people never mature any farther then that.  For those of us who grow up, we can be our weird selves and know that we don't have all the answers.
1122754
That's what social studies and generally studying people that are outside of their general thinking is intended to do.  Schools do try, but I think it needs to be taught throughout life and is probably a natural part of being a kid and learning about life..at first you're a little self-centered.  Actually, that self-centeredness to a certain age is proven in psychology.
940488
It varies among people.  Some folks are ready to roll right out of high school; others have had enough of the academic life and want to see something of how the real world works before diving back into academia.  One is likely to find that the real world is rather cruel to people without college degrees, and that may help motivate one to head back to school.
352815
This type of 'mental gibberish' is very indicative of the fundamental problems in the academic world of education.  Better to ask 'hard' questions that require real research, real thinking, and real opportunity for rational critiquing.  This type of question is sadly pathetic. It explains why American school children can't think, can't perform basic math, and are totally afraid of anything labeled 'science'.  But... they sure 'feel good about themselves' and 'their opinions'!
1092807
Me! I even worked for an environmental group in college....\n\n As we get older and experience real life, the vast majority of people will turn moderate/conservative.\n\nOnly those who are too immature/unwilling to open their minds stay lib. in their later years.
9296
Some people have the misconception that age = wisdom.
549015
I see the American youth of today as being lazy, spoiled, and apathetic.  They don't care about education.  There is no effort put into schoolwork anymore.  Their writing skills are shameful.  If you disagree with my last statement, start checking the postings here for grammar and spelling.  They seem to have the attitude that "It's close enough".  They expect the world to hand them everything they need and want.\n\nHowever, I don't blame the youth for this.  They only learn behaviors that we as adults have taught them.  I blame teachers who are more concerned about just getting to retirement than they are about making a difference in the lives of the children they teach.  I blame parents who are more concerned with careers and social status.  I blame the entertainment industry for glorifying the slacker mentality.\n\nSociety needs to take a hard look at today's youth and accept that it is our own fault if we are disappointed in them.  We need to correct the problems we've created.\n\nI hope that today's youth will learn from our errors and provide a better upbringing for their children.  Don't make the same mistakes we made.  There's too much at risk.
934419
My own personal perception is that it's a myth whose obvious "truth" is perpetuated by social customs.\n\nToo often, young girls aren't encouraged to pursue study in subjects like math and science. In so many words, they're told that those subjects aren't for girls - an assertion that carries forward in the minds of girls that "math is hard" or that "science is for boys."\n\nFor the record, those ideas are nonsense. Math and science study are for anyone who wants to devote the time and effort to understanding them. It only takes a logical mind, and that's not something that is the exclusive domain of men or women.\n\nWith that said, the ideas do seem to perpetuate themselves over time. I teach computer engineering, and I can count the number of female students that I have in three class sections (totalling just over 100 students) on two hands and have fingers left over.\n\nIf the ideas that women can't do math and science go unchecked, it's too late to turn them around by the time they get to be of college age - and that's unfortunate, because it means that a lot of bright people aren't studying math and science because someone told them years ago that it wasn't for them on the basis of their gender.\n\nSome of my best students have been young women who probably excelled because they had to get used to pushing themselves not to be marginalized by people who thought that math and science weren't "proper" for young women.\n\nI might go looking to see if there are any sources that support this idea, but my own feeling is that aptitude doesn't distribute differently based on gender.\n\nOf course, someone may present evidence to the contrary. That's what discussion is all about.
963092
I don't think you can pin all the blame on young people most  of the time they're just emulating (and magnifying) what they've learned though their elders.
518447
I guess for Intellgent Design, one of the wonderful things about not actually being science is that you aren't bounded by the same rules, obligations and constructs.\n\nAs a result, they can shift and move anyway the (political) wind blows.  Good for them, bad for rational thought and society.
254590
People who do not have opinions about certain issues are often easily convinced by those who have vocal explanations about said issues. \n\nIf you dont know as much as the "crazy people", like many youths, chances are they will easily fall in the hands of those who are willing to educate them.
627834
People don't accept it because theey don't understand the true nature of the theory, that's all.