Fukushima OR How I learned That People Hate/Distrust Us

[Keln]

So there is a trend now amongst the masses. They aren't stupid people per se, just not informed. Basically the trend is that, if any strange phenomenon (no matter how seasonal) occurs along a coastline anywhere in the Pacific ocean, it will automatically be attributed to "nuclear waste pouring" out of Fukishima.

We're talking about people that don't know the difference between contamination and radiation here, much less how much water is in the Pacific ocean compared to the gush/trickle coming from the Fukushima Daiichi disaster site. And all of us who work in the nuclear field can do nothing to educate our fellow humans on the matter. I've been told that I don't know what I am talking about and that "Japanese radiation is spewing all over the planet". Curiously, I do not remember anything about the ability of radiation to spew or pick a nationality in my reactor physics classes.

The ignorance about nuclear energy and radiation or contamination in general is epidemic. I mean, the same people who are afraid of some stray alpha from 6000 miles away are still willing to subject themselves to intense ultraviolet radiation in a tanning bed or on a beach. And nothing those of us in related fields can do or say has any impact on such willful ignorance.

This is mostly a rant caused by jellyfish recently, but I'll end it with questions. How do you reverse such ignorance? How do you convince a public to trust something that is so mysterious and so overly abused in science fiction and comic books? How do you, without claiming "conspiracy!" show people that the media willfully (there's that word again) uses ambiguous/incorrect terminology to confuse the public?

 

[Under the Rose]

Perhaps you could start 'an ice bucket challenge' to raise awareness for your cause?

As jellyfish seem to be implicated in some manner, include one with each immersion.

 

[Underseer]

So there is a trend now amongst the masses. They aren't stupid people per se, just not informed. Basically the trend is that, if any strange phenomenon (no matter how seasonal) occurs along a coastline anywhere in the Pacific ocean, it will automatically be attributed to "nuclear waste pouring" out of Fukishima.

We're talking about people that don't know the difference between contamination and radiation here, much less how much water is in the Pacific ocean compared to the gush/trickle coming from the Fukushima Daiichi disaster site. And all of us who work in the nuclear field can do nothing to educate our fellow humans on the matter. I've been told that I don't know what I am talking about and that "Japanese radiation is spewing all over the planet". Curiously, I do not remember anything about the ability of radiation to spew or pick a nationality in my reactor physics classes.

The ignorance about nuclear energy and radiation or contamination in general is epidemic. I mean, the same people who are afraid of some stray alpha from 6000 miles away are still willing to subject themselves to intense ultraviolet radiation in a tanning bed or on a beach. And nothing those of us in related fields can do or say has any impact on such willful ignorance.

This is mostly a rant caused by jellyfish recently, but I'll end it with questions. How do you reverse such ignorance? How do you convince a public to trust something that is so mysterious and so overly abused in science fiction and comic books? How do you, without claiming "conspiracy!" show people that the media willfully (there's that word again) uses ambiguous/incorrect terminology to confuse the public?

Why would you be surprised?

For years, the Japanese companies that operated Fukushima and the Japanese government lied to the Japanese people and the world about what was going on and how safe everything was. Since the people don't know who to believe, they will just make shit up because they don't know who else to turn to for understanding of the subject.

 

[thebeave]

So there is a trend now amongst the masses. They aren't stupid people per se, just not informed. Basically the trend is that, if any strange phenomenon (no matter how seasonal) occurs along a coastline anywhere in the Pacific ocean, it will automatically be attributed to "nuclear waste pouring" out of Fukishima.

We're talking about people that don't know the difference between contamination and radiation here, much less how much water is in the Pacific ocean compared to the gush/trickle coming from the Fukushima Daiichi disaster site. And all of us who work in the nuclear field can do nothing to educate our fellow humans on the matter. I've been told that I don't know what I am talking about and that "Japanese radiation is spewing all over the planet". Curiously, I do not remember anything about the ability of radiation to spew or pick a nationality in my reactor physics classes.

The ignorance about nuclear energy and radiation or contamination in general is epidemic. I mean, the same people who are afraid of some stray alpha from 6000 miles away are still willing to subject themselves to intense ultraviolet radiation in a tanning bed or on a beach. And nothing those of us in related fields can do or say has any impact on such willful ignorance.

This is mostly a rant caused by jellyfish recently, but I'll end it with questions. How do you reverse such ignorance? How do you convince a public to trust something that is so mysterious and so overly abused in science fiction and comic books? How do you, without claiming "conspiracy!" show people that the media willfully (there's that word again) uses ambiguous/incorrect terminology to confuse the public?

People are worrying about an alpha particle from 6000 miles away? A piece of paper can stop an alpha particle, if I remember my nuclear physics class from 30 years ago. Imagine what 6000 miles through the atmosphere would do.

We had a "scare" a few months ago where some moron used a Geiger counter on a local beach (Half Moon Bay) and detected increased activity in the black sand areas of the beach and attributed it to Fukishima. Got everyone all excited, but its just natural background radiation. Course you will never be able to convince the "true believers" of that. Here's a video of a guy discussing it with the locals. One old lady is so alarmed by it, that she's threatening to run through the streets naked until something is done about it. My gawd...the stupid...it burns. Why am I not surprised that this is being pushed by a fucking retard like Alex Jones?



And here's a scientist's take on the radiation levels at HMB:

 

[dystopian]

This reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend years back. We were talking about what to do about dwindling resources and pollution, and I said that we should invest more in nuclear fusion research. My friend straight away got really emotional about how bad nuclear power is; and even after very slowly and carefully explaining the differences between fusion power and our current fission power, he was still skeptical. He was, however, a lot calmer and more open to the idea afterwards, though. Education really is the key; however... the trick is educating people en masse. We can't set everyone aside individually to explain why they're wrong, and unfortunately we don't seem able to educate everyone all at once either.

 

[fromderinside]

We can't set everyone aside individually to explain why they're wrong, and unfortunately we don't seem able to educate everyone all at once either.

We seem to do the opposite.

My eldest set off all the alarms from San Diego to Vandenberg AFB when he performed a radiation experiment using a specimen wrapped in aluminum at U C Irvine in ought-88. Talk about over-precautioning...... I almost lost my compartment level top secret clearance over it.

 

[Keith&Co.]

A trend NOW?

When i joined the Navy in 1980, i ran into anti- and pro- nuclear activists in airports as i traveled between commands.
Members of BOTH sides believed me when i explained how it was dark on submarines because since we used nuclear power, we had radioactive electricity. Which meant that the light bulbs were made with leaded glass....

Ultimately, there are technical decisions being made by people who don't even understand what happens when you throw a light switch in the living room.

 

[Perspicuo]

Oh for goodness sake, really?? I wouldn't believe it if it weren't for the videos. It's just exasperating that people will believe in such hokum in this day and age. Surely the net is great for speading information around, but also for dispersing amazing rubbish.

 

[Togo]

Why would you be surprised?

For years, the Japanese companies that operated Fukushima and the Japanese government lied to the Japanese people and the world about what was going on and how safe everything was. Since the people don't know who to believe, they will just make shit up because they don't know who else to turn to for understanding of the subject.

You know they're reopening the plant? They haven't finished fixing the damage, or implemented the earthquake-resistant measures that were demanded, but hey... the fuss is dying down, and that's all that matters.

But yes, I'm inclined to agree with you. People get the science wrong because they're used to be lied to by those who understand more than they do.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

So there is a trend now amongst the masses. They aren't stupid people per se, just not informed. Basically the trend is that, if any strange phenomenon (no matter how seasonal) occurs along a coastline anywhere in the Pacific ocean, it will automatically be attributed to "nuclear waste pouring" out of Fukishima.

We're talking about people that don't know the difference between contamination and radiation here, much less how much water is in the Pacific ocean compared to the gush/trickle coming from the Fukushima Daiichi disaster site. And all of us who work in the nuclear field can do nothing to educate our fellow humans on the matter. I've been told that I don't know what I am talking about and that "Japanese radiation is spewing all over the planet". Curiously, I do not remember anything about the ability of radiation to spew or pick a nationality in my reactor physics classes.

The ignorance about nuclear energy and radiation or contamination in general is epidemic. I mean, the same people who are afraid of some stray alpha from 6000 miles away are still willing to subject themselves to intense ultraviolet radiation in a tanning bed or on a beach. And nothing those of us in related fields can do or say has any impact on such willful ignorance.

This is mostly a rant caused by jellyfish recently, but I'll end it with questions. How do you reverse such ignorance? How do you convince a public to trust something that is so mysterious and so overly abused in science fiction and comic books? How do you, without claiming "conspiracy!" show people that the media willfully (there's that word again) uses ambiguous/incorrect terminology to confuse the public?

People are worrying about an alpha particle from 6000 miles away? A piece of paper can stop an alpha particle, if I remember my nuclear physics class from 30 years ago. Imagine what 6000 miles through the atmosphere would do.

We had a "scare" a few months ago where some moron used a Geiger counter on a local beach (Half Moon Bay) and detected increased activity in the black sand areas of the beach and attributed it to Fukishima. Got everyone all excited, but its just natural background radiation. Course you will never be able to convince the "true believers" of that. Here's a video of a guy discussing it with the locals. One old lady is so alarmed by it, that she's threatening to run through the streets naked until something is done about it. My gawd...the stupid...it burns. Why am I not surprised that this is being pushed by a fucking retard like Alex Jones?

People shouldn't be allowed to use those devices without training. The things can click away and that might not mean a thing, if the tolerance is set too low. We had a similar thing happen near a former site where nuclear work was done, and a guy had a detector out there and it was clicking away. I later used one due to work we needed to do on the site and it was relatively clean.

 

[scombrid]

It's not just nuclear energy, the conspiracy culture mistrusts anything they perceive as mainstream science and are apt to fail miserably at doing their own measuring. Some believers in the chemtrail conspiracy think that "chemtrails" have eroded the atmosphere to the point that UV radiation is off the charts. They even went out and measured and managed to "document" more UVB on the surface of the earth than is at the top of the atmosphere


https://www.metabunk.org/threads/de...irmation-of-record-shattering-uv-levels.3923/

https://www.metabunk.org/threads/debunked-dane-wigingtons-claims-that-uv-is-off-the-charts.2097/

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Just a <G>:

Firefox is truncating the tab title to "Fukus".