Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming by Oreskes, Naomi, Conway, Erik M. (2010) Hardcover by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway

Doubt: a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction.

The opposite to doubt is certainty, conviction, confidence, and trust.

In this book – Merchants of Doubt, the authors go bravely into territory that many have not dared. They attack vital leaders, scientist and people of influence that have in their time very successfully created doubt among the public. Even in spite of hard scientific evidence and basic common sense. This book places those “Merchants of Doubt” in the spotlight.

These merchants were skilful in creating doubt. They would deny the truth about scientific studies on critical issues that affect the well-being of life in an attempt to sway people to believe otherwise. And I guess it’s all about the monetary gain.

Big business that knowingly kills countless lives or destroys the world’s resources and environments to make a dollar. It is a sad state of affairs that such things happen.

The two significant issues this book focuses on is global warming and the damaging effects of smoking Tabaco. It was a Tabaco company executive that said, “Doubt is our product.”

Doubt is the means to compete against a body of evidence and fact to create controversy. And when there is controversy in the minds of the general public it is hard to change anything that already exists. When people enjoy a particular behaviour or activity, regardless of the dangerous consequences, doubt will keep them doing it.

As a collective we often make mistakes. We begin things without knowing the short-term or long-term consequences. As individuals, we do the same. But shouldn’t we learn from our mistakes especially when there is clear and factual evidence that indicates the problems or errors? I think we do.

However, when there is a counter-argument, as weak as it may be, it is easy to bring about a state of controversy and uncertainty. And when that is established it is only natural to adopt or continue what is familiar and comfortable.

On the individual level, we create our doubt. It’s that little voice inside our head that tells us it’s okay even though we consciously know it is not. As an ex-Tabaco smoker, I know of this voice too well. People must think smokers are stupid – with all the hard evidence that exists we see smoking does us no favours whatsoever and will likely lead to early death, yet we still light up. We could attribute this to the power of self-doubt created in the mind of smokers, a cause of the addiction to nicotine.

It is not only smokers who have this voice of doubt. We all do. The craving for a massive double beef and bacon burger washed down with a mega cola followed by a double scope triple choc ice-cream. Oh the guilty pleasers. We know it’s not the best thing for us but hey, just this once. I’ll work it off at the gym later. We create our own doubt.

We doubt our skill and ability. I know I can stand up and speak powerfully to an audience, but doubt still floods my body before any upcoming engagement. I’ve been here before but some counter evidence, whether real or not, clouds my confidence.

Doubt is a feeling of uncertainty and lacking conviction, only occurring when there is counter-evidence. “Ice-cream tastes good but it will make me fat.” “I enjoy smoking; it relieves my stress (a condition of nicotine addiction), but it will kill me.” “I want to give that a try, but I am just no good at (fill in the blank).”

Most of us battle with self-doubt throughout our lives. The way we overcome this is to strengthen the information and evidence of the argument that we ultimately want to win.

Tabaco smokers avoid anti-smoking “fear” campaigns because they don’t want to hear that information. Firstly, they are already well aware of the severe health effects smoking causes but more importantly because the nicotine devil is telling them what to think and do. “You’re in control. You are free to do as you want. You will stop when you’re ready. Don’t you enjoy it?” And that’s about the time they head outside for a cigarette.

What is really disturbing about the insights this book share is how these merchants of doubt have the conscious ability to create uncertainty. It’s one thing to cope with our self-doubt and suffer the consequences of our decisions but for someone else to knowingly create doubt that affects the lives and suffering of others is ludicrous.

It is hard to believe that these merchants of doubt can sleep at night knowing the impact and adverse effect that specific global issues are having on the well-being of the general populace and yet still being able to make it their job to stop any progress or resolution on these matters.

I think it’s fairly easy for any of us to turn a blind eye on issues of life when we feel helpless or uncertain as how best to act but to actively encourage and create stories to help others turn a blind eye on detrimental evidence is just really inhuman.

Anyway, I think you get the premise of this book. It’s really an insightful read. It’s interesting to read about the clever tactics used to create doubt. Create confusion by injecting counter information to the key topic or issue.

The lesson is that if in doubt seek out your evidence and understanding. Don’t accept what you believe as the only evidence and support for why you think as you think and do as you do. It’s essential that we don’t find everything we read or hear as truth. If there are issues that are likely to have a significant impact on the quality and meaning of your life – do your research. Don’t just take someone else’s word for it.

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If this book sounds of interest you can purchase Merchants of Doubt here.

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