Earth is Not Round: Fun And Entertainment, As The Projects Of Space Discovery And Invasion Do Not Stop
12 May 2018By
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed
Amid a lot of ridicule, a conference that aimed to prove that the Earth is not
round was held in the UK last month. There was also a similar conference held
last year that was attended by some who claimed to be scientists, while others
based their conclusions on religion. The claims were all contrary to
everything that scientists have proved following a long, historical conflict
that was resolved by technology.
Those who cited the conference, considering it to be a reliable reference, are
like others who have frequently cited conspiracy theories to demonstrate that
the Earth is flat; that man never landed on the Moon; that US space agency
NASA is just a propaganda tool invented by the Americans against the Soviets;
that the Earth doesn't rotate; that AIDS is a lie; and that cancer is a
laboratory production for commercial purposes.
These are a trivial minority in the West, and the majority of people deal with
them just for fun and entertainment, as the projects of space discovery and
invasion do not stop.
In today's material world, science has the upper hand. Science divides the
world into winners and losers, the able and the helpless, the donors and the
receivers, the militarily powerful and the vulnerable.
A society, no matter how luxurious, as we were during the previous oil wealth,
cannot advance without a comprehensive scientific project. And our failure in
science is the primary reason for our backwardness, no matter how big our
airports, our cities and our streets, highways, and the number of workers whom
we bring from around the world.
All of these are, unfortunately, imported projects; we have not established a
scientific project concerned with the development and teaching of intensive
science, but instead focused on securing easy entertainment.
Skeptics and rejecters of scientific progress exist, and will continue to be
part of our lives, but they are not an obstacle today as they were until
recently, when they were fighting the teaching of science because they feared
the effects of science on religion and faith. The real challenge is to spread
and develop science and move to being a society that relies on it.
We need to revisit the old curriculum, the concept of education and its role
in society. We need more bold steps to focus on the sciences and make them the
center of our development project, and to consider advanced global standards
as the standard for our progress.
It is the scientific minds of South Korea that are at the forefront today, as
in all major industrialized countries. The crucial difference is in scientific
progress, which can shorten the time and meet the aspirations of development
plans. Singapore's success is not only due to a strict government and a modern
administrative system, but also because it focused on education, specifically
science, mathematics, engineering and technology (STEM). The achievements of
that little country are amazing compared to other nations with more potential
and natural resources in their geographical and political environment.
We have a great opportunity for change, taking advantage of the positive
climate brought about by Vision 2030, and the clear desire to change is not
limited only to the upper echelons of the state, but is also for those in the
street; and not only in the Gulf but throughout the region.
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed is the former general manager of Al-Arabiya
television. He is also the former editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat, and the
leading Arabic weekly magazine Al-Majalla. He is also a senior columnist in
the daily newspapers Al-Madina and Al-Bilad.
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EsinIslam.Com
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