You’ve all seen those bumper stickers and tee shirts that say “I’m With Stupid”. Well, it’s a time for choosing, and we should all consider stepping away from STUPID.
Daniel Henninger’s column in today’s Wall Street Journal does an excellent job describing the crazy world we have come to inhabit where we grant Jenny McCarthy and Al Gore scientific authority. He also highlights the dangerous risk that comes from tying your wagon to causes promoted by celebrities and politicians…
The people doing basic science should learn a well-proven truth about basic politics: Any cause taken up by politicians today by definition will be doubted or opposed by nearly half the population. When an Al Gore, John Kerry or Europe’s Green parties become spokesmen for your ideas, and are willing to accuse fellow scientists of bad faith or willful ignorance, then science has made a Faustian bargain. The price paid, inevitably, will be the institutional credibility of all scientists.
While Henninger is describing what is happening to the credibility and authority of the scientific community, the same problem occurs when businesses “take up the cause”. Once you take sides based on sentiment you are committing your organizations to out-sized risk.
If the cause turns out to be wrong, you look stupid. If the arbiters of the cause change the rules you might go from cherished supporter to rich target faster than you can say “GMO”. Better to adopt a stance of skepticism and disbelief.
The rise of the vaccine doubters proves that, in the Internet age, all authority can be turned overnight into a house of cards.
So when public figures come asking for support or money or to protest your business practices, you will likely be better off to say “no thanks” and shut the door. If your employees want time off occasionally to save whales, fine. But don’t commit the company. Commit the company to its products, services and customers and leave the Zeitgeist to others.