| Seth Blog – People like us do this kind of

People like us do this kind of thing. “Seismic events can make headlines, but they can’t quickly change people’s behavior in society. The bacteria didn’t care if society believed them, but the patients were happy that the doctors made a new decision based on the new information. Focus on a particular group of people, understand their beliefs, empathize with them, create new social norms, and then, as equals, spread the new norm. It took twenty years for the medical community to recognize that stomach ulcers are caused by bacteria, not pastrami sandwiches. For example, a new paper on a groundbreaking study of Parkinson’s disease might convince a hundred doctors and funders of the paradigm shift. But things change so slowly that we become impatient when important ideas and practices in health, justice, and community are ignored. If they apply the scientific method, they will examine and change their assumptions. And then, as always, it’s a slow culture change. Science, on the other hand, can change faster. That’s why as small an audience as possible is so important. Instead, there is a disruption and redefinition of the status quo. Persistence and consistency of effort and focus is our only way forward. Culture changes slowly. The culture is changing much faster than ever before. And yet it is changing.