IT IS a lively morning in my high school classroom. My classmates crowd at each other’s desks, stealing glances at the college application forms strewn around. I am at my seat, intently scrolling through the list of courses Ateneo offers.
Chemistry or Information Design would be okay, I think, scribbling the courses down at the back of my calculus homework along with two other choices. One year later, I would end up enrolling as a Chemistry major after countless hours of discerning with my mom and brother.
Studying something that had interested me before I could even read full sentences was a dream come true, regardless of the online setup I expected to face when September came. If anything, the pandemic pushed me to believe that I chose the right course when I saw the importance of research in returning to the lives we led before COVID-19.
While my parents were supportive of my decision to pursue the sciences, it did not stop them from expressing their doubts about the new type of vaccines and the effectiveness of the health practices being set.
No matter how thoroughly I explained the studies behind mRNA and how important masks were in preventing the spread of the virus, I was still countered with articles about how each new variant was just a hoax to make more money and boost the power of first-world countries. I was told to only take vaccines and follow health protocols endorsed by China, and was prohibited from taking anything that used the new technology of mRNA vaccines.
It felt like there was nothing I could say to convince my parents that the virus was new or unexpected, therefore requiring novel solutions to be eradicated. There was no evidence that I could provide that wasn’t considered fabricated except for the multiple sources from trustworthy organizations. I understand that there are valid reasons to be hesitant about unfamiliar technology but it’s still disheartening–moreso as a chemistry major–to see the distrust and blatant disregard of researchers and medical experts just doing their job.
When I first watched Don’t Look Up (2021), my mother couldn’t understand why I was crying at the end of the movie. To me, it was like all my fears and frustrations about being in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics were laid out for everyone to see. I heard a lot of people say that the movie was too assertive in relaying its message or that it would have been more effective with subtlety. My sentiment on Don’t Look Up remains the same: There is no need to be subtle about this issue, especially when scientists are desperately trying to catch everyone’s attention.
The problem lies not only in the disinformation spread amongst communities, but also in the governments that do not hold scientists in high regard. There have been countless instances where our officials have failed to consult with experts regarding the pandemic and it has caused the country resources, time, and lives to make up for these mistakes. The effects of these choices can be seen everyday, and until we choose a government that listens to its countrymen, we suffer the same consequences.
I’m lucky enough that these discussions with my parents are simply dinner topics that I can look back at with displeasure, because there are too many stories of children being prevented from taking any vaccine at all or taking medicines that have already been proven not to work.
I look forward to the day that data and hard evidence are given more importance than vague articles with unreliable sources. Until then, I urge everyone to trust the scientists that have chosen to spend their lives improving ours.
