Have you read National Geographic lately?

If you’re like me, you’re finding the tone a little heavy-handed, and perhaps stifling of curiousity. Every article ends like the one I just read:

“As the Earth warms, its vast frozen lands are being transformed-and we are only starting to grasp the consequences.”   Coldscapes, Dec. 2007

Pretty soon they won’t have to go exploring anymore.

Here’s my theory: Instead of sticking more to the science and geography parts of its mission, the National Geographic is invested heavily in current intellectual trends (cultural relativity, the certainty of man-made global warming) and so is putting the cart before the horse: the conservation and educational parts of its mission are left to justify themselves…

So… why not just stick to where wonder, awe and mystery meet high standards and rigorous intellectual tradition…in science?

That may be the best way to promote the other goals of conservation and education.

by Daniel Y. Go