We are NOT an Evidence-Based Society! We are a theory-based society. Big, big difference!

When I was asked to teach a course at McGill University on Research in Psychiatry, I came across a fascinating and original article. In this article, the researcher went over the most prominent papers published in the last ten years in Psychiatry. Without reading the articles first, he studied the background and theoretical leanings of each of the principal authors. He then looked at the results. None, yes none of the articles came to a conclusion contrary to what the authors already believed! Yes, none! So much for being fact-based!

In my first book,: “Snakes and Ladders; Aphorisms for Modern Living” i published an aphorism that says: “There is no Evidence for Evidence-Based Medicine”!
Before I published it, not wanting to have any obvious errors in my writing, I went to Pubmed(usual first step for medical researchers) where, in fact, I could find no articles where that hypothesis was tested. If you were concerned that it would be difficult to test, I can assure you that is NOT the case, as I explained to the “expert’ I eventually contacted.

For example,i n my field, psychiatr,y the format would be super-simple-much simpler than many of the research studies out there in psychiatry. Take a group of depressed patients,for example. Divide them in two .One set of psychiatrists are instructed to give references in the literature for each of their clinical decisions(that’s what evidence-based means!).The other group(the control group) gets to use their clinical judgment as they see fit. Then compare the results. Pretty simple ,eh? Guess what.?!They won’t do it! Why? Because the catechism says “Evidence-based is the best”.We don’t want to challenge our theology ,do we?

So,to be sure I had done my due diligence, I called around to find an expert. What do you know?! My Alma Mater, McGill, had a world-renowned expert in Evidence-based medicine! He was not easy to reach lol. Finally I got through to him-by email. The response was immediate and shocking. He literally had an academic conniption! “How could you possibly challenge this notion? It is the heart of clinical medicine!” and on and on. Clearly I had touched a sore spot! I had challenged his theology- as if I had told the Pope that Jesus was not the son of God or told a Muslim that there were other ways of getting to heaven. Theology is theology and many people are attached to their beliefs and prepared to die for them. Not usually the case with academics lol

So we ,in Western society, are now surrounded by theories/beliefs. “Due Process of the Law”! Ever had to deal with our legal system? “Capitalism means  Competition”.Ever had to compete with a multi-national.?! Democracy of the people“Ever noticed that when the politicians are elected they care more about the interests of the large companies and the large institutions than the people.? “Vaccines are Safe and Effective”.Can the still say that in such black and white terms and not be ashamed about THEIR misinformation. “There is consensus about anthropogenic Climate Change“.Really?! Are they not reading and thinking?“Science is an unambiguous positive force in our lives and we have to cling to it in all circumstances” Have they not noticed that science created the current Covid epidemic as well as a whole host of toxins that are driving the cancer, auto-immune, Alzheimers and Autism epidemics. The list goes on and on.So think again.

To get back to the principal point here, in so MANY, many ways we are living in a society driven not by reality but by theory. Our educational system has NOT taught us discernment! In fact our educational system reinforces this bias- often teaching things that are completely irrelevant to our lives. And I have noticed over and over again that the vast majority of people are not able to distinguish between thought and Reality. No matter how much Mindfulness practice they do lol! Think about it .It could change your life!