[Coral-List] Media hyperbole in coral science

[sealab at earthlink.net]

Hi Keri,

“I cannot personally comment on the hyperbole in the story, as the article and statement that were shared were not written by The Florida Aquarium. I can only presume that people are desperate for good news (or any news other than CoVid) right now, making this hyperbole all the more commonplace in the media. Something for all of us to be mindful of while trying to share our work with the world”.

I hear these sentiments all the time. Even well before the pandemic there were many calling for “ocean optimism” as a rationale for promoting what amounts to false hope for “saving coral reefs”. I just recently heard the POTUS basically say the same thing in defense of his comments that tended to downplay the impacts of COVID19. He said that he sees himself as a cheerleader for the country and that is why he presents a more hopeful, positive scenario for the country than perhaps the science actually dictates.

My question to you and others here is straightforward, but not meant to be confrontational.

How are we to have any chance of developing the political will in support of a realistic strategy for dealing with the coral reef crisis if we keep providing optimism in the form of “good news’ instead of a science-based, realistic picture of what is actually going on?

Maybe everyone in the know has already moved on and the time for “saving coral reefs” has passed. Perhaps that is why the focus has shifted from the need to address climate change, water quality issues and over-fishing to genetic engineering and restoration. If that is the best we can do, the most we can possibly hope for, then the coral science community needs to step forward and say so. Then we can all have some time to mourn before moving on into this strange new world.

Sincere regards,

Steve Mussman

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