Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1454922
REAL TIME WITH... IPC APEX EXPO 2022 SHOW & TELL MAGAZINE I I-CONNECT007 59 tric. And everyone's commenting that there aren't charging stations and no range; it's not going to work. Yet, he made it work. He said he would start a commercial, not government, rocket company. e common wisdom was he couldn't do it, the finances wouldn't work, and his rocket would blow up and kill everyone. He pulled it off. Matties: He sure did. Pogue: ese guys are tyrants and megaloma- niacs. But when they have a vision and they keep pushing aer it, when the entire world says they're wrong and they succeed, I mean, my jaw falls on the floor. at's what I love more than anything, is when one of these megalomaniacs with an idea wins despite all doubters. Matties: We talked about the greatest surprise. What's been the greatest disappointment for you? Pogue: My greatest disappointment is people's resistance to change even when it benefits them. ere are many examples: 5G, climate change solutions, regular vaccines, COVID vaccines, self-driving cars. ere's a lot of resistance to change even when, as with the COVID vaccine, it's been scientifically dem- onstrated not to be harmful, and in fact, help- ful both personally and to society. So, there's a larger, anti-science sort of backlash unique to the United States. I don't understand what it is about being American that makes us suspi- cious of new science. Matties: Is it suspicious or is it confused? ere are so many "experts" that are squawking at us these days. How do you know what to believe? Pogue: Well, that's true. e solution is clear- ing the confusion through education, repeti- tion, explanation, and patience. I re-published a book last year called How to Prepare for Climate Change. One of the chapters is about how to talk to a climate change denier. Expert aer expert, these are people who've done white papers and research papers. ey say that you cannot change somebody's mind with facts of an opinion that wasn't formed by fact in the first place. So, if somebody has an emotional reaction to something, you cannot change their mind with facts, you must meet them with more emotion. You say, my kid can't sleep at night, because he's worried the world is ending. You say my uncle in Nebras- ka's entire crop was wiped out by flooding, I'm so distressed. at's the only way to begin that conversation. People don't care what you know until they know that you care. It's another way of put- ting it. And it's true in every one of these cases, with vaccines, climate change, or AI soware that people are afraid of. It requires empathy, compassion, and patience, not bombardment with studies. Matties: David, I certainly appreciate your time today. I enjoyed your keynote immensely. And I look forward to going out and buying some of your books and learning more about your mes- saging and the stories you're sharing. It's really wonderful. Pogue: Well, thank you so much. And I admire what you do too. Matties: ank you. S&T People don't care what you know until they know that you care.