Social media users mocked astrophysicist and pop culture darling Neil deGrasse Tyson on Wednesday for proposing the creation of a “virtual country” where all policy is based on “weight of evidence.”
The make-believe country would be called “Rationalia,” he added, revealing the limits of his creative side.
Earth needs a virtual country: #Rationalia, with a one-line Constitution: All policy shall be based on the weight of evidence
— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) June 29, 2016
“Earth needs a virtual country: #Rationalia, with a one-line Constitution: All policy shall be based on the weight of evidence,” he tweeted.
Tyson followed that up with a tweet that included a picture of fellow scientists and thinkers who similarly support the idea of a country that incorporates the word “rational” into its title.
Are you a citizen of #Rationalia ? pic.twitter.com/wot8pW2Baj
— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) June 29, 2016
“Are you a citizen of #Rationalia?” Tyson asked.
Social media users, including many who are in media, were not as impressed with the scientist’s proposal, and responded with less-than-flattering remarks.
Earth needs many things, but I doubt a “virtual country” is one of them. https://t.co/COGuhaGM0N
— Christopher Ingraham (@_cingraham) June 29, 2016
Isn’t science the search for knowledge, not for concrete answers? Seems like a weird way to run a country. https://t.co/J3MetSbsFk
— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) June 29, 2016
is this a parody https://t.co/H3ILtZKlEF
— Ilya Lozovsky (@ichbinilya) June 29, 2016
This idea that evidence has inherent “weight” is so unscientific and irrational https://t.co/8s1zOqQ4Do
— Gabriel Roth (@gabrielroth) June 29, 2016
you must be super fun at parties https://t.co/pVroa4Me6P
— Christine Rousselle ??♀️ (@crousselle) June 29, 2016
#Rationalia should revert to its pre-colonial name: #Smuglandia
— Sonny Bunch (@SonnyBunch) June 29, 2016
it’s called #Rationalia now get with the program https://t.co/3nGbjAPArj
— ???? ??????? (@alex_navarro) June 29, 2016
#Rationalia pic.twitter.com/t82OobZv2h
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) June 29, 2016
In #Rationalia, the only books are manuals.
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) June 29, 2016
We have always been at war with #Rationalia.
— James Taranto (@jamestaranto) June 29, 2016
Even Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., got in on the action:
Who needs virtual? There are real countries whose governments embrace this principle. They’re authoritarian regimes. https://t.co/Yza84CSmCx
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) June 29, 2016
Tyson has not responded to any of the criticism.
