Have you ever thought about the "fifth" dentist? Maybe she works for Coca-Cola. Maybe he works at Kraft, the manufacturer of Kool Aid.

We all know about advertising: “Four-fifths of the dentists who accepted the survey agreed...” So, again, what happened to the fifth dentist? We don't know, but the important thing is: we don't care! The main point of these advertisements is to leave us a broad consensus of experts. Four-fifths sounds great. 80%. This is a landslide. In fact, it is much better than a landslide - usually defined as 58% or more.

We don't care about the fifth dentist, Madison Avenue knows. They know that four-fifths of people have reached a consensus and can use their efforts to sell something to us, such as a chewing gum or toothpaste.

So, when we allow some isolated, rogue voices or separate dissident studies to leave everything we know about climate change, immunization or diet, think about this inconsistency and controversy. hypocritical. Experts have reached far more than four-fifths of the consensus on climate change, our complicity in it, and how we should address climate change. Regarding the net benefit of vaccination and its decisive contribution to autism, the consensus among legal experts is almost identical. The consensus reached by key experts around the world on the basic principles of good nutrition is the same.

But it is this culture that sells toothpaste, whitening bars and sugar-free gum to us. There is a strong argument that four-fifths of dentists agree with this argument, pretending that as long as there is interest, there is an icon. dispute. And we -- in a recurring collective, tempted, unbearable display -- seem to be inclined to accept these two arguments. Such as: "Yes, we have to get some chewing gum, because - ah! - But there is no measles vaccine, because you know what they say..."

Really. We have made mistakes in both directions time and time again. Bewildered by statistical gibberish (which four, which five?) is not affected by the true consensus and the ruthless inclination of evidence weights. Talk about encountering enemies and discovering that we are.

The fifth dentist told us that we can continue to discuss climate change; we can give up vaccinating our children; we don't know the basic care and feeding of Homo sapiens, so we can also enjoy pepperoni pizza, donuts and Colored marshmallows, as a complete breakfast.

The "cool love" he sold was to wash it off. I wish you good luck in your teeth.