Beware of “Scientific” Solutions
August 6, 2008 - I’m currently renovating a property for another business. When I noticed problems with the renovation, a representative from the renovation company assured me that they would fix the problems “scientifically.” I then knew I was screwed.
“Scientific” (“ke xue” in Chinese) entered the popular lexicon a few years ago as a result of the Chinese Communist Party’s propaganda machine. In Party Chairman / President Hu Jintao’s first term, he coined the phrase “scientific development.” The context is that China must pursue such scientific development. There is a notion of sustainability in that phrase. However, nobody has ever explained how to implement “scientific” measures – or even what they are. Regardless, the phrase was so successful that it was enshrined in the Party’s constitution – generally, it takes a Chinese leader until his second term to achieve such success.
As a result, “scientific” is now an omnipresent buzzword. But I interpret it as generally meaning “I don’t know how the heck to…” What was the result of the scientific repairs? They failed. Time to consider less scientific measures.
