#ScienceMustFall

#ScienceMustFall

Updated Oct 21, 2016 at 11:50AM EDT by Synge.

Added Oct 19, 2016 at 08:55PM EDT by Synge.

PROTIP: Press 'i' to view the image gallery, 'v' to view the video gallery, or 'r' to view a random entry.

About

#ScienceMustFall is a hashtag mocking a movement to abolish the scientific method and replace it with a new understanding of scientific inquiry. The movement was started by a group of students known as "Fallists" at the University of Cape Town who want to "decolonize" science from western modernity as an offshoot of the ongoing #FeesMustFall movement protesting increases in university tuition.

Origin

In mid October 2015, students in South Africa launched the #FeesMustFall protest movement demanding a reduction in fees at local universities, which subsided after the South African government revealed there would be no tuition increases the following year. Protests erupted again in 2016 after the it was announced that fee increases would be capped at 8% for the following year, with each university deciding if an increase was necessary. On October 13th, 2016, YouTuber UCT Scientist uploaded a video in which several students from the University of Cape Town sit before the University's science faculty arguing that "science must fall," claiming that science was Eurocentric and oppressive to Africans since it was handed down by White scientists.



“There is a place in KZN called Umhlab’uyalingana. They believe that through the magic -- you call it black magic, they call it witchcraft -- you are able to send lightning to strike someone. Can you explain that scientifically because it’s something that happens?”

Spread

On October 17th, the video reached the front page of the /r/videos[5] and /r/rage[6] subreddits. Following the video's upload several news sites began to comment and critique it such as BusinessTech,[1] and Times Live.[2] Many sites pointed to specific excerpts from the video, namely one where one of the students equates Isaac Newton's theory of gravity to witchcraft. Within one week the hashtag gained several hundred tweets including one from well known YouTuber and music critic Anthony Fantano (shown below). On October 16th, the conservative news blog HeatStreet[3] published an article about the viral video.




That same day, South African resident Ryk van Niekerk mocked the movement by tweeting "How can you demand #sciencemustfall if you don't believe in gravity?" (shown below). Within one week, the tweet gained more than 390 likes and 200 retweets.[7]


Ryk van Niekerk @Ryk van.Niekerk Follow How can you demand #science mustfall if you don't believe in gravity? RETWEETS LIKES 202 398 9:46 AM- 14 Oct 2016 202 398

Search Interest

External References

Recent Videos 30 total

Recent Images 2 total


Top Comments

Nedhitis
Nedhitis

Do you know that feeling when someone makes a sequel to some game, movie or something similar that you like a lot even though the original ended it on a perfect spot..? You feel that the sequel just, like, added nothing of value and we would have been better off without it..? And the story no longer feels the same and loses all its magic..?

…Do you sometimes, just… sit back, look back in time, see reality from a perspective and think "…and what if we truly live in a computer simulation?"..? Do you… Do you think that the Mayans were actually right and the world should have ended in 2012, but whoever runs this computer simulation we call "life" just spontaneously decided to extend our story for no good reason, and we now live in a forced sequel..?

I do.

+264
Ryumaru Borike
Ryumaru Borike

Science isn't biased. Science isn't racist. Science does not pick sides and no one group owns it. Science is merely the study of how the world works. The laws of science are the same everywhere and does not help anyone other than those who seek its help. By wearing clothes, you are choosing to let science help you. By pulling out your phone at the end of your ignorant rant, you are choosing to let science help you. By speaking the language that allows you to speak said ideas, you are choosing to let science help you. Yet, despite reaping the benefits of science, you decry it, use it as a scapegoat for all the problems in your life that, if they led to this, are more your fault than the fault of your skin color. By wearing clothes, you destroy your own argument. By pulling out your phone, you destroy your own argument. By using language to state your argument, you destroy your argument. You are a hypocrite of the finest order, and thus, we should not take your words as anymore than a child's temper tantrum. #IgnoranceMustFall

+198

+ Add a Comment

Comments (331)


Display Comments

Add a Comment


Sup! You must login or signup first!