We Are Awash in Bullshit (BS)

John Bradley "JJ" Jackson

04 Sep 2025 • 1 min read

An unfortunate reality of our current society is the proliferation of baloney and outright lies. It permeates social media, politics, literature, and our news-feeds. Sadly, the lies are propagated by many, if not most people. We are awash in bullshit (BS).

Carl Sagan, the legendary astronomer and science communicator, believed that critical thinking is our best defense against deception. In his book The Demon-Haunted World (1995), he introduced the Baloney Detection Kit—a set of tools to help us spot faulty arguments and false claims.

Sagan’s kit encourages us to:

Look for independent confirmation of facts.
Welcome honest debate and multiple viewpoints.
Avoid leaning on authority alone. Experts can be wrong.
Test different explanations and be ready to let go of weak ones.
Use numbers and data whenever possible.
Prefer simpler explanations when they fit the evidence.
Ask whether a claim is falsifiable and/or can it be tested?

Equally important is learning what not to fall for. Sagan highlighted common logical traps like ad hominem attacks*, false authority, correlation vs. causation, and the straw man argument. These tricks often sound persuasive but collapse under scrutiny.

Sagan’s reminder is timeless: critical thinking isn’t just for scientists—it’s for everyone. In a world full of marketing spin, political rhetoric, and misinformation, the Baloney Detection Kit helps us separate sense from nonsense.

*An "ad hominem attack" is defined as when someone attacks the character, motive, or other personal trait of an opponent instead of addressing the substance of their argument. Sound familiar?

John Bradley "JJ" Jackson

Sources:

ttps://getpocket.cohe Baloney Detection Kit: Carl Sagan’s Guide to Clear Thinking Based on Carl Sagan’s The Demon-Haunted World (1995).