Then and now.

A few years ago, there was quite a bit of talk about the "endarkenment", the idea that we're entering a new dark ages. The argument goes that we're flooded with information, and as a result, many people don't know how to differentiate real science and medical information from crackpot ideas.

I watch a lot of old movies, radio shows, and tv. I have definitely noticed that the attitude towards science in the early 20th century was a lot different from today. Reading magazines and annuals for boys in the 40's or 50's, you'll find plenty of articles about simple electronics, rocketry, and mechanical projects.

Horror radio shows (such as Inner Sanctum) dealing with the super natural would often end with the classic Scooby Doo twist, with the evil spirits turning out to be illusions created by the villain.

There's definitely been a bit of a backlash against a lot of the fringe medicine, psychics, and intense religiosity we've seen lately. Characters like Dr. House and the guy from The Mentalist have made compelling skeptical characters, and of course Dawkins, Hitchens, and Harris all have successful books. Not to mention I haven't seen much about John Edward lately.

We'll see what happens. People need to be educated about things. Most people don't realize what homeopathy actually is, and there are some that can't see the difference between devil worship and atheism.