The Rise of the Academic Mindset in Archaeology

2min Snip

00:00

Play full episode

Summary

Transcript

Episode notes

Huxter: We suffer from that problem of the other disciplines have this problem to the professionalization of science. And different academic scientific endeavors have gotten more complex and more professionalized. The barrier to entry gets higher, you have to get a bachelor's,. You have toget a master's, you haveto get a PhD to become sort of a major part of that dialogue and contribution. That shuts people out and it makes it harder.

On this Live Show Beg-a-Thon, recorded on May 17, we discuss the pop culture phenomenon and appeal of pseudoarchaeology in its many forms, from fraudulent alternative history books like Erich von Däniken's 1968 book, Chariots of the Gods? Unsolved Mysteries of the Past, to television series like "Ancient Aliens" and "Ancient Apocalypse."

Alongside guest Dr. David S. Anderson, we discuss how phony "what if?" theories often go beyond the goofy, guilty pleasure premises of extraterrestrial visitors and lost civilizations to promote Eurocentric, racist pap and a mindless distrust of "the scientific establishment" in the stupidest and least productive way possible.