Two of this issue's articles have a lot in common. Keith Garratt (p 7( and Michael Edmonds (p 13( both illustrate how individuals can make a difference through active skepticism, whether it be making a submission to a parliamentary select committee, or taking a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority. And Darcy Cowan, who writes the Scepticon blog, has scored a major coup by setting in motion a process which led to the Immunisation Awareness Society losing its charitable status (Newsfront, p 11).
"Active skepticism" was the theme for the Australian Skeptics' 2012 National Convention, held in Melbourne recently (30 November to 2 December(. In a panel discussion on this topic, as reported in Australia's The Skeptic magazine, one participant noted that skepticism is a public service, not a sport. "We can't win. Woo will recur, and we do our best, just as firemen are not deterred by knowing there will always be fire."
Not everyone will want to spend time sitting in a committee room, but there are many ways to be active. Another presenter at the Australian convention, Rebecca Watson, spoke on how to engage with social media as an active skeptic. She says opinions and misrepresentations can be perpetuated as verified facts at an alarming rate, but by applying critical thinking and other tools from the skeptics' kit this misinformation can be countered.
Rebecca is herself an embodiment of many of the ways a skeptic can engage with the wider community. She runs the Skepchick blog, is a host on the Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast and is a regular participant on Twitter. In December, following the Australian convention, the NZ Skeptics organised and supported a tour by her. She spoke at a series of well-attended and thought-provoking Skeptics in the Pub meetings in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch ("How Girls Evolved to Shop, and Other Ways to Insult Women with 'Science'"), and was interviewed at length by Kim Hill on her radio programme.
As Martin Bridgstock wrote a few issues back (NZ Skeptic 102) the skeptical movement is undergoing rapid change. The society itself provides various means for like-minded individuals to keep in touch, as well as organising events such as the annual conference and tours by overseas skeptics, but there are many more ways to be a skeptic than there used to be, and many more opportunities for individuals to engage with the issues that concern them directly. Several of our members run blogs, and there is the locally produced Completely Unnecessary Skeptical Podcast ('The CUSP'). Even if it's only engaging in debates in the comments sections of websites, everyone can do their bit.