The Kavanaugh Hearing: Fake Facts Masquerading as Science
Written by Jeff Rogers, Posted on
The Kavanaugh Hearing: Fake Facts Masquerading as Science
"I don't believe it
There she goes again…
blinding me with science…
Science”
Thomas Dolby. lyrics from ‘She Blinded Me with Science’
Sadly, when it comes to resolving “he said, she said” conflicts, all too often we are distracted from the truth by urban myths paraded on the nation’s court of opinion as scientific fact. The Brett Kavanaugh hearing these past many weeks have unfortunately been quite the case in point.
Comments made during the hearing by participants and pundits were exclusive excuses cloaked in the garb of hard facts to minimize Brett Kavanaugh's alleged sexual assault and to discredit Christine Ford's recollection of that same assault more than 3 decades ago.
“boys will be boys”
True or False? Male teenagers have a natural tendency to be rowdy, be aggressive, get dirty, be adventurous, be hyperactive, play rough, get into mischief, and do risky things.1
The truth is saying “boys will be boys” is actually a dangerous excuse with little basis in actual fact. It is essentially a long-held old saying (purported to have originated in the 16th Century) that is about as unscientific as one can be. The truth is boys are not naturally all of these things any more than girls, but such can be engrained in the male psyche by allowing or saying over time that it is so. Essentially, it is an old and widely accepted and thus internalized stereotype of what it is to be male.2
It is dangerous in that it is used all too often to explain away inappropriate behavior that in truth is neither natural or biological, and serves only to allow boys to continue to do those things that they really should learn to stop doing, as they are quite often harmful to both boys and those they negatively interact with.2
“teenagers are not good at impulse control”
True or False? Developmentally, teenagers are not equipped to be good at impulse control. Teens naturally just do stupid stuff. They can’t be held accountable for their actions like adults.3
It is true that the teenage brain is different than the more fully developed adult brain. The frontal cortex of the teenage brain that controls reasoning and helps teens think before they act is not as sophisticated as the adult brain. It is still changing, growing, and maturing. But, these differences do not mean that teens cannot make good decisions or tell the difference between right and wrong.3
Saying in defense of a teenager’s poor choice, even decades later, “but he was only 17,” is not remotely defensible as an appropriate excuse. The teen years are indeed a time full of opportunity, naivete, mistake making, exploration, experimentation, and temptation. But they are more a time for boundary development, moral code building and learning to make responsible decisions.3
”memory plays tricks on everyone”
True or False? Memory, in general, is notoriously unreliable, even with traumatic events, especially after so many years, and even more so if drugs and alcohol were involved. They are at best going to be hazy.
It’s true. Memory loss is indeed a frustrating reality we all face over time, especially if the loss is associated with a traumatic event, like sexual assault. Physical and emotional trauma do indeed negatively impact our memory, leaving some details in place and eliminating others completely.4
When it comes to emotional trauma, in particular, memory loss is part of our natural survival and defense mechanism when confronted with trauma way outside our control and ability to cope with. It essentially protects us from even greater psychological damage.4
However, neuroscience research informs us that memories formed under the influence of intense emotion are likely to be indelible. Dr. Richard Friedman, writing recently for the New York Times, explains this is why you can forget where you put something like your glasses, but you are highly likely to remember forever if you were assaulted. You may not remember all the details, but you will never forget the event and the emotional pain attached to it.5
1 “boys will be boys,” Urban Dictionary, 2018.
2 “The Danger of ‘Boys Will Be Boys,” Elizabeth J. Meyer Ph.D., writing for Psychology Today, 2014.
3 “Teen Brain: Behavior, Problem Solving, and Decision Making,” American Academy of Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry, 2016.
4 “How Trauma Effects Your Memory,” Casa Palmera staff, 2010.
5 "The Nine Worst Republican excuses for Brett Kavanaugh," Roger Sollenberger, Paste Magazine, 2018.
