Crank Quote by Ben Goldacre
““...the real threat from cranks is not that their customers might die -- there is the odd case, although it seems crass to harp on about them - but that they systematically the public's understanding about the very nature of evidence.””
About This Quote
Source Article: Evidence Critique, 2019
He warns that cranks can mislead the public about evidence, harming trust and safety.
In simple terms: Misinformation erodes public understanding of evidence.
Promote critical evaluation of sources.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- health policy
- media literacy
- consumer protection
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we improve evidence literacy?
- What safeguards protect against false claims?
Not all misinformation is intentional; context matters.