Friday, January 4, 2013

My rant against Erich von Däniken's treatise : Chariots of Gods

Recommended for: Conspiracy theory researchers, rumour mongers


This is pseudo-science and story telling at its very best. This best selling book was probably the water shed moment in the proliferation of conspiracy theories and other pseudo-scientific stuff in the popular literature. And one can see why.

To be fair, the author does know how to spin a yarn. It is an enjoyable read, fast paced, if you consider it more as a fiction novel and don't take it seriously.


But the disturbing fact is the sheer confidence of the author in his most ridiculous and logic-defying assumptions and hypotheses. With a condescending view towards the historians, he goes on blabbering about one misinterpreted archaeological evidence after the other, citing numerous out-of-context mumble-jumble about this Physics principle and that astronomical data with a stunning conviction.

Though you feel sorry for the hapless millions who have actually religiously accepted this book as a treatise on human evolution and birth of civilization.

It shows the sheer absence of clear, scientific thought among the masses and the adherence to half-truths, myths and conspiracy theories. As long as that prevails, works like these will keep on attaining best-selling status.


Phew!

You may think it was too-critical but I assure you I was being way too lenient in the rant above. This book deserves to be trashed and criticized even more severely.

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