Comments on: TMBG: Science is Real

By: steven sligar

steven sligar — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 21:27:18 +0000

the opening line is amazing. such a subtle way of saying something so real. religion only works through teaching people make believe stories before they are old enough to experience life for what is really is. thanks TMBG

By: Graeme

Graeme — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 23:59:07 +0000

@ Thomas, I’m so glad you wrote that, it’s exactly what I was thinking. Children do indeed parrot back everything they hear, and it is very important we don’t infect their vulnerable brains with untestable fantasy presented as fact, like religion. Contrary to comments above, (intelligent) people do not take evolution on faith, they take it on irrefutable proof consistent with the facts. Remember ‘that fact is just a fantasy, unless it can be checked.’ test it out!

By: Thomas Peterson

Thomas Peterson — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:59:18 +0000

I found this CD to the best out of all of them. It seems that the TMBG are growing at the same rate as my children. No longer do they need ABC songs, but now they exploring science. Making their own hypothesis and putting them to the test.

It’s funny (and sad) My Boaz’s Ruth wrote “a 2 year old does not reason, they parrot back what they hear. So I’m going to shield and be careful that this seed is not laid in a rollicking good tune that is catchy, ‘and my parents played it too!’ thus giving it that cachet of truth.” The whole moral of the song “science is real” is what the truth is. I shield my children from religion because they parrot back what they hear. Children need to be raised knowing what is real and what is fantasy. When they are older and if they chose to make an informed decision and decide to worship any of the numerous gods that we have spun stories about, it will be their own decision as an adult. But until then, I will raise them be rational and not superstitious. They do not believe in ghosts, devils, fairies, gods or angels. They learn tolerance, to always ask why and how, and place their time in science and history books.

By: Paul

Paul — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 20:42:23 +0000

Thanks this was a great find and a great buy (i used iTunes). My two year old begs for the Bloodmobile song daily, as well as electric car.

I have to keep remembering only to read your column when I build up a few bucks in my wallet! At least you save me all the time deciding what to buy ;-)

By: Diana (Ladybug Limited)

Diana (Ladybug Limited) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 03:12:22 +0000

I have to say “ditto” to My Boaz’s Ruth. Seeing the lyrics to “Science is Real” is enough to make me put this on the better-when-the-kiddos-are-older list (as they’re almost 4 and 6 now.) We dearly love our other 3 TMBG albums (No, ABCs, and 123s), but to us “Faith is Real” and more important…

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 00:53:42 +0000

I love that they state “A scientific theory isn’t just a hunch or guess/It’s more like a question that’s been put through a lot of tests.” This is one of the most fundamental misunderstandings of how science works, and something the undergrads I teach seemed to never have learned. Technically, gravity is scientific theory, just like evolution and relativity. They usually are surprised to think about it.

I don’t see this song as attacking religion…science uses fact to support hypotheses. When enough fact is stacked up, hypothesis is elevated to theory. If fact disproves hypothesis, then the hypothesis is discarded. I think that the mention of stories of angels, unicorns, and elves is meant to illustrate that without physical evidence of their existence (”fact”) we cannot place these under the umbrella of science. After all, you cannot prove the non-existence of something. Maybe you just haven’t found it yet. Because science cannot prove nor disprove these things, they do not belong under the umbrella of science. Of course, if they were to sing everything I just wrote, it would be a very boring song that most kids wouldn’t like.

By: My Boaz's Ruth

My Boaz's Ruth — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 19:09:06 +0000

We like They Might be Giants. And yes, this is another place for discussion. But it does mean it is a CD that won’t be purchased or played in our house until our kids are older and ready to discuss. 1) It means supporting them in making these attacks on not just creation but religion and general 2) a 2 year old does not reason, they parrot back what they hear. So I’m going to shield and be careful that this seed is not laid in a rollicking good tune that is catchy, “and my parents played it too!” thus giving it that cachet of truth.

I don’t mind having things about evolution in there — the kids are going to see it because so much of the world takes evolution on faith. I want my kids to treat the subject very much the way I did growing up, able to parrot back what is needed to pass the test if necessary, but also able to see the assumptions behind the statements.

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:16:06 +0000

Yes! I love this! It’s hard to find kids music that isn’t eardrum rupturing. Thanks for the TMBG update.

By: KGS

KGS — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:01:43 +0000

I think if people listen past the second line and actually hear the “it’s more like a question that’s been through a lot of tests,” they’ll have less trouble with the evolution reference and a more reasonable idea of what science is supposed to be about. It’s not generally about “the Truth,” but testing ideas about the world and building more ideas on top of them.

As for the Barenaked Ladies, as an anthropologist I get irritated when people say humans came from apes. We just think they shared a common ancestor, for goodness’ sakes– no one is claiming chimps turned into us!

By: anjii

anjii — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:40:55 +0000

I am SO excited to hear about this CD/DVD set!!! We have thier ABCs and 123s sets, and LOVE THEM!!! As well as the No! CD.

As far as the mention of the Big Bang, while I disagree with that both on a level of faith, and on a level of research, I don’t object to it being there. I know many Christians who carefully shield their kids from any mention of things against our beliefs, or hard to explain (evolution, ghosts, Halloween, etc), I see these as opportunities to open discussions about what we believe and why, on an age appropriate level. We’ve already had discussions about evolution, spurred by the line

“Raisins come from Grapes
People come from Apes
I come from Canada”

on the Barenaked Ladies Snacktime CD (another GREAT favorite CD of ours).

Thanks for letting us know about this new release. I’ll be ordering mine on Tuesday :)