Review: Don't Be Such a Scientist by Randy Olson - opinion - 06 October 2009 - New Scientist

Just look at Al Gore's climate change documentary An Inconvenient Truth, Olson says. The film contained more than a few factual errors, but it also had a profound influence on the world's attitude to climate change.

Perhaps compromising on accuracy is a necessary evil. If you want people to know and care about your science, take a leaf out of Hollywood's book: focus on telling great stories; gloss over the inconvenient truths.....

...Do we really want to run the risk of turning science into a spin game? It might well be counter-productive - not to mention unscientific - to act on Olson's advice and start bending the facts when they get in the way of attracting people's attention.
Then again, given Gore's success and the prevalence of scientific illiteracy, it remains an interesting path to consider. Olson's engaging and timely book will surely spark an important and controversial debate about science's place in society.  [Via Russell Cook]