In the UK, we have the odd instance of a fringe school pressing for the right to teach archaic or arcane ideas to children. This is usually the desire to include creationism, or other religious notions, in their science classes. In the USA it's a much, much bigger bone of contention. After all, it was America which saw the 'Scopes Monkey Trial', a 1925 hearing which accused a teacher of illegally teaching evolution. If you've ever been to the southern United States, you'll know their enthusiasm for traditional Christianity makes Britain appear to be a seething hotbed of pagan heresy, and the arguments raised in the 'Scopes Trial' continue to this day.
In 2005, the Kansas State Board of Education decided local schools were entitled to replace evolution with 'intelligent design' in the science syllabus. Or at least present it as an alternative. 'Intelligent design' is a halfway house in this debate. It doesn't advocate a belief in Adam, Eve and Eden, but nor does it accept Darwinian natural selection. Instead, it proposes the universe was designed and built by an intellectually aware being.
Responding to the Board of Education with an open letter, a man called Bobby Henderson noted the Board's decision didn't specify the precise deity involved in 'intelligent design' and therefore the creator was likely to be the Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM). He was, of course, being satirical. His point being that any theory which does not provide solid evidence can be made to point towards any conclusion, no matter how ridiculous. What's more, he insisted his FSM beliefs were as valid as intelligent design, and demanded his ideas receive coverage in classrooms too.
Perhaps inevitably, in the internet age, the Flying Spaghetti Monster became a self-fulfilling prophecy. Supporters of Henderson took on the FSM story as fully-fledged religion, with its own scriptures, iconography and church. Do a Google image search and you'll see the FSM has been allocated an accepted appearance, complete with meatballs. You may also see a man who has been allowed to wear a colander on his head in his driving licence photo, as it is 'religious headgear'.
'The burden of proof lies with anyone making a claim of truth'
So popular has the FSM become, it is now used in philosophical discourse to demonstrate the way the burden of proof lies with anyone making a claim of truth, not with those denying its veracity.
Bobby Henderson was concerned with religion and education, but the FSM phenomenon provides a valuable lesson for those of us involved in advertising. The Kansas State Board of Education were offering up a proposition ('intelligent design), in the same way an advertiser proposes the benefits of a product or service. Mr. Henderson was placing the onus on the Board to prove the authenticity of their hypothesis, which is exactly what a consumer will do when they engage with an advertising campaign. Within certain legal restrictions, any advertiser is able to make any claim for their goods or business: 'friendly', 'easy', 'delicious', 'reliable', 'beautiful' and so on. These adjectives carry minimal weight unless there is evidence to support these assurances. Whether this is in the form of testimonials, scientific research, statistics or free trials is up to the advertiser and their agency - but the necessity to prove the proposition is undeniable.
Many campaigns fail to take this essential element seriously, carrying nothing more than empty boasts and promises. Without exception, they're the weaker for it. In fact, to the audience, they're nothing more than Flying Spaghetti Monsters.
Magnus Shaw is a blogger, copywriter and consultant
