Defenestration -- being thrown out a window. This particular phrasing has roots in Catholic-Protestant tensions in early modern Europe.
Except science scandals like this qualify more as self-defenestration. Everything rolling their way, and the agents in question simply go out of their way to screw things up for themselves. They throw themselves out a window. Self-Defenestration.
Maybe this is just another way of saying: original sin. Keep rubbin'--that stain ain't coming out.
In our memed-up world where we communicate in Uzi-short bursts of 140 characters and Handmaid's Tale-esque images, these sorts of scandals will continue as the norm. The conventional wisdom: "science" tells us what's true because it's verifiable. So whatever science tells us is true, then that, and certainly not "religion," is the acceptable view.
Hence memes like this:
This is a secular version of what I've called "comedy porn." Here's another version (NSFW/offensive language warning!):
Here we have one embodiment (there are others) of "comedy porn:" the self-satisfied, condescending, "you don't know what's good for you" tone that delights in ridiculing others. Usually this serves a progressivist, roughly secular, perspective but that doesn't stop progressivist Christians from getting in on the act. If there's a chance to lampoon supposedly dumb Christians, watch everybody line up! Note: this savage satire does, at times, serve important purposes. Consider the success of Eye of the Tiber.
