When announcements by molecular biologists and the biotechnology sector are received negatively by the general public or policy makers, the fault is generally ascribed to a general ignorance of science. This short commentary argues that, on the contrary, the problem may be that an influential portion of the public is actually too well informed to accept blindly what they are told. This awareness does not come from scholarly publications or the media, but more likely from a series of influential books and magazine articles that for the last 3 decades have promulgated a view of molecular biology that diverges strongly from what is generally presented. The actual level of public awareness needs to be taken into account to develop an optimal communication strategy for the discipline.