The Curtain on Climate Denial About to Be Peeled Back

[Indy]

Except there's not. They can believe the scientists or the can believe the conspiracy theory.

The scientists weren't/haven been "fearmongering"--they were reporting their findings, which happen to be scary. Telling the scary truth isn't "fearmongering"--that's nothing but a rhetorical tool used by deniers because they don't have a real argument.

The easiest--if not most transparent--way to attempt to discredit something is to mock it as "fearmongering": don't listen to all those sky-is-falling alarmists! Pearl-clutchers!

So what, scientists are supposed to sugar-coat their findings so Americans won't get to upset?

That always ends well.

At best, it's normalcy bias run amok and at worst just what I just described: an emotionally manipulative appeal for people to ignore... science. And when they get bored with that one they whip out the whole "But it will crush the economy!" nonsense and invoke... fearmongering... about how we'll all be forced to use horses & buggies.

Transparent.

[Philly]

If you believe in conspiracy theories though - which they do - the scientist might have been coerced to lie about their findings. And then unless you yourself are a scientist who has done research, it would be impossible to know. Further, if you believe the conspiracy, the only reason the scientists would be lying in the first place is that there is no evidence.

[Indy]

But see where it all goes off the rails is why scientists around the globe would all willingly participate in a lie. To what end? Al Gore is literally that powerful? He can't get elected president but he can influence a cabal of scientists worldwide to front this hoax while attaching to sharks some frickin' laser beams?

You're right though: when you gorge on conspiracy theories of course there's an explanation which justifies your doubt.

My favorite one came from Rush Limbaugh years ago while I was in the car: it's a worldwide conspiracy run by Obama to drain the nation of its wealth and funnel it into third-world nations (ding! Guess which continent!) as Al Sharpton (ding!) and Jesse Jackson (ding! ding!) look on in approval.

Dayum. That was pretty sweet--offering no actual rebuttal but a conspiracy theory AND hittin' that dog whistle like you're an NFL ref.

[cpicturetaker12]

[quote="Philly"]You say only 46% believe in climate change, therefor the denier propaganda is working. But those on the other side would say that because of the fearmongering campaign, a whole 46%, nearly half of the American public, believe in the climate change hoax.

There are two sides here so naturally both deserve equal consideration.[/quote]

Explain to me what's the point in lying about it? Yes, Al Gore made a lot of money. But some thousand or so CLIMATE SCIENTISTS are not in cahoots
to make Al Gore rich? Really? That is absurd. Ever been around a conference table with 10 other guys? You can't get 5 to agree. Yet somehow, scientists
from all over the world agree on this!

[Philly]

[spacemonkey]

Remember the meeting in China about air pollution about a year ago when Obama got on one of the largest aircrafts in the world ( the big blue jet ), flew to China leaving an unbroken trail of pollution all the way there, then gave a pep talk about not putting crap into the air.