Meet the Climate Sceptics

A BBC documentary on the denialist/sceptic movement. Main focus is Christopher Monckton who, despite having no qualifications in science, has been given an unprecedented voice to address governments. As this documentary shows, truth is fluid to this guy. The end always justifies the means...

What really gets to me, is just how many people actually believe this shit. Just how many average people think they are better informed than the experts, who just want to shrug this issue off and see it more as an annoyance or affront to their personal liberty than something that needs serious attention.

It's the Dunning Kreuger effect on a global scale. Arrogance, ignorance and self-importance of the absolute worst kind. The worst thing is when they pick up little pieces of science then have the gall to assume that they know better than the experts. I wouldn't waste my time arguing every little bit of scientific proof with these people, they will always believe what they want to believe. If it isn't enough for them to know that the global community of experts have an overwhelming consensus on this issue - then nothing will be.

I don't know how to even begin confronting this issue. You trust the experts and the evidence, or you believe what you want to be true and decide you know better. The answer seems so obvious, and yet...

BecMacFeegle wrote:What really gets to me, is just how many people actually believe this shit.

It really needs to be seen to be believed and Monckton - who isn't even a proper Lord - has become the poster boy for the denialist movement. See when he addressed the Tea Party crowd, his opening statement is how even a person born in Kenya can become President and the crowd is ecstatic. That is the sort of people that this guy attracts... oh and he claims to have cured AIDS in the opening minutes of the documentary.

It is concerning that so much of the media in the US is giving this guy an unfettered place on the airwaves. He was even allowed to address congress. You would have hoped it would be a criminal offence to knowingly lie to Congress wouldn't you?

BecmacFeegle wrote:It's the Dunning Kreuger effect on a global scale.

A lethal cocktail when mixed with pride.

Apparently, Mad Monckton threatened the BeeB with legal action to stop them airing the documentary.

http://climatecrocks.com/2011/02/20/meet-the-skeptics-monckton-fails-to-stop-bbc-close-up/

Actually, being familiar with his "work" I thought the documentary was being quite kind to him.

The_Amber_Spyglass wrote:See when he addressed the Tea Party crowd, his opening statement is how even a person born in Kenya can become President and the crowd is ecstatic.

For the record here, I don't buy into the Bama born in Kenya or anywhere else other than the USA. Never have and never will unless it's 100% provable. Let those who do believe all that waste their time digging it up. I don't bother with it. As someone recently told me (in a real life conversation), if it was a real issue, wouldn't have McCain or even Hillary brought it up? Hillary would've had the most to win if it were true. Instead of me addressing Obama as Bama, I'd be addressing Hillary as the Old Bag.

Well yeah, I guess people who are unconcerned about Monckton's qualifications (or whether he is actually telling the truth) just aren't all that bothered about evidence in general.

The_Amber_Spyglass wrote:Well yeah, I guess people who are unconcerned about Monckton's qualifications (or whether he is actually telling the truth) just aren't all that bothered about evidence in general.

That's why I research things before taking words as gospel. Many do not.

I'm still reading Aaronovitch's [ii]Voodoo Histories[/i]. The paperback edition has a chapter on the 'Obama born in Kenya' subject. I'll let you know what he digs up when I get to that chapter. And the shit that some people believe about 9/11 is just breathtaking.