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There have been a lot of threads about climate change so I was curious to see where people stand on this. I tried to cover all viewpoints and since the poll questions are limited to 150 characters, these were the original questions...
1) Our understanding of climate science is not advanced enough to truly predict what will happen but we need to motivate the public and the politicians towards doing the right thing with economic policy and environmental policy. This also represents the greatest opportunity to bring about justice and equality in the world, while limiting capitalism.
2) I believe in the science as well as the professionalism of the scientists who tell us that we need to act fast and that this is a dire emergency. This crucial effort is being actively stymied by deniers who are paid off or influenced by corporate and big oil interests. Conservative political views as well as strict religious views also sway people to deny the science.
3) I think it’s an important problem but don’t necessarily buy into all of the alarmism and the fear mongering. Clean energy and reducing pollution are important goals so even if the science is shown to be wrong, we are doing the right thing.
4) This is a natural cycle. The climate always changes. It’s hubris to think that we can significantly change the environment as it has changed many times and much more dramatically in the past when mankind and industrialization were not as much a factor.
5) The scientific community has been largely corrupted by politics, activism, greed and dogma. I think the basic science is sound but the data gathering and dissemination is subject to manipulation and cherry picking in order to paint a specific picture and to motivate action. There is an active effort to marginalize and diminish skeptics as well as an active effort to subvert the scientific process in favor of dogma and consensus over blind, impartial science.
6) This issue is nothing more than a smokescreen to raise taxes, reduce or destroy capitalism and promote socialism.
Since it's a complex issue with lots of opinions, multiple choice has been turned on in case one of these views does not entirely represent your stance.
Last edited by voiceofreazon; 10-31-2014 at 08:10 AM..
Rhetoric by the left about climate change has nothing to do with climate and everything to do with their goal of a centrally controlled economy.
Perfect example of what most denialists subscribe to. If someone is already scientifically illiterate, you can then play on their paranoia of higher taxes/federal government and replace science with something they feel comfortable with.
Those who deny mankind's acceleration of climate change are dinosaurs and are going to end up as extinct as they are in a decade, maybe two, by then will they have served their purpose as useful idiots for the fossil fuel industry? Thats what the wealth hoarders are banking on. This forum proves they have strong support.
The wealth they rake in is unprecedented, and someday we all will be forced to take action to act to start finding alternatives. We are all frogs in a pot of simmering water.
I thought that once experience and the Science showed the error of the Global Warming theory that the leaders of Climate Alarmism would fade away as the advocates for Peak Oil, Running Out of Resources, Limits of Growth or Inability to Feed the World did.
I now think that unlike those earlier Alarmist Scares, there are so many people earning their living spreading this False Fear that they have become an Interest Group primarily devoted to protecting their livelihoods. Al Gore, Michael Mann, James Hansen, Rajendra Pachauri, etc. can perhaps be best understood as people fighting to keep their jobs. I can think of no other explanation for their continued denial of reality.
I think it's just a natural cycle. However, it's being used for political reasons and to extort money from wealthier populations.
There are also the 'usefuls' who aren't happy unless there's some cause to go after, whether or not it's a valid cause. This is the target audience for the alarmists who just want money and power.
Perfect example of what most denialists subscribe to. If someone is already scientifically illiterate, you can then play on their paranoia of higher taxes/federal government and replace science with something they feel comfortable with.
Those who deny mankind's acceleration of climate change are dinosaurs and are going to end up as extinct as they are in a decade, maybe two, by then will they have served their purpose as useful idiots for the fossil fuel industry? Thats what the wealth hoarders are banking on. This forum proves they have strong support.
The wealth they rake in is unprecedented, and someday we all will be forced to take action to act to start finding alternatives. We are all frogs in a pot of simmering water.
Speaking of dinosaurs, do you realize that during their time and for millions of years after this planet was tremendously warmer than it has been since mankind arrived? I suppose that mankind contributed to the higher temperatures before we were here and before all of our machines were even invented.
If you can string together a series of logical thoughts you may be able to see why the skepticism.
I'm tired of having this debate, but I heard something interesting yesterday.
My geospatial analysis professor mentioned that while government is dragging its feet on the issue, every company he's talked to wants to hire GIS professionals who know how to account for climate change. They want people who can account for sea level rise and shifting habitats. This is something he says both non-profits and industry feel is a vital skill.
We're arguing about it, but they're planning for it.
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