This is shocking. Before anyone says it's the biggest failure ever seen in science communication, it's not (all) our fault! It's politically driven disinformation - ThreadSky

rowhoop.bsky.social • 71 days ago

This is shocking. Before anyone says it's the biggest failure ever seen in science communication, it's not (all) our fault! It's politically driven disinformation

Reposted from Adam Vaughan

Wild that 28% of Tory voters don't believe humans are causing climate change.

The figure is quite high for UK population as a whole, at 17%.

Yet it's 4yrs since the IPCC upgraded its certainty on our role in causing climate change, calling it "unequivocal". Lotta people didn't get the message.

Comments

jofeanelwa.bsky.social•71 days ago

My mother is one of them. She has benefited from more science communication than any of my students and she refuses to even attempt to understand. She's not stupid generally, she just won't. It's like they're in a cult or something.

jofeanelwa.bsky.social•71 days ago

One day I will clear out the bit of the bookshelves with the books that I have bought her and she won't read. I want them back.

deadlyvices.bsky.social•70 days ago

I just turn it back on them. When someone pooh-poohs the idea of AGW, I simply ask 'which aspect of the scientific argument do you disagree with, then?'
Then I wait for the blank stare followed by a lot of bluster. Then I ask the question again. And again. And I just keep punching that bruise.

jofeanelwa.bsky.social•70 days ago

Oh she just repeats the talking points. My mother is the only person I've ever met who is as stubborn as me. You might as well argue with a slug, nothing will change, you will just get sore knees from coming down to its level.

deadlyvices.bsky.social•70 days ago

It must be very dispiriting. What are the talking points en vogue?

jofeanelwa.bsky.social•70 days ago

"China makes more than us", at the moment. One day I'll put something really garlicky in her fridge and say "well the ham smells more so what I do doesn't matter" and she won't get it even slightly.

deadlyvices.bsky.social•70 days ago

Yeah, but China is decarbonising pretty bloody rapidly because it sees the writing on the wall. And every Chinese car I see on our roads right now is electric.

elisabethkosters.bsky.social•71 days ago

Most people, including politicians, don’t understand that humans are not above but part of the earth’s geo-biosphere. I remember clearly, as a geology undergrad, that sudden deep realization. We are a small cog in a vastly complex engine that we don’t control. But that realization doesn’t exist

benstext.bsky.social•71 days ago

I’m reminded of this when I hear Musk or others talk about humans living on Mars as if it’s totally doable. Earth is not just providing some air and water. There’s countless processes and chemical reactions that firmly root us here because we’ve evolved as part of the planet.

elisabethkosters.bsky.social•71 days ago

Correct

M*sk is an idiot, a very dangerous one. I hope he goes to Mars and stays there

ickiestvicki.bsky.social•71 days ago

One thing we CAN DO as scientists is collaborate with science communicators! That is their area of expertise. THEY are the experts on that component of STEM.