tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718772691289114123.post6616935680619392280..comments2024-03-26T15:37:57.556-07:00Comments on Idiot Tracker: A long quiet spellTheTrackerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10011829472333355911noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718772691289114123.post-16711822528576449402013-03-21T23:12:55.850-07:002013-03-21T23:12:55.850-07:00"Dealing with the denialists in a polite, con...<em>"Dealing with the denialists in a polite, congenial, respectful, manner makes it look like there is a debate going on."</em><br /><br />In a standard blog format, you're probably right. Every new post is a blank slate which allows contrarians to pretend their past mistakes never happened.<br /><br /><em>"We can best help them continue digging their hole by not directly addressing them except to ridicule them."</em><br /><br />I think casual observers are more likely to notice the holes that are dug by people who are treated with respect but don't respond in kind. In many comments, I debunk their claims and then ask them to "please stop spamming humanity with all this misinformation. It’s staining your legacy and threatening the future of our civilization."<br /><br />In response, they usually just dig faster. Rinse, repeat. Unfortunately, it can sometimes take hours to debunk nonsense that contrarians can type in mere seconds. But it might be helpful for others to see just how often and effectively Morton's demon prevents them from acknowledging these debunkings.<br /><br /><em>"I suggest you leave reality to deal with them and continue in the direction you seem to have been going - reporting what is going on, the risks we court, and possible solutions."</em><br /><br />I agree regarding new posts; my two latest climate posts take that approach. I dump most of my contrarian debunkings at the end of one older post called "Abrupt climate change". Hopefully the index prevents them from convincing other people that their past mistakes never happened. Also, I'm not indulging their need for attention with multiple web pages, just one <b>really</b> long page.<br /><br /><em>"So are the nutjobs who screech: 'CIA did 9/11',"</em><br /><br />Interestingly, #7 on that index is Jane Q. Public who's also a 9/11 Truther, an Obama Birther, and rants about dark matter, string theory, neutrino oscillation, the Casimir effect, etc. Crank magnetism fascinates me, and I think longitudinal case studies can complement cross-sectional studies like Lewandowsky et al. 2012.Dumb Scientisthttp://dumbscientist.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718772691289114123.post-90902455979397947912013-03-20T14:05:42.153-07:002013-03-20T14:05:42.153-07:00Dumb Scientist,
"The dismissive might only b...Dumb Scientist,<br /><br />"The dismissive might only be 8% of the population, but they're a very loud 8%."<br /><br />So are the nutjobs who screech: 'CIA did 9/11', 'meat/bread/milk/breathing causes cancer', 'innoculations cause autism', 'UFOs abuducted me', 'the wold's going to end on [insert future date here]. But they're regarded as nut jobs by most people. That's where the AGW denialists are rapidly consigning themselves. We can best help them continue digging their hole by not directly addressing them except to ridicule them.Chris Reynoldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16843133350978717556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718772691289114123.post-7244425704626049662013-03-18T20:17:59.832-07:002013-03-18T20:17:59.832-07:00Thank you for that thoughtful essay, and all the o...Thank you for that thoughtful essay, and all the other insightful and witty articles you've written. For what it's worth, I hope you keep blogging.<br /><br />However, I wouldn't be so quick to declare victory. The dismissive might only be 8% of the population, but they're a very loud 8%. Every minute they spend insulting us is one minute they can't spend trying to confuse someone else. So I'm going to keep debunking them, even if that makes me Don Quixote. Actions speak louder than polls: I won't declare victory until we have some kind of price on carbon. Republicans Art Laffer and Bob Inglis explain that this can be done without damaging the economy: energyandenterprise.com<br /><br />People certainly procrastinate about infrastructure and education, but America's procrastination about health care seems to have been exacerbated by an onslaught of nonsensical claims about death panels, etc. Similarly, I think peoples' reluctance to pay for clean energy is partially due to the confusion peddled by these merchants of doubt.Dumb Scientisthttp://dumbscientist.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718772691289114123.post-14955111076132773272013-03-18T12:13:30.490-07:002013-03-18T12:13:30.490-07:00Aside from my recreational forays onto the comment...Aside from my recreational forays onto the comment sections, where I'm scientifically correct, while being dismissive and rather unpleasant when dealing with the wingnuts, I have to agree with you Tracker.<br /><br />The main problem is this. Dealing with the denialists in a polite, congenial, respectful, manner makes it look like there is a debate going on. There is no debate. AGW is real and may turn out to be very serious.<br /><br />I've had one go at a denialist on my blog. Since then all they get are snide closing comments. They deserve nothing more. They are the dregs of a formerly respectable position, the ones to stupid too realise the game is over.<br /><br />I suggest you leave reality to deal with them and continue in the direction you seem to have been going - reporting what is going on, the risks we court, and possible solutions.Chris Reynoldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16843133350978717556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718772691289114123.post-21979218389191603932013-03-16T05:01:18.986-07:002013-03-16T05:01:18.986-07:00I too am pretty big on not repeating the myths, bu...I too am pretty big on not repeating the myths, but if it can't be helped, it can't be helped. Here is my counsel on whether to keep blogging: keep reading on this subject, and if you find yourself thinking something that no one is saying--then your voice is needed. The "air conditioners all the way down" piece was witty, thought provoking, and original--nothing else like that around. I've passed it on, quoted it, and admired it. I think it's quite likely you will be an enormously valuable contributor to the discussion, if you do go forward. Thumbs up from me.climatehawk1noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718772691289114123.post-59837070298461670652013-03-15T09:42:04.017-07:002013-03-15T09:42:04.017-07:00Good points all. Thanks, blueshift.Good points all. Thanks, blueshift.TheTrackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10011829472333355911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6718772691289114123.post-8471752929566315292013-03-15T09:14:55.015-07:002013-03-15T09:14:55.015-07:001) I can't answer your question atm, but I ca...1) I can't answer your question atm, but I can say there is a reason I've continued to check this site regularly. The clarity of thought with which you dissected the Lukewarmers' position is a good example of what you bring. <br /><br />2) No offense, but don't overestimate your reach. Given the audience that comes here, I would guess you don't need to worry about reinforcing misinformation.<br /><br />3) A tax and dividend approach would be a huge first step and wouldn't cost the public anything.<br /> 3a) As the economy improves, those poll numbers will also improve.<br /><br />-blueshiftAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com