Thursday, October 18, 2018

7/7 Earth Centrist ponders, polite or honest?


This brings me to the end of my collection of favorite posts I’ve written looking at the climate science public education efforts over the past decades along with my experiences and observations from engaging with contrarian types. 

I compiled this collection after the Colorado State Convention for the election season and I’d hoped some activists might benefit from thinking about these issues, that most rather skirt.  

My essay received some nice pats on the back, but regarding my collection and its pleas that we need to directly engage contrarian types and campaigns, that received a resounding rejection.  I think it’s unfortunate and indicates these days even the intellectually enlightened rather talk past each other than step outside our respective comfort zones.

In any event, I sent it to a number of scientists, politicians and science communicators, with plans for much more mailing, but then work caught up with me again.  Plus, truth be told, the lack of feedback was rather disheartening.  

Then, talk about disheartening, the Judiciary Committee Democratic Senators failure to spotlight Kavanaugh’s reliance on conspiracy theory, nor his rabid partisanship, nor his threats, nor the need for judiciary standards of honesty, and the need for judiciary nonpartisanship, why no query into his feeling towards American pluralism, nothing, some hopeful moments, but when it mattered most they folded.   Just another example of Democrats impotence in the face of alt-right continued bulldozing their way through our government.  That one really kicked my ass.

Obama’s speech early September was great, but then what?  Where was Obama during the Kavanaugh hearing?  

With the election days away, perhaps We The People will shine and old time American human values of honesty and constructive community engagements will gain strength in its opposition to Me First ruthless stupidity.  I have my fears, perhaps its beyond that. 

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Earth Centrist ponders, polite or honest?

...  You see I've hurt JohnSmith's feelings again, guess I'm too busy pointing out the fallacies he's perpetrating, rather than dancing with him.  Since I seem to have a reputation as a rough kinda guy, although I prefer "up front'n honest", it's worth discussing in more detail.  

For instance in my defense, instead of responding to my thoughts and queries, the guy reaches for the Whack-A-Mole gambit, which I'm not happy about, though I (and others) am willing to use the opportunities for sharing valid information on any angle of AGW that contrarians care to toss at us.

After sleeping on it, I've decided to share my improved and expanded response.  For the original and more of our exchange, check out: 

Ch4 Equinox 16-2 The Day the Oceans Boiled (17 Jun 2001)


JohnSmith, I just got through learning about the recent happenings in Japan, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3fbCOZlR1c, truly horrendous, yet our leaders are too busy jerking around each other to notice.  Let alone to appreciate what it means.  

It got me reflecting on your lament: "I just don't understand (citizenschallenge). I start out with a polite greeting ..."    Okay my sweet nice John, let me try to spell out why I'm edgy, hell, truthfully, I'm god awful pissed off at Faith Based Delusionals [yes, that's pretty harsh, but deliberately ignoring physical reality and on top of that believing one's personally tapped into god, well, truth sucks sometimes.] and the herd of ME FIRST political personalities (along with their sheople) and how they've ensured a hideous future for us all.  

I admit, in light of your words that is how I've categorized you.  Your velvety insinuations, your down right false assertions regarding the state of climate science disgust me because of their base dishonesty and the destruction they are guaranteeing. 

Your words make clear that your climate science understanding is as superficial as the film on a bubble. I believe that for you, this is about politics and your perceived financial interests.  Reading your words, it's obvious you've never truly considered the down to Earth physical reality, nor the consequences to our collective economic choices.  


You can't fool me, your talking points have been cut'n pastes,
without original thoughts of your own. { I can say this because I've been keeping up and ever learning about climate science since about 1970, along with the GOP driven dysfunctional dialogue.}


What's my bias?  I come at all this from an Earth Centrist's position, meaning that Earth and her physical processes and the Pageant of Evolution are my touchstones, the foundation of all reality.*  

After decades of study I've learned that contrarian games are invariably dedicated to stupefying people through faux science by rhetoric, ridicule, and slander.  Relying on arguments that disregard facts and truth with alacrity.

Confusion and doubt mongering are its goals.  Honest curiosity?  There's none.  Not a bit of awe and wonder at our Earth, her atmosphere and oceans and all we've learned and visualized these years - all that is treated with cynicism if not down right derision and contempt.  No appreciate at all for how much our weather impacts every aspect of our lives.

Not long ago it was the unimaginably distant future, now I'm watching the world beginning to fall apart in earnest and with the full knowledge that the ugly has just begun and that coming years hold unimaginable horrors for all of us.  Yes US, not some future generations, the future has arrived and thanks to ME FIRST fools, people are totally unaware, unprepared, stupefied.  It could be you are but a sheep, an innocent, clueless and gullible as they get, makes little difference.  

Sorry, I'm an experienced, knowledgeable, grizzled old man and humanity has disappointed me too much to hold any stock in your hollow politeness with all its hidden cynical self-interest and easy disregard for well settled and understood science,  Oh, for what it's worth dogs and kids, come to think of it most adults and my lady, like me well enough, so I know I've retained my humanity, which is why I'm trying to explain myself and be civil, if not particularly 'polite'.      . . .    

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Citizenschallenge's Hall of Shame

My "speciality" has been confronting climate science “skeptics” with fact based constructive debates and it usually follows the same trajectory.  I call out false claims, statements and question their reasoning with explanations, arguments and an assortment of relevant links to further authoritative information so people can learn about these issues for themselves. 

If they return it’s with a round of bluster and distractions that morph into ad hominem attacks on people, either me, reporters or scientists.  Never any indication that new information was read and assessed, let alone absorbed.  I respond with more facts and reasoned arguments, they respond with final insults and slammed doors not to be heard from again.  Leaving me with Virtual Debates where I strive to document the dishonesty that too many others seem to pardon.

These are the same talking heads who are astro-turfing media outlets demanding public debate, but who steadfastly run from our debates. Tragically for our country and future these self interested folks only seek theatrical lawyerly debates dedicated to confusing and obscuring.

When it comes to Serious Constructive Debates - that is, dialogues that respect the confines of truth and honestly representing others and the evidence - these showmen are nowhere to be found.  Click on the name to link to related articles.


Earlier writings are poorly formatted, sprinkled with typos and other flaws, though it seems to me I’ve been improving, that’s for others to decide.  Like I said this is as much a learning project for me as it is a teaching and sharing project.


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