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I'm all for it, but I think you're overoptimistic. Climate deniers aren't generally making a selfish but rational calculation that they're unlikely to be affect
by gbrown 7y ago
I'm all for it, but I think you're overoptimistic. Climate deniers aren't generally making a selfish but rational calculation that they're unlikely to be affected - many have children they care deeply about, after all. Instead, they're flinching away from uncomfortable ideas and refusing to acknowledge the unfolding catastrophe.
Maybe the benefits to brain plasticity would undo some of this retrenchment, but that's a big maybe.
- ColanR 7y ago> Instead, they're flinching away from uncomfortable ideas In my experience of talking with 'climate deniers', that has never been the case.
- tempguy9999 7y agoIYE what is the case - what is their motivation for their position?
- magduf 7y agoGenerally, complete stupidity plus being told falsehoods by people who stand to benefit. It's the exact same with anti-vaxxers.
- gbrown 7y agoFair enough, but it's been mine. There are loud voices telling people they don't have to worry about the impact of their choices. That's seductive, and the truth is painful - many people instinctively prefer comforting lies.
- ColanR 7y agoFair enough. In my case it's been more motivated by conspiracy theory, that maybe there's some suppression of incongruous data going on. Which could be reasonable, given Monsanto & Snowden.
- gbrown 7y agoConspiratorial thinking is widely regarded to be an example of the phenomenon I mentioned: people find it comforting to think that the world is explainable in simple terms rather than chaotic, even if the explanation requires us to blame sinister and secretive actors for bad things. People think there should be a reason for things happening, when often there's really not. Disclaimer: I don't have a citation and I'm not a psychologist.
- ColanR 7y agoHonestly, it could go both ways. It can also be a comforting thought that the world isn't sinister and corrupt, and that people who think it is must have psychological problems. :) Same disclaimer applies.