4 ms·

I swear there is a common denominator between the dissonance that allows people to find any tiny thing they can to confirm their beliefs even the in the face of

I swear there is a common denominator between the dissonance that allows people to find any tiny thing they can to confirm their beliefs even the in the face of growing and yet already insurmountable evidence. For years climate change skeptics held on to one or two prominent scientists who disagreed. They've both recanted and apologized and urged a reexamination of the science, yet doubters just latched onto something else. Or, in the case of droithomme, find some half-invented ad hominem attack to use to dismiss the ENTIRE body of science on the issue. It's the same people that swore to me, up and down, bet me and made foolish statements that Romney was going to have some magic emotional boost and that Nate Silver was the devil working for the liberals and that his numbers were "wrong". That you don't like the facts or that they don't fit with your world view does nothing to make them any less true.

inthewoods 14y ago
They seem to be following a familiar pattern: - First, deny that temps are rising. - Next, admit they are rising, but that it isn't caused by humans. - Next (and perhaps finally), admit they rising, and that it is caused by humans, but state that there's nothing that can be done about it anyway.
guscost 14y ago
You seem to be fond of exaggeration.
- drivebyacct2 14y ago
  Oh! No wonder you're trolling me. After a glance at your comments, I accidentally nailed you spot on for both global warming and Nate Silver without even realizing your last page of comments is denial of both! I don't know why you're calling me names. I made a single comment that had to do with the actual issue of global warming and now that's grounds for me being a climate change zealot? I'll ask you again, do you realize that dismissing science as zealotry with no actual evidence or argument makes your position look less legitimate?
  - guscost 14y ago
    You're also a zealot. I care a lot about science - it distills reason by holding it accountable to observed reality. I dismiss your offensive reaction to alternative viewpoints. That should be obvious.
    - drivebyacct2 14y ago
      You haven't offered an alternative viewpoint. You've literally been nothing but dismissive and insulting. I'm tiring of repeating myself and I feel like I'm spamming. This is all I'll say unless you are interested in articulating yourself.
      - guscost 14y ago
        It's very simple: I don't like how you react to this study as if it is irrefutable evidence that the most dire projections will be accurate. I don't like how you dismiss the minority as if the consensus has never been wrong before. I'm not going to go through the litany of hockey stick criticism with yet another alarmist, but read this book if you want details about my viewpoint: http://www.bishop-hill.net/hiding-the-decline/ http://www.bishop-hill.net/hiding-the-decline/ I doubt you respect this debate enough to bother, but then I won't be reading the next IPCC report either.
        drivebyacct2 14y ago
        I never claimed it was fact. What is this, "evolution is not a fact!!!!11111"? My point was not that consensus = correct. As someone who got to count many firsts for fellow LGBT people on Tuesday, I know that the majority is not always right. My point is very different. There are people who think that they have an opinion and that their opinion is as good as a hypothesis that is the result of data, research and people that are frankly smarter than them. I'll again ask you, but this time in a more pointed manner. Do you have an alternative viewpoint about global warming and this article... or do you have alternative SCIENCE about global warming and this article? You must have different data or analysis given your vehement denial of global warming... but I would have assumed you would have offered it before your 5th post in this thread. That's literally all I've been asking for from you. WHY do you not believe this article? Is that so much to ask? edit: I see that you finally offered a single scratch of something that I can go look into. About the laziest way of engaging in a conversation, but at least it's something. I don't know why you're again insulting and dismissing me with that last sentence, I've literally been asking for this from the get-go and you're the one that held out.
hindsightbias 14y ago
Al Gore is still fat.

inthewoods 14y ago

They seem to be following a familiar pattern: - First, deny that temps are rising. - Next, admit they are rising, but that it isn't caused by humans. - Next (and perhaps finally), admit they rising, and that it is caused by humans, but state that there's nothing that can be done about it anyway.

guscost 14y ago

You seem to be fond of exaggeration.

drivebyacct2 14y ago
Oh! No wonder you're trolling me. After a glance at your comments, I accidentally nailed you spot on for both global warming and Nate Silver without even realizing your last page of comments is denial of both! I don't know why you're calling me names. I made a single comment that had to do with the actual issue of global warming and now that's grounds for me being a climate change zealot? I'll ask you again, do you realize that dismissing science as zealotry with no actual evidence or argument makes your position look less legitimate?
- guscost 14y ago
  You're also a zealot. I care a lot about science - it distills reason by holding it accountable to observed reality. I dismiss your offensive reaction to alternative viewpoints. That should be obvious.
  - drivebyacct2 14y ago
    You haven't offered an alternative viewpoint. You've literally been nothing but dismissive and insulting. I'm tiring of repeating myself and I feel like I'm spamming. This is all I'll say unless you are interested in articulating yourself.
    - guscost 14y ago
      It's very simple: I don't like how you react to this study as if it is irrefutable evidence that the most dire projections will be accurate. I don't like how you dismiss the minority as if the consensus has never been wrong before. I'm not going to go through the litany of hockey stick criticism with yet another alarmist, but read this book if you want details about my viewpoint: http://www.bishop-hill.net/hiding-the-decline/ http://www.bishop-hill.net/hiding-the-decline/ I doubt you respect this debate enough to bother, but then I won't be reading the next IPCC report either.
      - drivebyacct2 14y ago
        I never claimed it was fact. What is this, "evolution is not a fact!!!!11111"? My point was not that consensus = correct. As someone who got to count many firsts for fellow LGBT people on Tuesday, I know that the majority is not always right. My point is very different. There are people who think that they have an opinion and that their opinion is as good as a hypothesis that is the result of data, research and people that are frankly smarter than them. I'll again ask you, but this time in a more pointed manner. Do you have an alternative viewpoint about global warming and this article... or do you have alternative SCIENCE about global warming and this article? You must have different data or analysis given your vehement denial of global warming... but I would have assumed you would have offered it before your 5th post in this thread. That's literally all I've been asking for from you. WHY do you not believe this article? Is that so much to ask? edit: I see that you finally offered a single scratch of something that I can go look into. About the laziest way of engaging in a conversation, but at least it's something. I don't know why you're again insulting and dismissing me with that last sentence, I've literally been asking for this from the get-go and you're the one that held out.

hindsightbias 14y ago

Al Gore is still fat.