Dr. George Lakaoff a professor of cognitive linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley believes that “Global warming” is the wrong term: “Warm” seems nice. So people think, “Gee, I like global warming, Pittsburgh will be warmer.” “Climate change” is the attempt to be scientific and neutral. “Climate crisis” would be a more effective term. In the linked video Prof. Cindy Parker from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University explains why Global Warming is not a good term for addressing this Global Threat.
Global warming is not going to result in massive title waves of water flooding Manhattan. IF the ice caps were to melt — which, by the way, remains a THEORY and not an absolute truth — it will happen gradually over time. And if there is one thing we know about humanity, it’s that we are the most adaptable species to ever hit the planet. Even an annual increase of an inch of water would be something we could deal with: you relocate, you build up, etc. And if new infectious diseases or giant mosquitoes were to attack us, capitalism and competition would quickly find solutions.
Compare to the threat from an asteroid. We KNOW that they’re headed this way, and we know that we’re hardly scanning the skies in preparation. We also have no solid way of deflecting one should an impact be imminent. But most important, unlike global warming, we wouldn’t have time to adjust from an impact. Massive death would cover the planet within months. And we KNOW this has happened before.
Now think: even the doomsday scenarios projected by failed politicians in recent theatrical releases don’t come close the effect of one 3-mile-wide asteroid impact. So why, then, is there SO MUCH EFFORT and time and money being spent on the global warming issue?
Simple answer: Preparing for a asteroid impact would result in competition between high tech companies, government agencies, with — at most — a simple cash prize being put up by a handful of countries.
Conversely, “preparing” for “global warming” allows governments to raise taxes (how many times have we heard global warming advocates propose a ‘global tax’?). It allows for the empowerment of international bodies that remain unaccountable to any electorate (i.e. the U.N.). It also allows for bigger, more powerful governments on the state and local level. All of this means LESS FREEDOM for the individual — a theme that has constantly been advanced by elites and governments throughout world history. Now, you will be told what light bulbs to use, what vehicles to drive, how often to drive, what foods to eat, when you can and can’t turn on the air conditioning, etc. And those are just based on recent proposals. Let your imagination run wild on what the future holds if these weather theories catch on.
Unfortunately, actual science has been removed from the debate. Advocates of global warming don’t want a discussion or a debate (when was the last time you saw Gore debate the issue with a non-believer? Never.) This is an agenda being advanced with pure power… which is the basis for the movement altogether.
Dear J.D
Thanks so much for your precious points that you noticed in the politics around this issue, as you know better than me there is different kind of sciences, clean and garbage sciences are among those different kinds, and most likely every dog tries to bite his stake in any issue including something on spot light like Global Warming or Climate Change. I agree with you that some unaccountable governments try to use this idea in terms of their financial interests, on the other hand some countries, like OPEC members deny the fact to make sure they don’t lose any income in the shadow of Climate Change action policy. I agree with you to see different sides of the scientific controversy especially the human rights side that you mentioned earlier. Despite the fact that human has power of adaptation with the changes in the nature, but I doubt that this adaptation can be sustainable for ever. Again thanks so much for your attention; I am looking forward to learn from you on this subject and other posts of this blog.
Syamak