Why do i feel so alone in this debate against global warming?

Question

also i'll tie in another question with this....why aren't there that many top contributeres that think AGW is a load of bull? the majority i see are believers.....

Yeah to the main question i feel so alone cause in my daily life the majority of the people won't speak a word against global warming. Everyone i talk to about global warming think i'm crazy and a holocaust denier. WHY WHY?

PS: if some believer says "Because you are" then i'll report you so badly your mother would cry to the admin to take your account back! nah jokes just don't do it

Answer 1

You are not alone.  Most people who you come into contact with have never actually studied the subject.  Most people who believe do so based on what other people tell them, not from actually looking at the evidence themselves.  Politicians, actors, and the news media have a strong influence on what people believe.  

Most of the top contributors in this section are believers because they are more passionate about the subject than skeptics  Believers just use consensus to support their stance rather than scientific method as a basis for their arguments.  "Every major scientific organization endorses blah, blah, blah..."  Scientific method is not about consensus, or looking for supporting evidence.  Scientific method is about trying to disprove a hypothesis or theory as rigorously as possible.  Yet whenever a scientist questions global warming, or provides evidence that is contrary to the theory they are "not credible" or "on the fringe".  People like me who are skeptical get tired of arguing with the fanatics who discount every scientist except the ones that agree with their theory.

Answer 2

The quality of the evidence you have is very similar to what the holocaust denialists come up with, I'm sure they feel much the same way you do.

Answer 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7qOFB4IX...

hth

Answer 4

When a person finds themselves around seemingly intelligent and reasonable people that disagree with them on a scientific topic, the rational reaction would be to question one's own belief.  Could you be wrong in your view?

What is the source of your doubt of global warming?  Have you done an extensive unbiased analysis of the scientific literature and do you have sufficient science/math training to comprehend the subject? Or have you been convinced by listening to politically biased individuals who may also lack the scientific training to really understand the field?

The problem with an issue like global warming is that you have nut-case extremists on both sides that aren't willing to look at evidence or admit that they could be wrong.  There are the "humans are evil" camp and the "my lifestyle is all good" camp.  Both have an irrational position and thus filter out all evidence contrary to their own faith.

Answer 5

Well, you seem not to want to hear the truth so I'll leave that to your imagination to figure out.   Glacier park is losing its glaciers.   They are NOT left over from the last iceage, but used to be added to every year in amounts equal to what melted.   Who is the top contributor on here?   Do you think he believes anything about climate change?   Not from what I've read of his posts.

Answer 6

You're not alone in believing anthropogenic global climate change is a bunch of bull. I believe it more then ever now that I did a road trip to Branson Missouri from Minneapolis Minnesota. Do you know what I saw along the route we took home from Branson? Trees! Millions upon Millions of trees. And untouched land as far as the eye can see. I did also see a few wind farms in Iowa, but only in the Northern part of the state where there's a lot of open land that doesn't have many trees. I was also thinking about a lot of other things like all the dams we have that create hydroelectric power. So yes, antropogenic global warming (or climate change) is a bunch of bull!

Answer 7

Like some others have said, the majority of credible evidence put forward by scientists not funded by special interest groups have found that the earth is warming.  There have been some other studies that try and find other reasons for global warming but they usually fall short or are done poorly.  

I like these people that say 'science is not the consensus' but why they are saying is few to no credible scientists have put forward theories denying global warming.  

So back to the question, why do you feel so alone, because you are arguing the side with little evidence in your favor.  

Answer 8

If you refuse to accept the truth then we can't help you, Michael!

You may as well ask:

"What does 2 + 2 equal? Don't tell me '4' because I don't believe that"!

You are not alone but you are most definitely in the minority, not only here in Y!A but anywhere in the world (http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/p...

Why are you alone? Well, why are people who still believe the world is flat or that flares are fashionable find themselves without many friends? Because they deny the truth...

Answer 9

Could Bestonne, Panurge, Adam C be any more condescending and downright nasty.  I don't think it possible.  I know I know more about science than all of them put together not that I am bragging because frankly it wouldn't take that much.  They and their ilk are simply leftists who aren't smart enough to separate their politics from science.  There is no one so ignorant as those that don't know how ignorant they are.  You have to realize that it is like a religion to these people (no insult meant to the religious).  Since it is so important to them, they tend to lurk on these questions.  

Answer 10

Because you are

Answer 11

You haven't said what your occupation is, but I guess you are comming into contact with a lot of young left wing types.  Do most people you meet vote labour and wonder how the liberals ever get in when no-one they know votes for them?  Australia as a whole is about 50/50 divided on which political party they vote for and also about 50/50 divided on whether they believe in human made climate change.  

Answer 12

because the "very tolerant people" that toot the global warming horn, are really only tolerant to their own belief. They are have become closed minded bullies similar to those of the Salem witch hunts or the McCarthyian anti-commie zealots. This issue has become almost a religion to them and if you do not believe you will be ostracized or belittled. Therefore, many people will not speak their mind against this silliness for the fear of retribution.  

Answer 13

Now you know how the people who 'believed' that the Earth was flat felt, when the proof piled up that they were wrong. Maybe you'll need to reconsider the data on climate change being caused by humans burning fossil fuels.

Funny thing about 'knowledge'.

It's like toothpaste.

You can't push it back into the tube!  

Top answerer 'deniers' like Dr. Jello, are most likely just trolls,paid by the oil companies, to spread lies and foster useless arguments!  Don't continue to fall for that B.S.! You can still hate hippies and tree huggers and Al Gore, and still understand the scientific facts of abrupt climate change due to AGW.

Answer 14

You shouldn't feel alone, there are many people that believe as you do, especially on YA. I don't know whether you're crazy, but the overwhelming  scientific evidence is on the side that believes in AGW.  I wouldn't put much stock in whether top contributers believe it or not, though.  I have been a top contributer in Meteorology and Earth Science, but you probably don't believe me, and the top answerer in this category is a complete crackpot, so you shouldn't use YA rankings to judge anything.

You should take some real classes in science and look at the evidence, and not worry about whether people agree with you or not.

Answer 15

I will take my theme here from Heinlein:

Political tags - such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth - are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire.

Robert A. Heinlein

Those who would oppress others first need to make themselves feel superior in some way to those they would oppress. This is done by denigrating them or degrading them in the eyes of others. By the means of  labeling those who can see the fallacies of an argument deniers then they feel they have an emotional and political advantage over them. For those who through education or insight are able to spot scams and con games are ever a danger to those who perpetrate such criminal acts. So yes frequently having the sight and ability can make you feel lonely, but it also means that you are more intelligent and capable than those who faithfully bow down to tyrants.

Of course sometimes we get burned at the stake or have our heads lopped off also when the faithful assume total control. Of my ancestors many went head high to the stake or block while others escaped with the clothes on their backs from the tyrants troops. Free men sometimes must pay high prices to remain free!

Answer 16

Because the evidence says that Co2 is increasing and that global temperature is rising.

It's not a religious belief system to believe in or not believe in, it's just science, and pretty fundamental science at that.

And it's not yet another conspiracy theory, that, if denied by governments and by science, therefore must be true. ie "they lied about roswell and 9/11, so they must also be lying about GW"

Answer 17

So what if your alone, it takes more courage to stand alone in ones belief then to sit down with conformist.,  

Be true to yourself and there are those who will one day stand with you don't allow those who hurl insults affect you they generally are internet tough guys and wimps in real life.  JIm Z. was right on