Since we're all into talking about global warming, I guess.
I didn't want to post this in Adam's journal.
Here's the thing. As I can make sense of it.
EDIT: points which have been refuted (somewhat, mostly or completely) by Micah the know-it-all are in italics. PS Micah, that was sarcastic and I am more than happy to be refuted by you, it is one of the fastest ways I learn stuff.
1. There are people who say that we are causing global warming. There are people who say we are not. There are people who say global warming is happening and is going to be catastrophic. There are people who say it's happening and it's cyclical and we'll be fine. There are people who say it's barely even happening. There are intelligent people, who have made well-crafted, thought-out explorations into these subjects and come up with COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, data-supported conclusions.
2. Almost all of these people knew what answer they wanted to find when they went to find it (depending on their own inclinations, or their corporate backing). And if their is one thing people are good at, it's seeing what they want to see.
3. If we are causing global warming, and it is a threat that we need to act on, the Kyoto protocol needs to happen. If not, it does not, and probably should not need to happen.
4. Adam, Lauren, others, you read some stuff. YAY! Kudos for being informed.
5. YOU as well most likely knew what you wanted to find before you went to find it.
6. Bottom line is, if you can disregard what sixty scientists in Canada say, or disregard the people who did the research for "An Inconvenient Truth"- people who dedicate their lives to doing accurate, factual, respectable research and who or trying to help the world, you cannot claim to KNOW or even have a good idea of what we should do and why. Because the scientists don't even know. In order to justify being as worked up as you are (which I don't hold against you, but admit it, we're all a little worked up here) you would have to do some seriously extensive research into exactly how many people say what, and who they are, and how they back it up, and look at their procedure, and their bias, and etc etc etc.
7. I don't want to say "Don't take a stand." At the same time, I DO. Because none of us are educated enough to take a stand on such a complex, emerging, and scientific issue. Right now, it doesn't serve anyone to be afraid, or upset, or righteous. It doesn't serve us to get angry at our friends over things all of us know very little about- and when what we do know may or may not be true.
I don't know what else to say. That we should wait for the scientific community to come to an agreement? Clearly not, they may never. That we should trust our goverment to handle things well? Clearly not, no matter left or right wing, the government will always be run by people funded by the top 1% of our culture. Every politician near the top is most likely tainted by someone else's interest, whether they want to be or not. All I really mean to get across is that you can SAY that it's happening and you can't ignore it or you can SAY that it's blown out of proportion and everyone should calm down. What I would recommend is looking. And then, when you have looked for long enough, and you are ready to say again, wait, and look some more. And when you do decide to say, do not say, but suggest. Discuss. Be friends, and learn as much as you teach. Otherwise, in the end, we find out the truth, and someone says "I told you so" because they made a lucky guess.
I, on the other hand, will stay well enough away, and trust in my friends to tell me what they figure out. Also, I will probably write a poem, as I have been in a poetic mood lately.
Here's the thing. As I can make sense of it.
EDIT: points which have been refuted (somewhat, mostly or completely) by Micah the know-it-all are in italics. PS Micah, that was sarcastic and I am more than happy to be refuted by you, it is one of the fastest ways I learn stuff.
1. There are people who say that we are causing global warming. There are people who say we are not. There are people who say global warming is happening and is going to be catastrophic. There are people who say it's happening and it's cyclical and we'll be fine. There are people who say it's barely even happening. There are intelligent people, who have made well-crafted, thought-out explorations into these subjects and come up with COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, data-supported conclusions.
2. Almost all of these people knew what answer they wanted to find when they went to find it (depending on their own inclinations, or their corporate backing). And if their is one thing people are good at, it's seeing what they want to see.
3. If we are causing global warming, and it is a threat that we need to act on, the Kyoto protocol needs to happen. If not, it does not, and probably should not need to happen.
4. Adam, Lauren, others, you read some stuff. YAY! Kudos for being informed.
5. YOU as well most likely knew what you wanted to find before you went to find it.
6. Bottom line is, if you can disregard what sixty scientists in Canada say, or disregard the people who did the research for "An Inconvenient Truth"- people who dedicate their lives to doing accurate, factual, respectable research and who or trying to help the world, you cannot claim to KNOW or even have a good idea of what we should do and why. Because the scientists don't even know. In order to justify being as worked up as you are (which I don't hold against you, but admit it, we're all a little worked up here) you would have to do some seriously extensive research into exactly how many people say what, and who they are, and how they back it up, and look at their procedure, and their bias, and etc etc etc.
7. I don't want to say "Don't take a stand." At the same time, I DO. Because none of us are educated enough to take a stand on such a complex, emerging, and scientific issue. Right now, it doesn't serve anyone to be afraid, or upset, or righteous. It doesn't serve us to get angry at our friends over things all of us know very little about- and when what we do know may or may not be true.
I don't know what else to say. That we should wait for the scientific community to come to an agreement? Clearly not, they may never. That we should trust our goverment to handle things well? Clearly not, no matter left or right wing, the government will always be run by people funded by the top 1% of our culture. Every politician near the top is most likely tainted by someone else's interest, whether they want to be or not. All I really mean to get across is that you can SAY that it's happening and you can't ignore it or you can SAY that it's blown out of proportion and everyone should calm down. What I would recommend is looking. And then, when you have looked for long enough, and you are ready to say again, wait, and look some more. And when you do decide to say, do not say, but suggest. Discuss. Be friends, and learn as much as you teach. Otherwise, in the end, we find out the truth, and someone says "I told you so" because they made a lucky guess.
I, on the other hand, will stay well enough away, and trust in my friends to tell me what they figure out. Also, I will probably write a poem, as I have been in a poetic mood lately.