The Money Behind Climate Change Denial
One doesn’t have to be a conspiracy theorist to believe that major sociological phenomena in our culture doesn’t “just happen.” Take the climate change denial movement as an example, how did it come to pass that the judgment of the scientific community is successfully called into question by a significantly large group of people? How did a matter of science become a function of one’s political leanings?
While the vast majority of our scientists tell us that climate change poses an existential threat to human civilization and immediate action is required if we are to avoid its most devastating effects, conservative non-profit foundations are investing heavily into making it appear that this matter is open for debate, no big deal, or perhaps even a hoax perpetrated by anti-capitalists or foreign enemies.
All this is the subject of an in-depth study by Robert J. Brulle, an environmental sociologist and professor of sociology and environmental science at Drexel University, also associate professor of public health at the Drexel University School of Public Health. Dr. Brulle’s deep dive into the financial structure of the climate deniers, has turned up some interesting stuff.
As it turns out, approximately $1 billion each year is spent fighting a battle for your mind. “The anti-climate effort has been largely underwritten by conservative billionaires, often working through secretive funding networks. They have displaced corporations as the prime supporters of 91 think tanks, advocacy groups and industry associations which have worked to block action on climate change.”
The pie chart in this article in Smithsonian Magazine is an eye-opener. Sure, the Koch brothers are there, but, again, there a full 91 of these contributors, and the Kochs represent only about 5% of the total disinformation campaign funding.
Meanwhile, it’s 123 degrees F in India, which is exacting heavy casualties, including dozens of deaths by sunstroke and other heat-related causes. No one paid me to write that, and it happens to be the truth.
Craig,
You ask, “how did it come to pass that the judgment of the scientific community is successfully called into question by a significantly large group of people? How did a matter of science become a function of one’s political leanings?”
The answer is quite simple, but impossible for you to admit.
When you look in the mirror, you see both the cause and solution of your dilemma! You (and your fellow travelers) are the ones who turned scientific observations and theories, into a vast industry and evangelical movement.
You are responsible for intertwining failed socialist ideology with selective scientific research to create a sort of new religion.
It’s you who commenced a vicious crusade to destroy all other voices. You demonized individual as “Deniers” (evoking and devaluing Holocaust survivors) You who labeled whole industries and vast numbers of people as “evil”.
But most of all, it was you who decided to subvert an otherwise open-minded and tolerant “green” environmental-conservation movement, into a fanatical, highly politicized crusade.
It was you who diverted the environmental movement into leftist agenda, in order to pursue a “social revolution”.
All this was done by you, and your fellow traveling true believers.
Like all would-be revolutionaries, you are now enraged to discover a strong resistance has arisen, not to clean technology, but to your fanaticism and political duplicity.
Surely, you must have realized at some point at least, continually yelling abuse and vilifying anyone with more moderate views, would create a reaction ?
Are you really surprised that others may wish to think for themselves without the fear of fanatics calling them “evil’ “deniers” or “trolls” ?