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Climate Change Denial, The Truth About Denial: Bias and Self-Deception in Science Politics and Religion by Adrian Bardon, Threat to status quo
The climate change issue is a perfect storm for conservative personality and conservative ideology. It is a form of impact science that represents a massive threat to the existing social and economic order, and in so doing, incidentally threatens demographic identity groups invested in the status quo. Solutions will require massive government intervention, the prospect of which is particularly threatening to the especially individualistic, small-government aspects of American conservative ideology.
Excerpt from “Science Denial” (Chapter 2, p.109), The Truth About Denial: Bias and Self-Deception in Science, Politics, and Religion by Adrian Bardon, Oxford University Press, New York, USA, 2020.
CHECK OUT: The Yahoo News/YouGov survey on U.S. climate change attitudes conducted online from October 19 to 21, 2021.
DR. ADRIAN BARDON is a professor of philosophy at Wake Forest University, North Carolina, where he teaches courses on political philosophy, philosophy of religion, philosophy of space and time, and the history of philosophy. He is the author of A Brief History of the Philosophy of Time (OUP 2013), as well as numerous scholarly articles on time, perception, politics, and the history of philosophy.
Three Worlds One Vision 
A chilling paragraph
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It is, indeed, Derrick. Changing minds and hearts becomes even more difficult when we consider that there are powerful vested interests in keeping things exactly as they are. I’ll be following the Glasgow Climate Change Conference beginning next weekend to see what action our governments intend to take.
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The Industrial Revolution brought in the modern world. But it also led to climate change. It’s pathetic that so many people basically don’t care these days, even though we’re on the brink.
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Neil, I believe that we in America have been intentionally led to this point by the minority power elite. Divide and Rule has been a tried and successful strategy since the days of the Industrial Revolution.
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I read this article that the science community has not done enough to address science denial, whether it’s climate change or anti-vaxxers. So, this article talked about what can the science community do to address this. Unfortunately, this crap has exploded, and with the pandemic, the burden has fallen on healthcare providers to deal with anti-vaxxers when they are just trying to do their job and save lives. It’s ridiculous! I wonder if a similar thing might happen for climate change
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TCK, I believe that we all have to prepare ourselves for worse days ahead.
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Very true!
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Unfortunately, I think at least, it takes much more energy to change attitude than just go on as usual! Many thanks, Rosaliene, for having presented “The Truth About Denial”
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So true, Martina! Yet, I refuse to give up. For the first time yesterday, I had the opportunity to talk with a neighbor who has an adorable two-year-old son. My neighbor was unaware of our climate emergency. After all, as a young man, husband, and father, he has so many other concerns to keep him awake at nights.
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:):)
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The very old humorous comment therapists make is that “Denial is not a river in Egypt.”
We all use denial, often unconsciously, as a psychological defense. I don’t know if there is recent research of substance that points to greater use on one side of this question or another, but self-awareness of our overuse of such defenses is always in short supply. Self-interest may need to be martialed in a new way to capture those who aren’t inclined to save the planet yet. Thank you, Rosaliene.
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Dr. Stein, Bardon does make it clear that we are all subject to bias and self-deception. When my own son declared recently that the economy is more important than the environment, I realized the immensity of our challenge to change minds.
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My goodness! You couldn’t have offered a better example.
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Even those who lack interest in politics and do not belong to any political party, can see that climate change is a threat. They don’t have to belong to any party in order to agree or dispute.
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You would think that would be the case.
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If this catastrophe-in-waiting really does require “massive government intervention” then we English are in trouble. Literally billions was wasted in the panic buying of various items of equipment that, in my world, we should already have had put by to one side, for just such emergencies.
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Same here in the USA, John. Moreover, it increasingly looks like we in the USA will also be unprepared for the onslaught of ever more intense heat and cold, wildfires, drought, superstorms, food shortages, and more.
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Thank you for presenting this book about climate change denial. Such a huge topic; as much of a challenge as the climate change itself!
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Rebecca, “Science Denial” is just one of three topics that Bardon considers in his book. He also looks at “Pride, Prejudice, and Political Economy” as well as “Religion.”
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I guess for me it is the central issue of our age, one of survival.
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For me, too, Rebecca. Except that we cannot separate our economic policies from our climate emergency, since it’s responsible for driving global warming and the destruction of Earth’s ecosystems.
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Yes, you are right.
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Very controversial ie Bill Gates weather machine and chem trials… maybe more of a NWO trajectory.
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Thanks for dropping by 🙂 Could you kindly clarify your comments.
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You are welcome Rosaliene. And sure I can clarify. Maybe the issue of climate change is because of scientific manipulations…🤔 My pleasure. Have a great day.
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Thanks for the clarification. There’s so much disinformation circulating on Mainstream and Social Media networks/platforms that it’s very difficult to separate fact from conspiracy theories. Whenever I’m in doubt, I go to the source for information. I would like to suggest that you join me in following the COP26 Glasgow Conference when all countries worldwide will be meeting from October 31 to November 12, 2021 to tackle our global climate crisis. Here’s the link for more information https://ukcop26.org/
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It’s a scary mess. Even scarier as too many people are moving in different directions
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It sure is, Dad! I’m hoping that CPO26 in Glasgow this weekend will provide a unified direction forward.
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Thank you for sharing!!.. unfortunately there are elements of today’s world societies who are closed minded, have found their comfort zone and will deny any change, be it climate or whatever… as I have said in the past, we cannot wait for one person or group of people, we must work together, starting in our homes, our communities, etc… 🙂
Until we meet again…
May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life’s passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!
(Irish Saying)
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I stand with you, Dutch. Thanks for dropping by and sharing your thoughts 🙂
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It’s interesting to me that the “conservatists” are so against conserving the planet. Conserving wealth and power seems to be their only agenda item… and it’s not going to do them much good without water, food, and air.
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Diana, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I’m working at understanding their worldview that seems to blind them to growing evidence on the ground. Then again, their plan may well be to precipitate the collapse of what they view as a secular immoral society.
I read an article today about the Christian Right’s dominionist movement that I consider very disturbing and plan to explore further. You can read the article at the following link:
https://www.salon.com/2021/10/31/how-extremist-christian-theology-is-driving-the-right-wing-on-democracy/
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I tried to read the article, Rosaliene, but it kept switching to “Clifford the Dog.” Lol. What disturbs me about the Christian Right is how un-Christian they are… at least in terms of the Christianity I was exposed to as a kid, which was all about compassion, caring for others, peace, and forgiveness.
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Sorry that you had difficulty in assessing the article.
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No worries. I got the gist of it until Clifford popped up. 😀
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It scares me to think it might be too late already. Are we in denial? I am not sure but I know many don’t take the subject seriously.
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Bridget, it’s already too late to stop the melting of the ice caps and glaciers. What’s urgent now is to slow down rising global temperatures to avert disaster for humans worldwide. The window to reduce carbon emissions to Net Zero by 2050 is fast closing. Today at COP26 in Glasgow, Indian Prime Minister Modi said that they can only reach that goal in 2070 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooJ9jlNOpu4]. Leaders worldwide know that America’s commitment as presented by Democratic President Biden will depend upon the agreement of the Republican Party.
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I am from Europe and when I came to the U.S. I was shocked when I saw how much energy was wasted here. Back in the 80’s we already got a fine when we had the car running, without driving. Here in the U. S. people run their cars for 10 – 15 minutes to get them warm in the winter.
I follow these topic since years and I think it will only work if the world comes together, including China, Russia and all the other countries raping these earth on a daily basis.
No matter what Biden will do, it will be undone as soon as the Republican’s get a chance. It sad and shameful.
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It’s indeed sad and shameful. Much worse, it’s a disaster for the future of our kids and grand kids. On Monday, the first day of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, Greta Thunberg, the 18-year-old Swedish environmental activist, may well be right when she told other young protestors gathered outside the location:
“This COP26 is just like the previous COPs. Inside COP, they are just politicians and people in power pretending to take our future seriously, pretending to take the present seriously of the people who are being affected already today by the climate crisis. Change is not going to come from in there.”
What an indictment of our generation!
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Hello Rosaliene. You’ve got a great blog / thread going here. Ironic how the climate change deniers can get all hot and bothered about saving Christmas (which is not endangered), yet, fail to work up a sweat re saving our endangered home world; which is already overheated and quite literally burning down. Santa should stuff lumps of coal into their Christmas stockings. Nope,bad idea. They’d likely burn it in their fireplaces.
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Tom, thanks for dropping by and sharing your thoughts 🙂 It’s amazing how we humans, myself included, can get our priorities mixed up.
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You’re welcome. Getting / keeping priorities in proper order will prove tough until we get / keep the corporate megabucks out of the money-junkie politicians’ pockets.
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Very true 😦
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Well said
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