[lbo-talk] Penn Jillette on global warming

[John Thornton]

Jordan Hayes wrote:
> Penn writes:
>
>>> But the climate of the whole world is more complicated. I'm not a 
>>> scientist, and I haven't spent my life studying weather.
>
> I think that's pretty disappointing; you don't have to do what he's 
> avoiding doing -- saying "Yes! Global Warming Is Real!  And We Have To 
> Fix It Right Now At Any Cost!" -- to at least agree that generating 
> less CO2 is better than generating more; that resisting a change of 
> primary fuel source is worse than continuing to burn fossil fuel 
> willy-nilly; that the major impediment to progress in this case is 
> entrenched oil money; and that starting sooner is better than starting 
> later.
>
> On the other hand, who's the bitch from Newsweek he's talking about?
>
> /jordan 

He's avoiding knowing because he is aware the scientific consensus is 
that Climate Change is very real.
Acknowledging this would mean he would have to question some cherished 
beliefs that he is uncomfortable confronting.
Notice his wording, "global warming, or climate change, or however 
they're branding it now."
He's dismissive of the idea, not just undecided.
He also writes ""I don't know" can be a very bad answer when it is 
disingenuous." without realizing he's being disingenuous through his 
entire missive.
Being skeptical of Climate Change is like being skeptical that Agent 
Orange poses a health risk or smoking causes cancer.
You can always find a few scientists who hold unfounded beliefs if that 
is your goal.
That isn't healthy skepticism, it's crackpottery.
He hasn't spent a lifetime studying cancer but I bet he believes smoking 
causes cancer. Maybe not?
It was Sharon Begley's blog where she points out that Penn and Teller 
are both supporters of the Cato Institute which disseminates quite a bit 
of Climate Change denial BS.

John Thornton