Why do some many people fervently believe that global warming is man made now?

Question

There is conclusive evidence that the earth was warmer 1000 years ago than today. And yet many people fervently believe that global warming is entirely man made. Additionally, no global climate cataclism occurred back then. Millions of people did not die of coastal flooding. Species were not wiped out. Life went on. Our biggest problem was man's oppression of man back then as it is today.

So why the obsession with global warming? Is it governments and "intelligencia" playing on the ignorance of the masses? Or are the masses sufficiently ignorant to do it on their own?

Is the obsession with global warming a result of stupidity or manipulation? Is is just some red herring that is thrown our way to keep everyone in lock step? Governments like to have an enemy of the people to deflect attention away from their own incompetence. Saddam Hussein, for instance. Is global warming a clever version of this old game?

Answer 1

"Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled. Whenever you hear the consensus of scientists agrees on something or other, reach for your wallet, because you're being had.
"Let's be clear: the work of science has nothing whatever to do with consensus.
"Consensus is the business of politics. Science, on the contrary, requires only one investigator who happens to be right, which means that he or she has results that are verifiable by reference to the real world. In science consensus is irrelevant. What is relevant is reproducible results. The greatest scientists in history are great precisely because they broke with the consensus."
Everyone once believed the world was flat, in the 70's we were going into an ice-age, one population alarmist predicted the population of the earth would be so great the by 2001 there would be standing room only, Y2K, and the list goes on and on. Today it is "global warming" tomorrow it will be?.

Answer 2

Let me go through the points you make one at a time...

<< Why do some many people fervently believe that global warming is man made now? >>

Because people can see the effects for themselves and because there's over 100 years of credible sceintific evidence conducted around the globe that supports the theory of anthropogenic global warming (AGW). No such evidence can be produced to refute AGW despite the best efforts of some to find it.

<< There is conclusive evidence that the earth was warmer 1000 years ago than today. >>

This is a popular error. 1000 years ago the world was experiencing a warming event often referred to as the Medieval Warm Period (MWP). Temperatures were NOT higher than they are now although they were higher than the long term average. The peak of the MWP was the culmination of over 1000 years of warming in which temperatures rose by 0.7 decrees C - about the same that we've seen in just 50 years.

<< And yet many people fervently believe that global warming is entirely man made. >>

No educated person beleives it's entirely manmade. Naturre always has and always will have a role to play. The unprecedented rise in temperatures over the last 200 years is attributable to man, the basal warming is attributable to nature.

<>

The polulation back then was a fraction of that which it is today and people were far more transient. If there was a reason to move (whatever the reason), they upped sticks and went. Hardly feasible in todays society, we can't simply move New York, London or Peking to a new location.

As explained, the change was gradual. The change we're witnessing in just two years was the same as people witnessed in their lifetime.

Species were wiped out (others flourished).

In this current global warming trend millions will not die because of coastal flooding. It's not something that occurs overnight, people will have years in which to prepare and move. Those already affected have moved, they haven't stayed put waiting to drown.

<< So why the obsession with global warming? Is it governments and "intelligencia" playing on the ignorance of the masses? Or are the masses sufficiently ignorant to do it on their own? >>

I'd call it concern rather than obsession. Many people are rightly concerned about our planet - the only one we have, they're concerned about the future for their children and thier children's children. Where's the harm in that?

<< Is the obsession with global warming a result of stupidity or manipulation? >>

It's more the other way around. Can you find someone who has studied global warming and disputes it? Those who know about it are concerned about it.

<< Is is just some red herring that is thrown our way to keep everyone in lock step? Governments like to have an enemy of the people to deflect attention away from their own incompetence. Saddam Hussein, for instance. Is global warming a clever version of this old game? >>

The evidence for global warming is scientific, not political. Politicians make decisions based on the science that is available to them. If, as you appear to be suggesting, it is some form of conspiracy, then it's the most sophisticated and elaborate conspiracy in history. One involving every government in the world and countless thouands of scientists and other professionals. Do you really think every government would co-operate on something unless it was of the utmost importance and of benefit to the citizens of every nation?

Answer 3

You are right in many if your facts. Yes, global warming did happen, has happened, will happen, and is happening. The earth has been warmer, yes. But, humans are making global warming go far faster than it ever has natually - not just by a bit. We have pushed global warming off the known charts. It has been scientifically proven many times that humans are putting a knife in our own backs with global warming. But by the time the rest of the world - such as you - realize it, it may be to late. www.climatecrisis.com if you dont believe me. THey have facts. Take a look. If you can find me some proven facts to the controverse, then tell me. If not, look at the facts that are here. When it comes to death, more than 90% of scientists arn't fooling around I don't think.

Answer 4

Actually your timeline is way off - yes the EARTH was warmer - but it was more along 10,000 years ago - a huge difference in timeline - also the entire flora & fauna makeup was different ..... While the earth may (& will in a few Million years when the sun expands) warm up naturally - 95%of all scientists (not political leaders or corporation owners) agree that the wastes humans are releasing into the air is causing a faster warm up.

So why are you and others so hostile to having two trash cans - one for recycling and one for regular garbage?

Let's say you are right & but all you have to do to hedge your bets if you are wrong is use solar and wind energy? I truely don't understand the hostile reaction here to changing very little the way of daily habits ?

Answer 5

It might be us.

It might not be us.

There isn't proof that it is us. Well, there's the cooling stratosphere / shrinking troposhere but that started when Monica was servicing Bill 15 years ago - - - which doesn't explain the previous 100 years of warming, and which would mean that even if whatever caused THAT warming just magically stopped after 100 years even though that's not the pattern of prior warming periods, and you attribute everything since then to human-generated CO2 alone - - - i.e. if you give them EVERY benefit of EVERY doubt (which I'm doing only for purposes of argument) - - that would make us responsible for 0.2 degrees F of warming.

I.e., not material.

Answer 6

You are twisting the facts to support your own conspiracy theory. Of course global warming isn't all man-made. No one says it is. However, even the small percentage change that man's actions do contribute to it have had damaging effects. Also, whether or not we are 10% responsible or 40% responsible, most intellgient people understand that pending climate changes will have a huge negative impact on much of the world. We need to do what we can to stop it, or at least slow it down, before Ohio becomes a beach resort.

Answer 7

Our advanced civilization is much more vulnerable to climate change. We can't just migrate like primitive man.

The scientific data is undeniable. 99+% of scientists around the world believe global warming is real and mostly caused by us.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_opinion_on_climate_change

And any number of very distinguished people, too.

"I wasn’t convinced by a person or any interest group—it was the data that got me. I was utterly convinced of this connection between the burning of fossil fuels and climate change. And I was convinced that if we didn’t do something about this, we would be in deep trouble.”

Vice Admiral Richard H. Truly, USN (Ret.)
Former NASA Administrator, Shuttle Astronaut and the first Commander of the Naval Space Command

Here are two summaries of the mountain of peer reviewed data that convinced Admiral Truly, short and long.

http://www.globalwarmingart.com/wiki/Image:Climate_Change_Attribution.png

http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM2feb07.pdf

"There's a better scientific consensus on this [climate change] than on any issue I know - except maybe Newton's second law of dynamics. Global warming is almost a no-brainer at this point,You really can't find intelligent, quantitative arguments to make it go away."

Jerry Mahlman, NOAA

Good websites for more info:

http://profend.com/global-warming/

http://www.realclimate.org

"climate science from climate scientists"

Answer 8

I think it is for one of four reasons.

1) People want to be in control, the idea that we have no control of our environment scares them. If you are causing something than you can stop it. They are afraid that the world could undergo drastic natural climate change and leave us with no food or land.

2) $$$, this is a big one, there is a lot of money to be made off climate change by carbon offset companies, alternative energy companies, etc. Alternative energy companies have had to take a back seat to oil companies but now with this new scare the alternative energy companies are gaining standing.

3) Power and control, it is another way for the government to control how you live and what you do along with raising taxes.

4) Concern, consider for a minute asking a person who had never heard of global warming what their biggest concerns were. They would probably say money, war, terrorism, disease, etc. They would not list the environment, very few people really care for the environment and with a giant scare like this the concern for the environment flourishes. However this scare does not advocate for normal measures to curb pollution, this scare is basically calling for every major country to revert to third world conditions with no fossil fuels and little manufacturing, good for the environment but very bad for you.

Answer 9

Great taste! Less filling!

OY! With the poodles already!!!

Because people are too stupid to realize that the Canadian scientist that pushed "Global Warming" now retracts his findings.

I find this rather interesting.

We put out 30,000,000,000 tons of CO in the atmosphere every year.

To put that in perspective, that's 38 molecules of CO for every 100,000 molecules of air. It would take 5 years to change that 38 molecules to 39 molecules at the above rate.

Interesting, huh?

Answer 10

There absolutely is NOT evidence that the world was warmer a thousand years ago. In point of fact, a thousand years ago the world had entered what is called "The little ice age" and temperatures throughout the year plummeted dramatically. This little ice age did not end until the first third of the Ninteenth Century. You had better get your head out of your back door and actually sit down and read a few history textbooks!