“But Advocacy”

Examples

The choice between the climate-moralizers and the leisure-maximizers, for all their apparent differences, is a false one.

(Anastasia & Rachel)

Objections and Replies

Vandalism. Throwing tomato soup on The Sunflowers is unhelpful
If you think so, to promote it with your concerns are worse.

Woke. The climate establishment has gone full woke
That concept already lost its edge. It is of course wrong: scientific institutions still err on the conservative side of things.

Stealth. I do not mind advocacy, only when it is hidden under truth
Oh, Junior. You already accept that there is no dichotomy between fact and value. That makes your honest broker stance a joke.

Politics. Science has become more political
Science has always been political.

Communicators. Climate scientists are lousy communicators—
☞ (Via mdenison) You don’t get to convince the UN to create the IPCC if you cannot communicate well. Since then the press has been awash with the data and explanations provided by climate scientists. Here is a piece on a 1981 documentary showing great science communication skills:


Notes

Readings

2021-01; The Greta Thunberg Effect: Familiarity with Greta Thunberg predicts intentions to engage in climate activism in the United States; DOI: 10.1111/jasp.12737

2021; Genre in the Climate Debate; https://doi.org/10.1515/9788395720499

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