As soon as we read the 'objective' hagiography in the Independent's reportage about James Hansen: "the most celebrated climate change scientist" or "father of the green movement", we can expect, let's be polite, a slightly one-sided article. The Independent will never disappoint on this. James Hansen, head of NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies has found a novel spin for the "climate change deniers". They have been more successful at obtaining public support as climate change only has poorly spoken, shy scientists supporting it, where as climate contrarians have communications professionals.
Part of the problem, he said, was that the climate sceptic lobby employed communications professionals, whereas "scientists are just barely competent at communicating with the public and don't have the wherewithal to do it."
This is divorced from reality? Perhaps not: think about the defenders of orthodoxy: government sponsored public sector professionals, smug in their own righteousness versus lightfooted bloggers and contrarians who have to persuade their audience. For the high priests, persuading an audience of your argument is cheating; but this very quality, the ability to write, makes you a communications professional.
The pharisees really need to rethink. Their message is coming through loud and clear. Frozen pensioners, heating or eating: these are all necessary sacrifices for the greater good. Their blind immoral calculus bodes ill.
