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The Right Words Are Crucial to Solving Climate Change
Scientific American ^ | January 17, 2023 | By Susan Joy Hassol

Posted on 01/17/2023 10:40:01 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer

… To inspire people, we need to tell a story not of sacrifice and deprivation but of opportunity and improvement in our lives, our health and our well-being—a story of humans flourishing in a post-fossil-fuel age.

The language we use for climate solutions can exacerbate the cultural divide. Terms such as “regulate,” “restrict,” “cut,” “control” and “tax” are unpopular, especially among conservatives. Perhaps people would be more likely to support solutions described with words such as “innovation,” “entrepreneurship,” “ingenuity,” “market-based” and “competing in the global clean energy race.” The fact that the first significant U.S. climate policy is called the Inflation Reduction Act is another example of how word choice matters. The name itself helped to gain the crucial support of Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, the swing vote. The name may also have made the legislation more appealing to the many Americans who worry about climate change but rank it below inflation and the economy on their list of priorities.

Word choice is part of the broader set of communication challenges we must face to build the political will needed to swiftly address the climate crisis. We can group the challenges into disinformation, misconceptions and the pigeonholing of climate change as an environmental issue.

Addressing climate communication challenges could help us build enough political will in time to blunt the worst climate change effects. People must grasp the urgency of the choice we face between a future with a little more warming and global catastrophe. And they need to recognize that the choices we make now will determine our fate.

(Excerpt) Read more at scientificamerican.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: globalwarming; hoax; propaganda; socialism
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1 posted on 01/17/2023 10:40:01 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

It’s neither scientific nor American.


2 posted on 01/17/2023 10:42:39 AM PST by Paladin2
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“the earth is firmly and securely made”. God.


3 posted on 01/17/2023 10:43:51 AM PST by exnavy (Grow your faith, and have the courage to use it.)
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Here are the “right” words... STFU, Susan ya dolt


4 posted on 01/17/2023 10:45:36 AM PST by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: Paladin2
Terms such as “regulate,” “restrict,” “cut,” “control” and “tax” are unpopular..

Such terms are truthful and therefore must be suppressed, altered, or overwritten. Don't give the rubes an even break.

5 posted on 01/17/2023 10:47:15 AM PST by Thommas (The snout of the camel is already under the tent.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

TRANSLATION: “All propaganda, all the time.”


6 posted on 01/17/2023 10:47:20 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (The worst thing about censorship is ████ █ ██████ ███████ ███ ██████ ██ ████████. FJB.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

In other words, lie.


7 posted on 01/17/2023 10:47:29 AM PST by facedown (Armed in the Heartland)
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To: Paladin2

I can’t believe it is the same magazine I used to subscribe to when I was in high school and then going to college. It used to be about science. Now it’s about politics and political propaganda.


8 posted on 01/17/2023 10:48:02 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer (Spay and neuter your "migrants" and liberals.)
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To: Thommas

What about the phrase “Eat your bugs and be happy!” ?


9 posted on 01/17/2023 10:49:10 AM PST by Paladin2
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

” Terms such as “regulate,” “restrict,” “cut,” “control” and “tax” are unpopular”

No kidding.


10 posted on 01/17/2023 10:49:35 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire, or both.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

You’ve gotta chant some magic words or just forget about it.


11 posted on 01/17/2023 10:49:54 AM PST by Migraine
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

George Orwell was the Nostradamus of our time.


12 posted on 01/17/2023 10:50:52 AM PST by ElkGroveDan (My tagline is in the shop.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
"The fact that the first significant U.S. climate policy is called the Inflation Reduction Act is another example of how word choice matters."


13 posted on 01/17/2023 10:51:38 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire, or both.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Here is a great speech by a Brit MP regarding climate change

https://twitter.com/KonstantinKisin/status/1613830456243273730?t=GFJOT_-hEtGRoHjZs3YIVg&s=09


14 posted on 01/17/2023 10:52:03 AM PST by Presbyterian Reporter
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Terms such as “regulate,” “restrict,” “cut,” “control” and “tax” are unpopular, especially among conservatives.

Yes, they are.

To get conservatives on your side, I suggest you liberals immediately begin using more comforting and sensitive words like:
* "You WILL eat bugs"
* "15 minutes"
* "Freeze in the dark"
* "Clot shot"
* "Depopulation"
* "Whale killers"
* "Raptor choppers"
* "New World Order"
* "WEF, Gates, Schwab and Soros"
* "500 million"
* "Farmers bad"
* "Nitrogen fertilzer bad"
* "EV"

15 posted on 01/17/2023 10:52:34 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom (Once you get people to believe that a plural pronoun is singular, they'll believe anything - nicollo)
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To: FlingWingFlyer

Agreed.


16 posted on 01/17/2023 10:53:55 AM PST by rlmorel ("If you think tough men are dangerous, just wait until you see what weak men are capable of." JBP)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
The Right Words Are Crucial to Solving Climate Change

"Scientific" "American" and Susan Joy Hassol need the "right" words for their Communist Lies.

17 posted on 01/17/2023 10:54:01 AM PST by Navy Patriot (Celebrate Decivilization)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Yes. Like they need to be able to debate their theory, which they can’t.


18 posted on 01/17/2023 10:54:18 AM PST by Vision (Woke is communism and it has no place in America. Election Reform Now! Obama is an evildoer.)
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To: Paladin2

My heating bill rates in California just went up 50% from the prior month and doubled in the last year. What’s the new term that will describe this as great news.


19 posted on 01/17/2023 10:54:56 AM PST by blue state conservative
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To: Paladin2

In fact, electric cars and windmills are much worse for the environment. Oil and gas has saved the lives of billions of people.


20 posted on 01/17/2023 10:55:08 AM PST by silent majority rising
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