Results of the study show that the term “Climate Change” is too bland to excite people
Story submitted by Eric Worrall
Bryan Walsh, writing for Time Magazine, has published a claim by the Yale Project on Climate Communication, that the term “global warming” is more effective at engaging people’s attention than “climate change”. People apparently associate “Global Warming” with terrifying climate catastrophes, such as melting ice and coastal flooding. See the story here:
http://time.com/119517/global-warming-climate-change/
“Climate Change”, on the other hand, tends to be associated with unusual, but not necessarily terrifying weather events.
Bryan concludes with the suggestion that environmentalists should consider their use of language when attempting to motivate their audience.
Who knows – perhaps this study heralds the exciting return of the term Climate Change – at least until the next El Niño fizzles.
For example, according to the Yale study, the term “global warming” is associated with:
- Greater certainty that the phenomenon is happening, especially among men, Generation X (31-48), and liberals;
- Greater understanding that human activities are the primary cause among Independents;
- Greater understanding that there is a scientific consensus about the reality of the phenomenon among Independents and liberals;
- More intense worry about the issue, especially among men, Generation Y (18-30), Generation X, Democrats, liberals and moderates;
- A greater sense of personal threat, especially among women, the Greatest Generation (68+), African-Americans, Hispanics, Democrats, Independents, Republicans, liberals and moderates;
- Higher issue priority ratings for action by the president and Congress, especially among women, Democrats, liberals and moderates;
- Greater willingness to join a campaign to convince elected officials to take action, especially among men, Generation X, liberals and moderates.
– See more at: http://environment.yale.edu/climate-communication/article/global-warming-vs-climate-change/#sthash.qv2Aqdrq.dpuf
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Greg says:
May 28, 2014 at 1:21 pm
“the Greatest Generation ”
LOL is that P.C. term for old gits now ? Cool , I’m not getting old, I’m getting “great”. sounds much better.
Greg,
No. It is not a ‘PC’ term. It is an honorific applied in the USA to the generation that fought and won WWII. It applies to all of my uncles and both of my parents, now deceased et.al. It is a term of respect. Please use it as such.
Mac
“**Kate Forney says:
I don’t know why they don’t just call it “Kim Kardashian”. **”
Thank you for the question, Kate- and it’s a good one.
The answer of course, is – because, the CAGW crowd is walking a fine line here. They want to get people’s attention in the developed West to the point where everyone is willing to submit to unnecessary, costly, destructive-to-humanity social/economic changes and oppressive governmental control of our lives – but they do not want to alarm people in the developed Western societies to the point where mass suicide is a result – that would be bad PR for the CAGW powers-that-be. Huge loss of human life in the 3rd world is, of course , acceptable to the high-level cretins that control the “public face” of the CAGW crowd like puppets, and is line with these cretin’s severe population reduction goals for the 3rd world, but those in the 3rd world currently don’t know who Kim Kardashian is (thank God or small favors). Perhaps vast distribution of Kardashian reality shows (not just Kim Kardashian – all of the Kardashians would be most effective strategy here ) to the 3rd world cause the most despair and would help further their repugnant goals for those regions of the planet.
Is “Global Warming” about to make a comeback?
If the predicted El Nino we are currently flirting with ever develops into a significant El Nino for the USA, the main stream media here will trumpet ‘+400ppm CO2 Induced Global Warming‘ as the ’cause’ of a possibly mild winter. The drought ending rains it will bring to the desert southwest, from California to Texas and Oklahoma, and the regional drought that was previously attributed to ‘Climate Disruption’ will be studiously and with 97% certainty ignored/forgotten! The headlines will read: Global Warming – It’s BAAACK!
Like Ouroboros, the mythical CO2-emissions-cause-global-warming snake will travel full circle to eat its own tail.
John is right. We need something really terrifying, so that everyone will know we’re doomed. I will raise to
Human Induced Life-Threatening Global Warming Climate Apocalypse.
Any advance on that?
Of course, conspicuous in its absence are the Baby Boomers.
That is because you have Boomers at Yale performing the study, labeling and psychoanalyzing all the other generations, triangulating and targeting, with almighty money from the NSF to perform “interdisciplinary” studies to pursue their “Anthropocene Age” paradigm.
Speaking of soft sciences and political psychology research questions, what makes the Baby Boomers such experts on every subject under the sun and capable of micromanaging other people’s lives? Was it too much drug and alcohol exposure during their college years while listening to Marxist professors, which in turn damaged to their underdeveloped frontal lobes? More study is needed.
Global Warming is the more honest and accurate term. But Warming, schwarming, whatever term the dictators decree shall be used, the sheeple will obediently use – without question.
They are changing back to Warming because they are just about to “discover” that all the temp records for the last 100 years are incorrect. The new records will show that temperatures have been rising at the rate as per the models. The error in the temp records wil be attributed to the ink used by the past observers being unstable and will result in a 0.3 degre adjustment. The older the ink the less accurate the record so they will have to make the older records cooler still. This will of course prove that the models are accurate and that the world is really getting hotter. /sarc
call it whatever…no-one’s paying attention.
more “unintended consequences”?
28 May: Bloomberg: Alex Morales: London’s Dirty Secret: Pollution Worse Than Beijing’s
It’s the law of unintended consequences at work. European Union efforts to fight climate change favored diesel fuel over gasoline because it emits less carbon dioxide, or CO2. However, diesel’s contaminants have swamped benefits from measures that include a toll drivers pay to enter central London, a thriving bike-hire program and growing public-transport network.
“Successive governments knew more than 10 years ago that diesel was producing all these harmful pollutants, but they myopically plowed on with their CO2 agenda,” said Simon Birkett, founder of Clean Air in London, a nonprofit group. “It’s been a catastrophe for air pollution, and that’s not too strong a word. It’s a public-health catastrophe.” …
For Green Party Leader Natalie Bennett, the solution is simple: Get people out of their cars…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-27/london-s-dirty-secret-pollutes-like-beijing-airpocalyse.html
Greg says:
May 28, 2014 at 1:21 pm
“the Greatest Generation ”
LOL is that P.C. term for old gits now ? Cool , I’m not getting old, I’m getting “great”. sounds much better.
Greg”
I give you one chuckle for your attempt at humor ;), but as you can see from the single response you’ve garnered thus far, it is only modestly funny. I don’t know if you are American or not, but I suspect not since you apparently have not heard this pretentious, self-serious phrase. The so-called “Greatest Generation” thesis a dubious, historically amnesiac, self-indulgent term of self-congratulation on the part of the WWII generation, set forth in risible book from the febrile mind of one of America’s most moronic News Anchormen. (See Tom Brokaw) Or should I tell you what I really think of it?
Before I start something that will derail this thread, cause a flame war and annoy our excellent hoist, I’d best point out that I bow to no one in my admiration for the men who fought – especially on the front lines, in WWII. Anyone who fights honorably in my nation’s service has my thanks and utmost respect. As a younger man, I believed – and to a lesser extent, still do – that war is mans greatest endeavor. I’m so well read in the history of WWII, I can give you, off-the-cuff, a pretty comprehensive history of the causes, men, events, strategies, tactics, campaigns, politics, and especially the missed opportunities of the entire affair. But the idea that the Depression / WWII generation is America’s greatest? Don’t get me started …
They are now stuck, for the time being at least. Climate change was increasingly embraced because of the lack of Warming (irrespective of the name IPCC). If they embrace global warming and it cools, then what? Over to disruption?
What’s your rationale for using the word “rational”?
Relax, it’s a joke.
Notice that they did not make any reference whatsoever of Irish demographics. Or redheaded Leprechauns. We have our beliefs, but global catastrophic climate doom ain’t one of em.
Re: “… “Greatest Generation” {is} a … self-indulgent term of self-congratulation on the part of the WWII generation, … .” (T-Bird at 5:59pm)
Setting aside your other highly debatable claims, “self-congratulation” is simply incorrect. Tom Brokaw, regardless of his merits as an author or a journalist, was not himself a member of the “Greatest Generation.” He was lauding his parents’ generation.
I wouldn’t even dignify your fatuous sneer of a comment with a response but for the fact that those of my grandparents’ generation, at least those from the United States, are known for their reticence about their alleged greatness. They would be the LAST to trumpet their own worthiness.
And the few still alive won’t speak up here.
Thank you, all you WWII vets and their contemporaries, SO grateful that I am living “in a land that’s free” (“God Bless America” by Irving Berlin). Driving around on bald tires, eating chipped corn beef hash — again, saving tin, working overtime to push out a new bomber off the assembly line EVERY HOUR, …. you set a stellar example of how to get the job done.
And I know you would be the LAST people on earth to claim that you are “the greatest.”
So, I did it for you.
*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/
@Janice Moore – you are correct about Tom Brokaw (even a stopped clock is correct twice a day, so him being right once in his life should not shock people) and the Greatest Generation. My grandparents did not talk about it either. Which is a shame as a lot of history was lost when they passed away.
in the MSM today it is! links can easily be found, tho nothing worth reading.
NYT Dot Earth: Andrew C. Revkin: Americans’ Varied Views of ‘Global Warming’ and ‘Climate Change’
Guardian: Suzanne Goldenberg: Americans care deeply about ‘global warming’ – but not ‘climate change’
Time: Why ‘Global Warming’ Is Scarier Than ‘Climate Change’
Smothsonian: Ordinary People Respond More Strongly to “Global Warming” Than to “Climate …
CBS: Americans more concerned with “global warming” than “climate change”
Atlanta Journal Constitution: By any other name: global warming vs. climate change
NBC: ‘Global Warming’ or ‘Climate Change?’: Which Is the Proper Term?
PBS Newshour: Study finds ‘global warming’ elicits stronger reactions than ‘climate change …
Human Induced Thermally Latent Emitting Radiation
Zeke says:
May 28, 2014 at 4:22 pm
Zeke, my generation, aka Baby Boomers, is as varied as any other, despite your attempt to pigeonhole us all.
I served, but not in ‘Nam as many of my brothers did. Others ran off to Canada. You might want to check Gordon Duff’s recent column over at Veteran’s Today:
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2014/05/26/the-last-bayonet-charge-in-vietnam-continues/
My generation was the last to pass through the early formative years without the idiot box in the front room. My senior year in H.S., the President of the United States was gunned down on the streets of Dallas, and a month later, the Beatles showed up.
Well enough of that. How about a little One-ups-Gamesmanship?
Joe South, 1969, “The Games People Play.”
@ur momisugly noaa programmer — LOL — perfect: an uber fascist for Envirofascist propaganda.
Back on topic: the first big theme/meme change was dropping the C for Catastrophic from CAGW.
Don’t let them off the hook! The curly lights, the war on coal were all predicated on impending catastrophe.
I vote for BW
or Bad Weather
I don’t know who coined this one but it’s still my favourite: “Climate Bollocks”.
How about “Global Cooling”?
Nice Janice!
Steve P, at least note in the above list in the Yale study, Gen X, Gen Y, and the Greatest Generation are mentioned as demographic cohorts. Yet the Baby Boomers are not listed, which is an interesting omission. (: (I just used some very slight, barely noticable speculation about why that is.)
Nice song though. Except all the hippies grew up to be the Tax Man (Beatles).
“Greater certainty that the phenomenon is happening, especially among men, Generation X (31-48), and liberals
Since warming climate is a subset of climate change, this tells a great deal about the intellectual capacity of “Generation X” and liberals.
“… Setting aside your other highly debatable claims, “self-congratulation” is simply incorrect. Tom Brokaw, regardless of his merits as an author or a journalist, was not himself a member of the “Greatest Generation.” He was lauding his parents’ generation.”
I am fully aware of that. Brokaw is the homage the Baby Boomer vices – they are legion – pays to -well, if not the virtues – the less troubling vices – of the WWII generation. However, I have heard no one of that generation “trumpet” their unworthiness and the baby boomers – that most spoiled rotten crop of brats ever to walk the face of this earth, had to come from somewhere, now, didn’t they? The apple does not fall far from the tree.
I have made no claims as yet or rather, save for the baby boomers, I have not pointed out all of the troubling questions raised by the specifics of Brokaw’s risible and treacly hyperbole. If you want the full litany, with – and only with, the host’s explicit permission to take this thread so badly off topic, I would be happy to oblige.
“Of course, conspicuous in its absence are the Baby Boomers.
That is because you have Boomers at Yale performing the study, labeling and psychoanalyzing all the other generations, triangulating and targeting, with almighty money from the NSF to perform “interdisciplinary” studies to pursue their “Anthropocene Age” paradigm.
Speaking of soft sciences and political psychology research questions, what makes the Baby Boomers such experts on every subject under the sun and capable of micromanaging other people’s lives? …”
Don’t back off, Zeke. You’re on to something.
And for the record, I am a baby boomer. Born a few weeks before Kennedy was shot. I know my generation.
Steve P, I know in every cohort, there are differences and degrees. But you’d have be pretty inattentive to miss the cultural damage the Boomers have done and are still doing to this country. The subject of this blog – the politicization and corruption of science, and every other academic discipline – is a symptom of it.