I hope readers aren’t getting tired of me calling out all these banal studies whose goal is to get those to use manipulation rather than debate and discussion in order to achieve their policy goals.
It appears that the team at Penn State with this paper from Christofer Skurka, Jessica Myrick and graduate student Yin Yang, are dabbling in a fresh bout of psychological alchemy. Their mission? To convert ‘climate change dread’ into ‘environmental activism gold’. In the most recent, dazzling display of academic verbosity, we are presented with the study “Fanning the flames or burning out? Testing competing hypotheses about repeated exposure to threatening climate change messages”.
The researchers, or our modern-day Fear Whisperers, as we’ll call them, have been hard at work attempting to discern the intricate relationship between doom-laden headlines and the emotional flux of the unwitting public. Quoting, Skurka the lead author,
“The public is surrounded by media coverage about climate change, and this messaging tends to be negative in tone, focusing on the threats that climate change poses to human prosperity and ecological health”.
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/994919
Quite an apt description of the relentless barrage of climate panic, Skurka, albeit missing the point of who is actually behind the ominous drums of the climate change mantra.
Now, you would think that repeatedly hammering people with the message of a seemingly insurmountable existential threat would cause a decrease in their sense of efficacy. Skurka and co. found otherwise:
“People’s efficacy beliefs increased over time. In other words, the more exposure people had to these threatening news stories each day, they were increasingly likely to think that they can make a difference in addressing climate change.”
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/994919
Ah, the sweet elixir of self-delusion – the belief that our recycling efforts and meat-free Mondays will single-handedly halt the mighty forces of nature.
Perhaps the most amusing slice of this climate fear cake is Myrick’s contribution to the matter. He suggests that the “agenda-setting effect”, where a topic repeatedly bashed into the public consciousness becomes viewed as increasingly important, may be the true catalyst for climate action.
“Our findings suggest that people have gotten used to doom-and-gloom reporting around climate change and what may be more important for motivating them to take action is that they see coverage of it on a daily basis”.
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/994919
All it takes, it seems, is a steady drip-feed of apocalyptic narratives to have us scampering for our canvas bags and bamboo toothbrushes.
Skurka believes that fear has its place.
“decades of research in communication and psychology show that under certain circumstances, fear can be motivating.”
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/994919
However, one could easily point out that the weaponization of fear in climate change discourse serves to further polarize the conversation rather than encouraging balanced and critical discourse. Although, this might be a wild notion, considering that the lucrative business of fear-peddling seems to be all the rage.
And so, readers, we find ourselves on the cusp of manipulated fear and a glimmer of hope, as our Fear Whisperering betters continue to dissect our responses to their relentless symphony of doom. A toast, then, to our Penn State friends for reminding us just how easy it is to manufacture public sentiment when you control the narrative. I await their next study, perhaps exploring how sustained exposure to cute kitten videos could catalyze a surge in pet adoption rates?
There is a market for panic porn. Whether the consumers actually believe it anymore is the issue.
They are terrorists.
People shrug this stuff off as evidenced that EVs are selling slowly at best, air travel is just as popular as ever, global carbon emissions continue to rise, fossil fuels still contribute over 80% of the world’s primary energy supply, climate action continues to be low on the list of consumer priorities, etc. In other words, urging people to take steps to supposedly control the climate is like urging them to lose weight and become more fit. Some will make the effort; the majority won’t. And when people realize that taking climate action entails higher costs, more laws and restrictions, and a big change of lifestyles, they’ll leave it up to the next person.
Which is precisely where it belongs. In the following century.
“… urging people to take steps to supposedly control the climate is like urging them to lose weight and become more fit”
Great analogy!
Except doing those things *would* actually benefit a person, unlike complying with the climate hysteria nonsense.
Mix in a large portion of narcissism because they are special, and they expect the other person to do it.
“People shrug this stuff off as evidenced that EVs are selling slowly at best”
People do not buy EVs:
A) Because they are a bad fit for people who need to haul weight or bulky products or drive long distances, no matter what the weather is doing..
B) Because people realize that EVs are only good for:
i) Virtue signaling toys of the wealthy.
ii) People who live in sheltered close environments, e.g. urban environments and only drive a few miles/kilometers at most and almost never drive during severe winter weather.
C) People recognize that EVs have serious fire danger in their usage, charging and storage.
D) People are waking up to the horrors of cobalt, lithium and rare earth mining and to the fact that mankind is unable to recycle lithium batteries and recover these scarce materials.
E) Most everybody living outside of cities and suburbs are not believers in demonizing CO₂ and wrecking our economies for green delusions.
F) Spending enormous amounts of monies, including subsidies, taxes, surcharges and whatnot are burdens people with common sense refuse. Especially when almost nothing of the trillions demanded for ‘climate change’ will produce anything beneficial while saddling this and future generations with enormous debt.
I’m not sure that it helps to get people to do anything themselves. But it definitely aids government efforts to impose draconian authoritarian policies.
Fear is the tool of choice for tyrants and has always been, because it is very effective at stopping people from thinking. Fear is the mind killer.
In a state of fear, people will accept restrictions on their rights and liberties that they would otherwise never accept. A combination of fear and shame is used, very deliberately, by government funded psychologists (Nudge Units) to coerce the public to make the “right choice”.
but it only works on some, usually the presstitute followers with heads in tv antisocialmedia and seemingly low IQ levels who just wont question anything
“decades of research in communication and psychology show that under certain circumstances, fear can be motivating.”
This is all you have to read to understand these monsters. No science, no facts, no figures, no charts, no graphs no nothing to prove CAGW. The only thing that concerns these fools is how can we best beat these skeptics into our camp. If they had any facts, any science, any proof they wouldn’t have to use fear as a motivator. I truly don’t like these knuckleheads.
There is some science. But, rather than physical science it is psychology. More specifically the psychology of groups and how to control them through the use of propaganda. That particular science they are very well versed in.
I’m not sure that psychology is a science. It does not have the classical structure of observe, formulate an hypothesis and devise a test to disprove it.
It isn’t, not really. Whilst most psychologists will observe and formulate an hypothesis, testing is a very difficult process when you are dealing with a subjective change rather than a clearly objective or absolute result. Adding to the problem is that different things work with different people – some respond this way, some that, so a psychologist must use different approaches with different people, often changing the approach with somebody as necessary.
It is often a huge relief to deal with a classical science problem with a clearly defined outcome rather than people sometimes.
Same with immunotherapy treatments for cancers.
Success rates vary significantly between patients, so different formulations of these treatments become necessary.
Rinse and repeat.
Even “success” is a fluid result, varying from stabilization/ containment to complete cure.
Demanding change when the status quo is fine is a losing effort. And saving the planet? Everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die.
Most people I know, haven’t got the time, the money or the INCLINATION to become involved in the “claimate” game.
They have lives to live, and things they want to do. Survival and everyday living being foremost.
If they start to feel they are being restrained from doing those things, then they will just tell the “climate pushers” to go take a flying leap !
It is getting close to that stage, as the climate scammers attempt to adopt more and more meaningless authoritarian control.
“decades of research in communication and psychology show that under certain circumstances, fear can be motivating.”
Unfortunately, only hind-sight provides data as to whether or not the fear tactic works for a particular topic/circumstance.
Failure examples – smoking (lots of fear advertising), exercise/health (we know we should but don’t), vaping (a major issue for the young in Australia at the moment), driving (fines go up but still plenty of bad driving)
Myself and most of my acquaintances are blase about climate doom messages rather than change their way of life to save the planet
But I hope you’re not blase about cigarette smoking. That bad habit has decreased in most countries other than China.
well ausgovt THINKS smokings decreased due to insane high taxes
however chopchop sales are roaring along
as are offgrid booze
and the vape issues are similar to kids smoking priorly a few idiots showing off get crook, from top much at once, or buying dodgy BM items cos the ranters in the antieverything crowd made safe stuff impossible to get
By the way, I enjoy hearing the oz accent so when I read your comments- I imagine your voice with the accent. I’ve watched many oz movies and TV series on Netflix- which unfortunately gave me the impression that your country has too much common sense for the climate cult. A film maker needs to make a movie showing the crazies running oz and NZ too.
Unfortunately, these days you can’t just pick the loonies by political party affiliation alone.
The climate alarmists have now become so bold, so overconfident, they think they can ignore debate/truth and rely solely on psychological pressures. By invoking constant fear mongering, they plan to destroy the civilised world.
On the plus side, these latter day Luddites, fixated and determined to stop technological evolution by destruction of reliable low cost energy availability, are losing support.
The majority of people are thoroughly ticked off with the Just Stop Oil/Extinction Rebellion antics.
Add to that already negative image those anarchist groups have generated, the fact their chief support body in the media, i.e. the BBC, has its own skeletons to clear out of its cupboards.
The sweepstakes now circulating listing the potential main stream presenter that paid £35k to a minor for intimate pictures, ensures the BBC propaganda team have other issues to focus on.
The legacy of Jimmy Savile lives on at the BBC. Sorry, my bad, Sir Jimmy Savile.
Legacy? It’s endemic within the Corporation. Why do we think they promote LGBTQ+ and Pride month so enthusiastically?
But it’s OK, it’s not racism, just a few kids involved.
Endemic – it’s certainly that; Jimmy Savile, Rolf Harris, David Griffin, Stuart Hall, Geoffrey Wheeler, Tim Westwood (allegedly) and multiple regional presenters. Now this (so far unnamed) presenter as well. After each revelation there has been a BBC announcement of a “review and revisiting of policies” a complete shakeup and still they happen – how many more will happen before we realise the BBC has to go?
I see them as members of the Planet-hating Dead Earth Society.
The BBC- ha, that reminds me of an episode of “The Family Guy” where the main character, Peter Griffin, is listening to the BBC on the radio- the English voice was incomprehensible to Peter. I found that to be hysterically funny. This adult cartoon which has been on TV for more than 20 years, loves to make fun of the Brits. In another episode, Peter goes to Ireland to find his relatives. The first guy he meets on the street, speaking with a very strong Gaelic accent, is also incomprehensible to Peter and also hysterically funny. I wish I had links to those clips for you to watch- it would make your day. 🙂
People become motivated to try and force everyone else to comply with increasingly stupid and reckless policy. They do not, however, show any willingness to change their own lifestyles.
You’d think the adults in the room, realizing that after more than a generation of this relentless climageddon prediction that it’s all a hoax designed to enrich grafters in universities and politicians, would put a stop to this. Unfortunately, it’s getting worse.
Don’t forget the Deep State and crony capitalism.
When it is government funded, when does the use of fear become State terrorism?
oh about 3yrs ago now
Our betters tell us if we reduce emissions here the world will follow. If that were true, why don’t all countries have free speech? Why are not all countries capitalistic?
Our betters are master manipulators.
The temperature has definitely increased since the start of the Industrial Age.
Let’s call the start of the Industrial Age 1800.
In 1814, elephants could walk across the frozen Thames in winter.
It is now warmer than that.
Good.
Because , frankly, before the Industrial Age, it was too cold.
“In 1814, elephants could walk across the frozen Thames in winter.”
Did that ever happen? Circus elephants?
January or February 1814, alongside Blackfriars Bridge. History doesn’t record whether it was from a circus, a zoo or someone’s pet, unfortunately.
Keep it up.
mannikins in aus I gather
abc fawning all over the grub on air this am
puketime radio
That propaganda works is not news.
These people should stick with writing infomercials!
guessing they didn’t mention that when voters are asked their list of most important issues climate change doesn’t evenmake the top 10
In last place (16th) on UN’s ” Million People World Survey”.
Since taken down.
When the REAL believers act as though there is nothing to worry about, why should the skeptic do otherwise? What do they expect from us? The people who actually think climate doom is just around the corner keep on flying, and driving, and heating, and cooling, and living and consuming. The authors of the paper are in denial of all that.
Always reliable “Sputnik” thinks we’re in big trouble.
All of these Penn State authors are useless social “scientists” (propagandists) who know none of the truth of the topics they seek to communicate. They promote the climate or COVID fear KoolAid, then try and convince others to commit societal suicide without themselves drinking the poison.
Of course, to them, communication is not about truth or ethics. It is just a game to manipulate others, irrespective of the value or lack of the “product” that they are selling.
With each passing day it seems, the global warmists’ approach is shifting away from the arguably bankrupt science toward incessant fact-free psychological manipulation.
“The Hive”. Well orchestrated, ongoing, program to incessantly propagate BS of the day. its definitely working. Ask almost anyone why they belive some wild assertion. “Well, I read (or heard) it. Why would they lie? Jeesh!
After looking at the names of the authors, my question is how do we know that this isn’t a fake, made up to prove how easy it is to get rubbish through the peer review process? There have been a lot lately.
After all, Yin Yang?
Christofer Skurka, Jessica Myrick and graduate student Yin Yang apparently skipped learning what ‘jaded’ means and how people become jaded when inundated by bad news propaganda.
See – Doom Fatigue!
Snicker! Great wording!