Further below: See the latest from climate physicists Lindzen and Happer on their challenge to the unscientific “Endangerment Finding” of the EPA. Understand the physics of CO2- i.e. that it has reached “saturation” in terms of its warming effect and that with increasing atmospheric levels the warming effect of CO2 now declines logarithmically. Understanding the physics of CO2 (and actual observed climate change, not the exaggerations and distortions of discredited climate models) will lead to recognizing that there is no “climate crisis” and no need to tax carbon or decarbonize our societies.
The title above refers to the need to re-evaluate and purge our meta-narratives (religious and “secular/ideological” narratives) of inhumane themes, notably to purge the inhumane ideas that have been projected onto deity or theology over past millennia. Themes that define deity are the most dominating ideas that validate other inhumane themes in our narratives. We have better, more humane alternative insights today to shape our narratives. The feature of “no conditions love” would be a primary feature for creating more humane deity theories (truly human gods). Unconditional should be among the main criteria for evaluating what is truly human or not.
Section topics:
(1) The climate crusade is “profoundly religious” (revised update): How primitive myths have been passed down through history and continue to dominate narratives today, both religious and “secular/ideological” narratives like climate alarmism.
(2) Climate physicists Schmitt and Happer on the conventional distortions re CO2.
(3) There is no need to “address climate change”- the fallacy of “control knob theory” (i.e. the discredited claim that CO2 is mainly responsible for climate change so embrace the unscientific and irrational policies of taxing carbon and decarbonizing our societies in order to “control climate change” and “limit global warming to about 1.5 degree C”.)
(4) Response to Jordan Peterson’s questions: What do belief systems express? And… How to avoid becoming caught up in “madness of crowds” episodes like Marxism, Nazism, and environmental alarmism?
(5) More on the “wonder of being human”.
(6) An Aussie story about oil.
See two new articles at the bottom of this opening section:
(1) Terrorizing, traumatizing children with climate apocalypse tales- a commentary by Judith Curry on the harmful effects of climate alarmism on children (“anti-hardiness/resilience”, learned helplessness, fatalism, despair/depression, nihilism).
(2) Comment by Eric Worrall on Senator Malcolm Roberts’ excellent submission to the Australian government to “prove with proper science that CO2 is a problem”.
Re-affirming site project- slay the monster of all monsters at the root of primal human fears:
This site engages themes from the “hero’s journey/adventure” such as the feature of engaging a great battle against monsters/enemies. The monster/enemy of this site has long been the bad ideas in human narratives from across history, notably bad theological ideas (i.e. monstrous deities). These monster gods have terrorized human consciousness from the earliest creation of human mythologies and have long remained deeply embedded in human narratives, mainly in religious narratives but have also been embraced in the “secular/ideological” narratives of more recent centuries.
One of the worst among the complex of all bad ideas is the myth that deities work through the harmful elements of the natural world (i.e. natural disaster, disease, predatory cruelty) to punish people for their sins. Note that Paul used this myth in his argument with the Corinthians- that God was punishing their sins with disease and death (1 Corinthians ch.10). Environmental alarmism has embraced this same pathological mythology with its own versions of “secular/ideological” deities punishing humanity- i.e. “vengeful Gaia, angry Mother Earth/Planet, punitive Universe, or payback karma”. This mythology adds an extra psychic burden (i.e. human suffering as punishment from deity) to already unbearable physical suffering.
These monster ideas have been protected under “the canopy of the sacred” (world religions) far too long. They re-enforce an entire complex of bad religious ideas, and notably they re-enforce the broader narrative of Declinism that dominates the consciousness of most people today (e.g. Environmental Declinism, climate alarmism).
More on “Monster gods terrorizing human consciousness since the creation of the earliest mythologies”, Wendell Krossa–
Pre-historian John Pfeiffer in “The Creative Explosion: An Inquiry into the Origins of Art and Religion” explores the origins of religion in the cave art that exploded some 30,000 years ago across southern France and northern Spain, notably in caves like those at Lascaux. He questions why people went so far into the darkness of those caves to draw the anamorphic art that they had discovered. (“Anamorphic”- i.e. the art appears to change shape or move in flickering candle light or when lamps are held at differing angles to the paintings.)
He suggests varied features of ancient thought and practice that contributed to the origins of religion as exhibited in that cave art. For instance, he suggests that those ancient people believed in the “Master or Keeper of Animals”, exalted beings who provide game and establish the rules for hunting, and punishments if the rules are broken. Such gods (like their eventual Greek offspring) were believed to be “angry and aggressive, jealous… and meddled incessantly in human affairs, punishing… and visiting all sorts of plagues upon mortals”. The Master of Animals is the prototype of all subsequent gods. (Note in regard to the animal Masters, how prominent animals are throughout the cave art.)
The intentional location of the art deep within the caves served the purpose of disorienting people and preparing them via an unpleasant experience (darkness, silence, frightening “anamorphic” art) to be receptive to what the early shaman would tell them.
Fear/terror was a basic point of the cave experience. Those early people probably believed in supernatural beings and their sense of the supernatural as frightening was intensified in the darkness and silence of the caves. The cave experience, and the art, heightened the sense of strangeness, otherworldliness, mystery, and danger.
Further, the early shaman/priests claimed to know the secrets of the invisible world (“knowledge of sacred affairs”) and that was a claim to power and control over others. It was a claim used to gain advantage over enemies/rivals. They claimed to know the secrets of how to appease and please the spirits/gods with offerings and sacrifices so as to avoid punishments (sickness, death) and to gain benefits (survival, prosperity).
The cave art and related ceremonies also suggest the origins of elites in early societies- i.e. shaman claiming special knowledge of the secrets of the invisible realms/gods, and even elevating themselves to god-like status over others. This was a claim to superiority/authority, and a demand for subservience and obedience from other lesser mortals (i.e. the earliest origin of priesthoods as “specially enlightened” and “righteously dominating” representatives of deity).
The shaman in charge of the cave ceremonies “were not gentle persuaders tentatively putting forth suggestions to be mulled over and debated… It is more likely they assumed a no-nonsense, authoritarian posture… (and) called for wholehearted, unquestioning faith and acceptance and to achieve that they had to present themselves as somewhat above the ordinary run of mortals” (p.208).
In doing this the shaman were establishing the prototype for later religious priesthoods and priestly authority.
Such developments, says Pfeiffer, reveal the formation of the earliest hierarchies in tribal societies. “Increasingly exalted individuals appeared… shamans specializing in communications with the spirit world, to hereditary chiefs and kings regarded as official representatives of the gods, and finally to super-kings like the Pharaohs of Egypt who were gods in their own right. The big men of the Upper Paleolithic held positions somewhere in between these extremes, probably rather close to the shaman level” (209).
Those Upper Paleolithic shaman knew the conditions that “would evoke fear, wonder, and submission” (p.210). They knew how to manipulate others with “the force of religious revelation” (p.213).
My conclusion from this? Thanks to the research of historians like John Pfeifer, we understand better today the origins of religion in primitive societies. We know more of how primitive shaman appealed to the inhumane deities they had created to frighten and thereby manipulate and control others. This continues today with both religious deities and their “secular/ideological” offspring- e.g. “vengeful Gaia, angry Mother Earth/Planet, punitive Universe, and payback karma”, all just as primitively inhumane as the original prototypes they have copied.
I would therefore encourage readers- Don’t fear to engage the battle to tackle and bring down these monster gods that validate monstrous human behavior. These gods have never existed as real entities but only as the creations of ancient human imagination, the worst creations of primitive mythical/religious imagination. Unfortunately, these monstrous gods are still protected in the main world religions where they continue to evoke consciousness-deforming fear with their threats of judgment and exclusion from paradise (i.e. the tribal division between true believers that are included, and unbelievers that are excluded). They further evoke fear with threats of punishment via the natural world, the threat of looming apocalypse to end the world, and then the threat of after-life harm in hell.
Theological beliefs, whether religious or “secular/ideological” versions, are the most fundamental ideas in human narratives, and give ultimate validation to most other ideas. To liberate consciousness most thoroughly and fully we need to go directly to these most foundational of all bad ideas that enslave and deform human minds and consequently deform human emotions, motivations, and response/behavior. Understand how such personality-deforming ideas incite fear and the human survival impulse, and thereby render people susceptible to irrational salvation schemes just as we are observing in the latest historical apocalyptic eruption- the climate alarmism movement.
The project of this site has long been to go after and slay the greatest monsters of all- the deity theories that validate the worst features in human narratives and life. Essays in sections below offer better alternatives, more humane alternatives, to the inhumane themes of the mythologies that still dominate so many mainstream religious and “secular/ideological” narratives. Point? Fully humanize your theology (i.e. make your god fully human, take all the residual animal out of your god) with the best insights from our history. Remember, we become just like the god that we idealize, believe in, or worship. For better alternative ideas to define deity, see, for example, “Liberation into no conditions love” or “Old narrative themes, better alternatives”.
Examples:
Mythical/religious gods have long validated the feature of tribal exclusion (i.e. deity that favors true believers and excludes/damns unbelievers). Such exclusivity distorts the inclusiveness that should characterize a truly humane and loving God. Historical Jesus tried to advocate for such inclusion in his stunning new theology of an unconditional deity when he stated that “God gave sun and rain to all alike, to both good and bad people” (Quotes are from the core teaching of Historical Jesus as presented in Luke 6:27-36 or Matthew 5:38-48). Projecting the feature of unlimited inclusion onto deity, as the ultimate human ideal, will encourage the abandonment of tribalism among people and will re-enforce the embrace of the oneness that is the true underlying nature of reality (oneness of both of humanity and all reality).
Another subhuman feature validated by religious views of deity- the feature of domination (gods as kings/lords that then validate human forms of domination- i.e. royalty, priesthoods, and other forms of domination/submission relating). Dominating deity distorts the reality that authentically humane love would treat all as free equals. Again, Historical Jesus advocated such non-dominating reality in his advocacy for servanthood as the nature of true greatness (for both deity and humanity). He warned those seeking positions of power over others that true greatness was not “to lord over others, but to serve others”. Jesus rejected the feature of domination in deity that Paul later promoted with his myth of the Christ as a dominating Lord (Christ as ultimate Lord of all to whom all would bow in terrified submission- see Revelation for graphic detail on the nature of the Christ).
And the feature of punitive destruction of competing “enemies” (apocalypse, hell) distorts the divine love that forgives all without threat of retaliation or ultimate punishment. Again, Historical Jesus advocated this unconditional love in his argument that there should be no punitive response to offending others (no “eye for eye”) but instead love for enemies. We should to so because God treats enemies this way.
These and other inhumane features, long dominant in mythical and religious deity theories, distort and bury the true nature of deity as a supremely humane reality.
Further, the conditional elements of religious traditions distort and bury the overall unconditional nature of deity (i.e. conditions of correct beliefs, proper rituals, the religious lifestyle that is the identity marker of true believers, and demanded sacrifice/payment to appease the religious deity). Religious conditions have never communicated the wonder of the unconditional love that is the true nature of God.
Again, the nature of deity as unconditional love, as non-tribal, non-dominating, and non-punitive does not deny the need for common sense approaches to evil in this world- such as restraining violent people in order to protect innocent others (i.e. a robust criminal justice system, but restorative in orientation, not punitive). When we speculate on the more humane features in deity, we make the distinction between ultimate reality and ideals, and the messiness of existence in our imperfect world and the need for common sense approaches to human imperfection.
Some good sources on monster gods- Zenon Lotufo’s “Cruel God, Kind God: How images of God shape belief, attitude, and outlook”, Harold Ellens’ “Honest Faith for Our Time” and “The Destructive Power of Religion: Violence in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam”, and Hector Garcia’s “Alpha God: The Psychology of Religious Violence and Oppression”, among others.
Capping global warming at 1.5-2.0 degrees C. Huh? What the f…?, Wendell Krossa
Many continue to affirm the irrational, unscientific assumption/fallacy that by ending human use of fossil fuels and pushing the transition to renewables “we can cap global warming”. These meta-assumptions of the climate alarmism movement are based on a number of further related unproven foundational assumptions- i.e. (1) that human industrialization over the past centuries is mainly responsible for rising CO2 levels, (2) that CO2 is mainly responsible for global warming of the past century (warming that began naturally 300 years ago), and (3) that the outcome of warming that is over 2.0 degrees C more will be “catastrophic”.
Much good evidence shows these assumptions to be false and that more degrees of warming will be beneficial to all life in our sub-optimally cold world where 10 times more people die every year from cold than die from warmth.
Life flourished over the paleoclimate past when, for over 80% of the 500-million year Phanerozoic history of life, there was no ice at the poles and average world temperatures were 17-20 degrees C, or 3-6 degrees C higher than today’s world average of 14.5 degrees C. See the “Sun-Climate effect: Winter Gatekeeper hypothesis” reports in sections below.
Again, good paleoclimate evidence shows that with further global warming, already warm areas (i.e. tropics) do not become warmer. This is known as the “equable climate” issue that climate alarmists have no explanation for- i.e. the fact that tropical climate has remained remarkably stable over the past hundreds of millions of years even when global average temperatures were much warmer than today- 3-6 degrees C warmer, even at times as high as a 25 degrees C world average, a full 10 degrees C warmer than today and there was no “climate crisis… or burning world”. As the “Sun-climate effect” reports note- it is doubtful that tropical temperatures could ever exceed 30 degrees C due to negative feedbacks that kick in to keep climate remarkably stable for life, even in the warmest areas of Earth.
What happens with a lot more global warming is that the extra heat is carried to the polar regions (convection currents- Hadley cell, meridional transport) and climate consequently evens out over the world. Gradient differences between tropics and poles are lessened and that usually means less storminess as stronger storms depend on more severe gradient differences.
With transport of heat from the tropics, polar regions become much warmer and that means extended habitats for much more diverse life forms, both animal and plant. This would also mean extended farming regions for humanity. And such conditions have been the healthy, optimal norm of most of the history of life over the past 500 million years. Such conditions have not resulted in “climate emergencies” even when the entire world was much warmer over paleoclimate history.
Point- do not fear the panic-mongering over melting ice, retreating glaciers. An entirely ice-free world has been the optimal norm for most of the history of life. Cold, not global warming, is the real threat to life in a world where most species extinctions happen during cold periods and 10 times more people die every year from cold than die from warming.
The Netflix series on “The Crown” is a great tale of the inhumanity of placing loyalty in something above or before real people and their needs. When we place our primary loyalty in something other than real people, when we place our primary loyalty in some institution or organization, some system of laws or beliefs, perhaps a religion or a “God above humanity”, something other than people and their needs, something that comes before real people and their needs, then real people are neglected and abused. Our primary loyalty ought to be to real people around us, and their needs, not loyalty to something else that is placed above or before people.
See “UN report: Global South needs $2.4 trillion a year to fight climate change”, Aljazeera, Nov.8, 2022
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/8/global-south-needs-2tn-a-year-to-fight-climate-crisis-report?mc_cid=e9aa38dc91&mc_eid=bbd9cad85f
The unproven climate alarmism assumption that we “can cap global warming” as stated in the above article:
“Developing and emerging countries excluding China need investments well beyond $2 trillion annually by 2030 if the world is to stop the global warming juggernaut and cope with its effects, according to a United Nations-backed report….
“The new 100-page analysis, Finance for Climate Action, is presented as an investment blueprint for greening the global economy quickly enough to meet Paris climate treaty goals of capping the rise in global temperatures below two degrees Celsius, and at 1.5C, if possible.”
Because CO2 is just a “bit player” in a complex of natural factors that dominate climate change, we cannot “mitigate” further warming or control climate by “turning a CO2 knob”. And more important- with only 1 degree C warming over the past century- there is no “climate crisis”. All life would benefit from a return to the more normal, optimal average temperatures of the paleoclimate past that were 3-6 degrees C warmer than today.
See also on the benefits of industrialization to all humanity and life
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-11400861/DANIEL-JOHNSON-insane-demand-pay-sin-industrial-past.html?mc_cid=e9aa38dc91&mc_eid=bbd9cad85f
Bad ideas incite our worst impulses- go to root causal factors, Wendell Krossa
Recognize the bad ideas in the ideologies of others, ideas that incite and validate bad behavior. But then also recognize the very same ideas/themes that are embedded in your own ideology or religion, along with the similarly subhuman behavior among your group that is incited and validated by such ideas. Bothsideism? Yes.
This site probes root ideas/themes that shape narratives, both religious and so-called “secular/ideological/scientific” narratives. Too many primitive themes from our ancient past, deeply embedded in human consciousness/subconscious and narratives across history, still dominate our contemporary narratives. Such ideas are dangerous in that they incite and validate our worst impulses to things like tribalism exclusion, domination, and destruction of differing others.
Bad ideas also deform the otherwise heroic impulse to fight a righteous battle against some monster or enemy, turning that impulse toward exhibitions of petty tribalism that engage retaliatory, punitive justice to destroy differing others. Our primal impulse to conquer monsters and bring salvation should focus on first conquering the residual animal inside each of us- the real monster and enemy that is our own personal impulses to tribalism, domination, and punitive destruction of others. Beginning with ourselves is our most important contribution to making life better for all (i.e. the salvation impulse).
Why repeat the above particular triad of features? Its just to offer a sample summary of some of the worst of inherited impulses from our animal past- tribal exclusion (small band existence), domination (alpha male/female), and intolerant destruction of competing others. Features that are profoundly contrary to living as authentically human, which is the whole point of our existence- i.e. our purpose on this planet.
Added note:
Some argue that apocalyptic stories are just harmless entertainment as per Hollywood story telling. But I would caution that Arthur Mendel was right that apocalyptic is “the most violent and destructive idea in history”. Too many people take such myths seriously as in contemporary climate apocalypse and that makes such ideas potentially very dangerous because alarmed populations, incited by their survival impulse, then more readily succumb to irrational salvation schemes that are destroying our societies- notably decarbonization. Just as many good people took Marx and Hitler’s versions of apocalyptic seriously and were caught up in the insanity of those mass-death movements. (Marxism, Nazism, Environmental alarmism- apocalyptic movements? Yes. Landes’ “Heaven on Earth”, Mendel’s “Vision and Violence”, Redles’ “Hitler’s Millennial Reich”, Herman’s “The Idea of Decline in Western History”, and others.)
The climate alarmism crusade is “profoundly religious”. How so? Wendell Krossa (a much revised repeat from below)
The climate alarmism crusade is another of history’s profoundly religious crusades. Note carefully the repetitive themes used to frame and promote this crusade. They are themes first expressed in primitive mythologies, then taken up by later world religions where they remain prominently embedded and protected even today. The climate alarm movement, along with the larger encompassing environmental alarmism movement, while claiming to be “secular/ideological” and even “scientific”, embraces the same core ideas/themes of primitive mythology.
Here is a summary list of these religious themes/myths as expressed in contemporary so-called “ideological/scientific” versions:
(1) There was a better past, an original perfection or paradise (e.g. Dilmun, Eden) that environmentalists believe was the “wilderness world before humans”. Note also in the mix the element of nature worship, the elevation of nature as god-like in contrast with dehumanized humanity as a “cancer/virus”, an unwelcome intruder on Earth.
(2) The anti-humanism above is further affirmed in environmental alarmism by myths of people as essentially “fallen and corrupted”, humanity as the corrupting/destroying force on Earth, and humanity as set in opposition to nature, humanity as the “enemy” of nature, the destroying invader.
(3) Because early humans purportedly committed some original error or sin, there followed the subsequent ruin of paradise, and the trajectory of life then began declining toward something worse, toward disaster and ending- i.e. the apocalypse. Life declining toward something worse is a key feature of apocalyptic mythology.
(4) But there is hope for salvation if humanity makes a sacrifice or payment for sin. The sacrifice would entail a return to primitivism, or what is called the “morally superior simple lifestyle”. “Degrowth” is the latest term for the advocated retreat to primitivism.
Humanity must also purge from the world the “evil” thing that threatens life– i.e. in environmental mythology the great threat is “too many people consuming too many resources” (the fallacy of ‘Ecological Footprint’ theory). Today this is accompanied by an obsessive-compulsive focus on CO2 as the canary in the coalmine indicating contemporary “destructive human excess”. CO2- the purported “pollutant/poison” that is threatening the world– must be purged from life.
(5) Only then- i.e. after getting rid of excess population and decimating human consumption and enjoyment of the good life (suffering as redemptive)- only then can the lost paradise can be restored or a new millennial paradise/utopia created and installed.
The above mythical ideas fabricated by early humans became the models, patterns, prototypes, or “archetypes” for all subsequent thought and narratives across history. Remember that even the Sumerian waterworks god Enlil- i.e. the storm god- set the early pattern for “population bomb” alarmism when he fretted about “too many people making too much noise” and proposed an apocalyptic flood as his population reduction scheme. Graciously, the other gods- the “gentler and kinder” ones- advocated for sending wild animals to violently devour the noisy humans, rather than drowning them. Such mercy, eh.
As Joseph Campbell said, the same primitive myths have been embraced all across history and across all the cultures of the world- i.e. the above complex of original paradise, fall of man, lost paradise, threat of apocalypse (flood, fire), demanded sacrifice/payment, and hope of redemption via a salvation scheme, and then restoration of lost paradise.
Insert note: I use “primitive” to define the above ideas in order to emphasize the true pathological nature of such themes. They cannot, by any stretch of creative imagination, be identified and defended as some form of rational ideology or science.
The above complex of themes, along with others, are profoundly mythical/religious ideas that can be traced back to the earliest and most primitive thinking of our ancestors. We have records of these ideas in the earliest writing- i.e. Sumerian/Babylonian cuneiform tablets (e.g. the “Great Flood” in the epic of Gilgamesh), and in Egyptian temple notations/art and later writing (i.e. myths of “Destruction of Mankind” and “Return to Chaos”).
And what we find in the earliest writing we can also assume represents the thinking of people in the pre-history era (Jacquetta Hawkes, John Pfeiffer).
These ideas then descended down through history to be embraced in the great world religions that would later emerge. The notable ‘Western’ line of historical descent is from Sumerian/Akkadian/Babylonian and Egyptian down to the more formal theology of Zoroastrianism (i.e. Zarathustra the Persian prophet). Zoroaster’s formulation of these ideas then descended into Hebrew thinking and religion. Suggestions are that the Hebrews adopted such themes, perhaps via the BCE era Hebrew exile in Persia, or perhaps via the possible origin of Jewish/Semitic people in Persia/Sumeria.
Paul, a Jew, then embraced these themes in the CE era to shape his new religion of the apocalyptic Christ that then subsequently dominated Western history, thought, and narratives (thanks in part to Emperor Constantine’s intervention- see Constantine’s Sword by James Carrol). We then find the influence of these Christian themes shaping the 19th Century ideology of Declinism that dominates the modern world- i.e. the view that life has been ruined by corrupt humanity and is declining toward some catastrophic collapse and ending- the apocalypse. (see Arthur Herman’s “The Idea of Decline in Western History”)
Declinism was then embraced and manifested in the 20th Century by the apocalyptic millennial movements of Marxism, Nazism, and environmental alarmism. Declinism has become “the most influential and dominant theme” in the modern world (Arthur Mendel). Outcome? Note the YouGov survey in “Ten Global Trends” that shows a majority of the world population believe that the “world is getting worse”.
The full complex of themes listed above has influenced the mass-death movements of Marxism, Nazism, and Environmental Alarmism and I have repeatedly (now for the umpteenth time) noted the good sources that detail that history- i.e. Arthur Herman (“The Idea of Decline In Western History”), Arthur Mendel (“Vision and Violence”), Richard Landes (“Heaven On Earth”), David Redles (“Hitler’s Millennial Reich”), and James Tabor (“Paul and Jesus”), among others. If you want to understand modern life, and especially “profoundly religious” apocalyptic millennial movements like climate alarmism, then these sources are critical to a full understanding of the endless re-emergence of such “end of days” narratives and the associated eruptions of apocalyptic hysteria.
The primitive mythical themes listed above are re-enforced in modern consciousness and narratives by the great world religions of both the Western and the Eastern traditions. Note, for example, the Hindu version of apocalypse in the great cycles of rise followed by decline toward catastrophic ending/apocalypse. And in Buddhism in the myth of “the decreasing human life-span” (Mircea Eliade’s note in “The History of Religious Ideas”).
Paul’s Christ myth- the single most influential myth in history- has played the most prominent role in keeping primitive themes like apocalyptic alive in contemporary consciousness and narratives, both religious and “secular” (see James Tabor’s “Paul and Jesus”). Story-telling media like Hollywood also re-enforce the domination of apocalyptic in human consciousness with their obsessive-compulsive focus on that myth. Others note that modern literature has a sub-genre called “post-apocalyptic” that assumes the apocalypse will actually happen so focus now on the hope of survival in the post-apocalyptic world.
What has happened over recent centuries, particularly with the emergence of Declinism ideology, is that the religious themes of primitive mythology have been given “secular” embodiment and expression for the modern world. We find this, for example, in the ideology of environmentalism that also claims to be “science”. Environmental declinism is basically primitive mythology given purportedly “ideological/scientific” expression for the modern era. The claim of environmentalism to identify as “science” does not change the primitive nature of the themes that environmental alarmists have embraced– i.e. the apocalyptic myths that distort utterly the true story or state of life, as well as distort the overall trajectory of life.
Entirely contrary to the apocalyptic declinism of environmental alarmism, life has been rising and improving across the millennia, notable in such trends as the declining rates of human violence (see, for example, James Payne’s “History of Force”, Stephen Pinker’s “Better Angels of Our Nature”). Life has even more notably improved across recent centuries. Julian Simon, Bjorn Lomborg, and many others have detailed the many factors that contribute to the rising/improving trajectory of life. Apocalyptic declinism is entirely distorting of the actual state of life and the world.
The overall, long-term improvement of life is due to essential human goodness and our fundamental impulse for something better than what exists. Our hope for this improving trend of life to continue is based on human goodness and our creative ability to solve problems and to make life ever better. Our past historical record affirms that we have been, and will continue to be, wildly successful. See Julian Simon’s concluding comments in “Ultimate Resource” that “we ought to hold a party to outdo all parties” because we have done so well in improving life on Earth. Simon thoroughly researched the data on all the main indicators of life on Earth to reach his evidence-based conclusions.
(For more on the improving trend of life, notably the ongoing improvement in humanity, see also “From Retaliation to Unconditional” in sections below. That essay counters the distorting mythology of essential human sinfulness/fallenness and the degeneration of humanity in civilization.)
A repeated argument here: Thorough problem-solving must go to root causal factors and make fundamental changes there. Going to root patterns, models, prototypes, or archetypes in human thinking is necessary for a proper and thorough liberation of human consciousness at the deepest levels. By changing human thinking, by overturning the core themes of our narratives and replacing them with better alternatives, we then enable the full and proper transformation of human belief, emotions, motivation, and consequent response or action/behavior.
The foundational change of narratives themes is critical because we all live primarily by story, not just by fact, important as that is. The critical role of story in human life helps us to understand the complaint that scientific evidence changes few minds, though scientific fact is also crucial to a new narrative/story of life. Wendell Krossa
Added note regarding number 4 above– the retreat to primitivism. See “The deadly ‘Degrowth’ craze” by Andy Kessler, Wall Street Journal, Oct. 30, 2022…
https://www.wsj.com/articles/growth-world-economic-forum-sustainability-poverty-investment-esg-climate-protectionist-trade-energy-11667077994
Another on the retreat to more primitive living
WSJ Editorial Board Mocks the COP27 Global Warming Flagellants
An oldie but goodie from https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323528404578452483656067190
“Harrison Schmitt and William Happer: The demonized chemical compound is a boon to plant life and has little correlation with global temperature”
Quotes:
“Of all of the world’s chemical compounds, none has a worse reputation than carbon dioxide. Thanks to the single-minded demonization of this natural and essential atmospheric gas by advocates of government control of energy production, the conventional wisdom about carbon dioxide is that it is a dangerous pollutant. That’s simply not the case. Contrary to what some would have us believe, increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will benefit the increasing population on the planet by increasing agricultural productivity.
“The cessation of observed global warming for the past decade or so has shown how exaggerated NASA’s and most other computer predictions of human-caused warming have been and how little correlation warming has with concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide. As many scientists have pointed out, variations in global temperature correlate much better with solar activity and with complicated cycles of the oceans and atmosphere. There isn’t the slightest evidence that more carbon dioxide has caused more extreme weather.
“The current levels of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere, approaching 400 parts per million, are low by the standards of geological and plant evolutionary history. Levels were 3,000 ppm, or more, until the Paleogene period (beginning about 65 million years ago). For most plants, and for the animals and humans that use them, more carbon dioxide, far from being a “pollutant” in need of reduction, would be a benefit. This is already widely recognized by operators of commercial greenhouses, who artificially increase the carbon dioxide levels to 1,000 ppm or more to improve the growth and quality of their plants….
“We know that carbon dioxide has been a much larger fraction of the earth’s atmosphere than it is today, and the geological record shows that life flourished on land and in the oceans during those times. The incredible list of supposed horrors that increasing carbon dioxide will bring the world is pure belief disguised as science.”
From Forbes, Oct. 30, 2022 “COP27 at Sharm El Sheikh: Africa’s chance to break from climate colonialism” By Tilak Doshi
“Africa Awakening
“Climate change models that predict an impending apocalypse with absolute certainty lack credibility among policy makers in the developing countries where the real environmental problems are linked with poverty and the lack of economic development. The West’s carbon imperialism, the corollary of the climate alarmist and Net Zero movements that has reigned in Western capitals over the past two decades, is increasingly challenged by the developing countries…
“N. J. Ayuk, Executive Chairman at the African Energy Chamber, is forthright in his view: “Africans don’t hate Oil and Gas companies. We love Oil and today we love gas even more because we know gas will give us a chance to industrialize. No country has ever been developed by fancy wind and green hydrogen. Africans see Oil and Gas as a path to success and a solution to their problems. The demonization of oil and gas companies will not work.”
“Asking Africans to leave their fossil fuels resources in the ground in return for charitable handouts and “development finance” from virtue-signalling Western governments and multilateral agencies such as the World Bank to invest on unreliable solar and wind power is not only immoral and unconscionable but plainly unworkable. As the work of Vaclav Smil has irrefutably demonstrated, no country in the world has developed without the dense energy available from fossil fuels.”
Dissenting from the dominant narrative, Wendell Krossa
Varied statements here on climate change appear to flagrantly, even outrageously, contradict the dominant climate alarm narrative today. This is intentional. I try to isolate out the prominent themes of movements like the climate alarm crusade and then respond to those directly and bluntly with strong counter statements. And I try to provide the best data sources throughout this site to offer good backup detail on the actual science of climate change, evidence that undermines entirely the alarmist claim that there is a “climate emergency”. Such claims are based on discredited climate models that have (1) exaggerated the role of CO2 in climate change, (2) exaggerated the amount of potential warming, and (3) horrifically exaggerated the purported “catastrophic consequences” of a few more degrees C of warming. Apocalyptic thinking makes fools of the brightest minds.
I am beyond fed up with too many people (notably politicians) cautiously affirming the alarmist narrative of looming climate catastrophe. Many of these people will offer the timid caution that decarbonization is perhaps being rushed too hurriedly and the haste is causing problems but then will immediately pivot to affirm with the alarmists that- yes, we must still do something to respond to the “climate crisis”. What climate crisis? Where? Storms and heatwaves are not getting worse, despite the endless hysterical presentations in media that every extreme weather event is “the worst on record”. Oceans are not rising faster than at any other time during our interglacial. The world is not frying. Such claims are more apocalyptic-scale exaggerations, more mythology and certainly not factual science.
Watch how media frame and affirm the dominant narrative. They present some weather event and then make the immediate link to “climate change”, meaning the narrative of “human-caused climate change that is becoming catastrophic and soon to be apocalyptic”.
Again, my project is “undying enmity to all the deforming mythology that enslaves human minds”.
This regarding the continuing calls to “address climate change”…
We don’t need to “address climate change”, meaning “mitigation” as is proposed by those believing in the discredited “CO2 control knob” theory. We now know that CO2 is not the main influence on climate change and climate change is not becoming “catastrophic”, even if the world warms several more degrees C. That warming will continue to be beneficial in a still-too-cold world where 10 times more people die every year from cold than die from warmth (Lancet study).
With ongoing uncertainty about the actual human contribution to rising CO2 levels (i.e. CO2 rise over past centuries appears to be more natural than human-caused), and with growing certainty that CO2 is just a “bit player” in climate change (among other established major natural influences), it is irrationally foolish to suggest that we can control CO2 levels by adjusting our use of fossil fuels and thereby control climate (i.e. limit further warming so it will not surpass the “tipping point” of 1.5-2.5 degrees C, the purported shift into “end of days” warming). Despite the profound uncertainty, countries across the world are embracing ruinous decarbonization policies based on the above belief that CO2 is the “control knob” by which we control climate change.
We address climate change by adapting to changes, whether cooling or warming, just as we have done over the past. Our success at such adaption has been wildly positive with a 98% decline in deaths from climate-related disasters over the past century.
Here’s an example of “control knob theory” nonsense. The writer below regurgitates the same old assumption that by continuing the pledges to decarbonize our societies we can control the level of CO2 in the atmosphere and thereby control climate change, limiting it to 1.8-2.7 degrees C. See the “Sun-climate effect: Winter Gatekeeper hypothesis” reports below to get some sense of how irrationally nutty such beliefs are. CO2 is only a “bit player” in a complex of much more dominant natural climate influences, notably “meridional transport” apparently being the most dominant influence on climate change.
Note this writer’s affirmation of the discredited assumption that humanity can control climate warming by turning the CO2 knob…
Yen Makabenta: “It’s not fun being a climate alarmist these days”, The Manila Times, Oct. 27, 2022
“The Interpress Service (IPS), the global news agency headquartered in Rome, has published a report that openly asks whether climate summits are a waste of time…
“IPS issued a prognosis on COP27 that raised the question whether climate summits are “a waste of time.” I quote key passages from Felix Dodds and Chris Spence’s report because they present an overview of the history of the COP….
“Science tells us that in spite of all the many meetings held, we’re still on a dangerous path. Groups like Carbon Action Tracker estimate that we’re currently on track for somewhere between 1.8 and 2.7 C, with the lower number representing their most optimistic — and least likely — scenario…
“In recent years, projections for the expected long-term warming have fallen from as much as 4 to 6 C before the Paris Agreement was inked, to around 1.8 to 2.7 C now, assuming we implement pledges made at UN summits.”
And another on CO2 control knob theory
WSJ Editorial Board Mocks the COP27 Global Warming Flagellants
The next two summaries below are responses to Jordan Peterson asking an audience- What do belief systems express? And- How do we protect ourselves from getting caught up in a mass-death movement like Nazism or the eco-mania of today? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlr5F21M8ns
Peterson’s first point: What a belief system expresses.
My response: Belief systems that embrace inhuman ideas can then incite and validate our worst impulses to treat others inhumanely.
Why did early humans create the myths that they did? What motivated them to create the ideas that we find in primitive mythologies?
Overall: Our ancestors were motivated by their primal impulse for meaning- to understand and explain reality, the world.
Our ancestors were also motivated to counter their fundamental fear of harm or death (i.e. motivated by their survival impulse)- and they accomplished this by creating ideas/myths that expressed hope for salvation (both temporal and eternal), for future liberation from the often hellish existence on Earth into utopia/bliss, for continuing life with their gods in much better metaphysical realms.
Our ancestors also sought to counter the threat of chaos that was based on their belief that order had been created out of chaos but the order of the world was always precariously maintained. So they instituted annual New Years rituals and sacrifices to ensure continuing order (see Mircea Eliade’s “The Eternal Return”). Sacrifice/payment was to appease threatening deities or forces that might disrupt the order of life.
Our ancestors also wanted to enhance personal domination- i.e. the impulse to alpha domination and control. We see this impulse in myths of dominating gods where domination is promoted as an ultimate ideal and given ultimate validation (i.e. dominating gods validate human domination, whether kings as divinely appointed, or priesthoods as divinely instituted to dominate ordinary people, or patriarchy/matriarchy projected onto deity as a means to validate similar human forms of the same feature).
Note also the belief in domination/subservience relating in the early myth of “people created to serve the gods, to provide foods/offerings to the gods”. Domination/subservience forms of relating are profoundly inhuman but long validated by mythologies that deify this feature of life.
Our ancestors wanted to affirm the fundamental impulse to tribalism- to place themselves on the true/right side against “bad/evil/enemies”. To present themselves as the chosen favorites of their god, the true believers in the true religion that stand against unbelievers in false religions or movements.
Further, our ancestors wanted to enhance their sense of heroism, the impulse to heroically engage a righteous battle against some evil/enemy, to conquer some monster, to save a maiden, and to bring salvation and benefits to their tribe.
And our ancestors wanted to explain how they should behave in relation to their beliefs- i.e. how they could live the good life, a righteous life and thereby please their god. This has to do with the primal impulse to validate behavior by basing it on similar beliefs (the behavior based on similar belief or ethic based on similar theology relationship).
Belief systems express the above features, and more.
Bad beliefs have always incited and validated inhuman treatment of others and hindered human ability to see how they were harming others because people have sincerely believed that they were following some divine model, will, word, or pattern, and forgetting that their beliefs had been created earlier by fallible people just like themselves. All belief systems should be evaluated in contemporary terms of humane/inhumane according to the progressing human understanding of such things as per our modern human rights codes and constitutions.
Peterson’s second point- How not to get caught up in a madness of crowds episode like Marxism or Nazism. I would offer that we do this by countering bad ideas with beliefs that inspire and validate our better impulses. Using the “behavior based on similar belief” relationship in ways that affirm our more humane impulses.
Today a mass-death movement is emerging from climate alarmism and related policies that are already harming many (e.g. the excess annual cold deaths from fuel poverty in Britain, the US, and other developed countries). Policies based on climate alarmism are shaping up to harm many more in the developing world. The climate alarm movement has embraced numerous bad ideas from primitive belief systems and the consequence is that climate alarmism validates some very bad policies, notably decarbonization that is ruining our societies.
In response, hold onto some basic beliefs that enable you to evaluate all belief systems, and related programs and policies. Hold onto beliefs/ideas that will guide you to the safest responses in life, to cause the least harm to others. I have set forth, in sections below, a full list of possible alternative ideas to inform and shape new narratives that point to and encourage more humane responses to life, more humane ways of living- see for example, “Liberation Into No Conditions Love: Old narrative themes, better alternatives”.
Notable case: Varied movements begin with well-intentioned people like Rachel Carson (i.e. her anti-chemical crusade, “Silent Spring”). But Carson caused immense harm to millions of others by influencing the ban on DDT. She was motivated to save something but she based her crusade on alarmist exaggeration against facts to the contrary- i.e. confirmation bias, sloppy anecdotal validation of arguments, and she framed her anti-chemical rant with an apocalyptic narrative. See, for example, “The Excellent Powder” for a detailed analysis of the history and evidence on DDT and Carson’s crusade.
Note that in the very century that humanity created the many chemicals over which Carson incited panic- the 20th century- the human life-span was doubled, people lived healthier lives for many more years, and cancer rates declined (accounting for lag effects from such things as smoking). And of course, we all understand that we must use chemicals safely. But the above facts of the improving human condition counters the apocalyptic-scale exaggeration of danger that people like Carson propagated.
Alarming people with apocalyptic-scale exaggeration incites the survival impulse in populations and thereby renders people susceptible to irrational salvation schemes that have the unintended consequences of causing mass-harm, even mass-death. This is now happening with the irrational panic-mongering over CO2 as a “pollutant/poison”. Such panic-mongering denies the immense benefit of rising CO2 in greening the Earth with 15% more green vegetation over just the past 40 years, meaning more food for animals and increased crop production for humanity.
Be an instinctive skeptic of any alarmist narrative. Demand a full presentation of evidence from all sides on any issue. Remember Julian Simon’s advocacy for good science by looking at the fullest big picture and longest-term trends associated with anything. Good follow-up research has consistently proven the alarmist-incited panics over past history to be exaggerated or outright wrong.
Another safeguard against becoming swept up in harmful movements like Marxism or eco-alarmism- take action to protect and enhance individual freedom and rights as primary in society (i.e. constantly re-enforce Classic Liberalism principles). Take action against any collective of power, any “enlightened elite” that claim to know what is right for all others and subsequently will coercively censor, ban, and cancel dissenters and contrary information (i.e. elites that criminalize dissent against their collectivist narratives as “misinformation, disinformation… threats to democracy, etc.”.).
Never yield your mental life to be dominated and controlled by so-called enlightened elites, even scientific elites who claim special expertise in something. We have a growing record of how wrong such elites and their claimed “scientific consensus” can be. Remember the recent Covid pandemic claims (“heed the science”) that then became public laws forced on all others by state power, but were later proven misguided, even outright wrong.
Entire societies are still trying to recover from the damage done by so many suddenly state-empowered totalitarians (i.e. mayors, governors, bureaucratic/organization leaders) who relished telling others in enslaving detail how to live and backed their power with fines and threats of incarceration. That entire Covid lockdown episode was a chilling reminder of how fragile democracy can be in the face of the totalitarian impulse that resides unchecked in so many fellow citizens, many seemingly unaware of how dangerous their actions were.
Value humans, and human rights and freedoms, supremely against the anti-human themes that are common to the ideologies of collectivists/eco-fanatics.
Disperse power among individuals as the best safeguard against the centralizing of power in collectivism programs for organizing human societies (Frederik Hayek’s advice). In a collective, some enlightened elite has to run the collective for the purported good of all (i.e. the claims of advocating “common or greater good”- as defined by the collectivist elites).
Do not coercively override the self-determination of others, especially disagreeing others. Practice full inclusion of human diversity, full toleration of differing opinion and practice. Understand and appreciate the critical role of free speech in protecting democracy. Remember, we are all equals in one human family, not enemies.
Add your own suggestions for ways to protect yourself and others from becoming caught up in mass-harm movements like climate alarmism. Wendell Krossa
Another on the real “righteous battle” of life… Wendell Krossa
(Comment on Bob Brinsmead’s research in a section below on the protest of Jesus against the sacrifice system of his day- see the section below titled “Bjorn Lomborg’s evidence-based optimism regarding climate change”, and notably the essay there- “Christianity got Jesus all wrong- summary of Bob Brinsmead’s research on Historical Jesus. Quotes from sources- Jesus was the founder of Jewish Christianity. Paul’s Gentile Christianity (based on his Christ myth) contradicted the message of Jesus entirely on all its main points”)
One of the great battles of life is to know our true self as beings of love and light, and thereby know “the wonder of being human”, and then to act accordingly. Start within, win that inner battle first (i.e. the battle against the pathological myths of humans as essentially “fallen/inherently sinful”) and then go out to change the world with love. Remember Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s point that “the real battle of good against evil runs through the center of every human heart”. It is not so much an outer battle against purported “enemies”.
I view my comments above (“The climate alarmism crusade is profoundly religious”) as part of a larger battle for human narratives and consciousness. Its about changing how we think at a most fundamental level, and hence how we feel- i.e. human beliefs, related emotions (how we feel about things in life), motivations (inciting, inspiring), and response/behavior (how we act in response to our beliefs). This is about going to the deepest levels (subconscious, archetypes) to make the most fundamental changes there. Its about liberating consciousness at the deepest levels and thereby contributing to making life better for the long-term future.
This is how I see Bob Brinsmead’s work on Jesus protesting the sacrifice industry of his day. Bob is challenging and correcting that most influential myth of all history- Paul’s Christ myth which states that Jesus was sacrificed to pay for humanity’s sin and that the Christ will return to apocalyptically destroy all who do not believe the Christ (see the first Thessalonian letter of Paul). The Christ myth of Paul has powerfully influenced, not just Western civilization, but much more across the world. The Christ myth of Paul has been the single most dominant influence keeping apocalyptic alive in the modern world (as noted by James Tabor and others), as well as re-enforcing punitive justice systems in our societies (i.e. demanded sacrifice/payment/punishment).
Bob and I are coming at the most fundamental of issues of “bad belief/good belief” from different aspects, but we are all engaged in the same great battle for human liberation and development toward that more humane future that we all want.
Fall/decline/apocalypse narratives are profoundly anti-human. Wendell Krossa
They distort and bury the wonder of being human. They do not tell us who we really are. They tell us the opposite- i.e. that we are essentially fallen, corrupt beings, and destroyers of the world (a “cancer/virus” on the planet). And yes, the residue of our animal past- i.e. a core animal brain with its dark impulses to tribal exclusion (small band existence), domination of weaker others, and destruction of competing others- this animal inheritance does influence us to act inhumanely at times. Unfortunately, our ancestors created myths/beliefs/narratives that incite and validate these dark impulses.
We need the evidence presented by Julian Simon and others to create entirely new narratives, narratives based on the masses of good evidence that over history we have solved problems, improved the human condition, and also immensely improved our ability to care for the natural world.
Such evidence affirms the “wonder of being human” and inspires our better human impulses to include all others as family, to respect the freedom of others as equals, and to engage restorative not punitive justice approaches to human failure. A new narrative of our essential goodness is about basing hope on the factual evidence from across history of our growing ability to improve ourselves and to improve all life.
Another on “the wonder of being human”
The great wonder regarding humanity is not how far we have “fallen” since some imaginary better past (i.e. the myths of original paradise world, Eden, sinless humans, but then the “Fall of humanity into original sinfulness”, and subsequent ruin and loss of paradise). The great wonder regarding humanity is how far we have risen from our barbaric animal past (Bob Brinsmead). Get the basics of a true narrative of life right, the actual trajectory of life (i.e. not declining, but improving over the long term). Overturn and correct the continuing mythical distortions in the real story of life, whether religious or “secular/ideological” distortions. The basic themes are all the same, whether expressed religiously or ideologically/scientifically.
The capitalist system that Greta Thunberg demonizes as causing a “crisis” for life…
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/11/02/greta-thunberg-time-overthrow-wests-oppressive-racist-capitalist/
“Michael Shellenberger, an American author, posted on Twitter that the “whole capitalist system” Ms Thunberg referred to has led to larger food surpluses than at any point in history, average human life expectancy to rise from 30 to 70 and a (98%) drop in total deaths from natural disasters (over the past century).”
Here is some good comment on “blame humanity for climate change” from a newsletter article “Halloween Edition: Witch Hunts- Then and Now”, authored by Gregory Wrightstone, a geologist and Executive Director of co2coalition.org
“European witch hunts of the 15th to 17th centuries targeted witches that were thought to be responsible for epidemics and crop failures related to declining temperatures of the Little Ice Age.
“A belief that evil humans were negatively affecting the climate and weather patterns was the “consensus” opinion of that time. How eerily similar is that notion to the current oft-repeated mantra that Man’s actions are controlling the climate and leading to catastrophic consequences?
“The first extensive European witch hunts coincided with plunging temperatures as the continent transitioned away from the beneficial warmth of the Medieval Warm Period (850 to 1250 AD). Increasing cold that began in the 13th century ushered in nearly five centuries of advancing mountain glaciers and prolonged periods of rainy or cool weather. This time of naturally-driven climate change was accompanied by crop failure, hunger, rising prices, epidemics and mass depopulation…
“Of course, the people’s misfortunes were attributed to weather-changing witches who had triggered the death-dealing weather, most often in the form of cold, rain, frost and devastating hailstorms. Horrific atrocities were alleged of the witches, including Franconian witches who “confessed” to flying through the air to spread an ointment made of children’s fat in order to cause a killing frost…
“The end of the witch hunts and killings tie closely to the beginning of our current warming trend at the close of the 17th century. That warming trend started more than 300 years ago and continues in fits and starts to this day.”
A great Aussie story about oil– how oil companies operate and contribute to human society…
“Because oil doesn’t come out of some tap that you can just turn off and on at will. Once you stop exploring and drilling, once you turn the tap off, it will take years, up to a decade, to turn it back on. The UK is currently facing this problem. They need gas now, right now, this winter. And they sit on one of the larger shale gas formations on the planet. Enough for generations.
“But even if they removed their demented ban on fracking, it wouldn’t provide one cubic meter of gas for at least a year and likely three … by drinking the green Koolaid, they’ve worked themselves into a coffin corner.”
More from the same article on- What causes inflation?
“Th(e) war on fossil fuels is driving gasoline and all other fossil fuel prices through the roof.
“And because energy is a huge component of every part of our lives (mine- i.e. the over 5000 basic products in our societies that are based on “oil derivatives”), this is assisting in pushing inflation through the roof (of course, printing trillions of $ out of thin air helps too, but energy is used in everything).”
Further on inflation: The West’s war on fossil fuels has created a supply shortage at a time of increasing demand for energy. The demand is partly from the rightful claim of developing nations for cheap energy to gain the benefits that the West has gained from fossil fuels. But the war on fossil fuels, with threats that oil/gas will become “stranded assets”, has prompted fossil fuel companies to shy away from necessary costly exploration and development. The consequent result of shortages is inflated energy costs and subsequent inflation in the cost of many of the 5000 basic products that we get from “oil derivatives”. Green fanatics like Joe Biden created this mess with his anti-fossil fuel policies but he will not admit his role but instead blames others, like Putin. This is the dangerous lack of awareness from living in a bubble narrative that distorts the real world.
Latest from
Climate physicists Richard Lindzen and William Happer respond to the EPA’s “Endangerment Finding”.
“In 2009 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its science-based finding that the buildup of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere endangers public health and welfare.”
Key points in Lindzen and Happer’s response to the EPA “Endangerment Finding” report (quoted from link above):
“Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an extraordinary gas on this planet. Without it, all green life would cease. All complex life, which is dependent on green life, would cease. The EPA’s declaration that “the Administrator finds that greenhouse gases in the atmosphere may reasonably be anticipated both to endanger public health and to endanger public welfare” is extraordinary. It requires extraordinary physical evidence. The EPA has none. Instead, it relies on the opinions of government functionaries who are generally ignorant of how science works.
“In submitting an Amicus Curiae (“friend of the court.”) brief (written argument), Professors William Happer and Richard Lindzen, and the CO2 Coalition believe that “the ‘science’ relied upon by the EPA in its Endangerment Findings is seriously flawed and not truly scientific.”…
“Professors Happer and Lindzen are career physicists who, for decades, have specialized in applying the scientific method to radiation physics and dynamic heat transfer.
“Scientific knowledge is determined by the scientific method, through which theoretical predictions are validated or rejected by observations. If the theoretical predictions do not work, the theory is rejected. That’s real science…
“Scientific knowledge is not determined by government-controlled opinions, consensus, peer review, or theoretical models that do not work. Those are false science. This brief applies the scientific method to the Endangerment Findings and its supporting Technical Support Document and demonstrates both are scientifically corrupted and thus must be rescinded for the following reasons.
“IPCC Government-Controlled Opinions. The Endangerment Findings and the Technical Support Document extensively rely on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (“IPCC”) assessments as a “primary scientific and technical basis” for the Findings. The IPCC is government controlled and thus issues only government opinions, not real science as the picture below—of government representatives determining content at IPCC’s Summary for Policymakers’ writing meeting—shows.
“This is not how scientific knowledge is determined. Governments do not determine scientific knowledge; the scientific method does…
“IPCC Theoretical Models Don’t Work. Both the Endangerment Findings and the Technical Support Document should be withdrawn because they fundamentally rely on IPCC theoretical models that predict catastrophic warming unless fossil fuel CO2 is eliminated. The IPCC climate models then and most recently have been proven conclusively by observations to fail by over-predicting warming. Therefore, they must be rejected and not used.
“Peer Review and Consensus. Both the Endangerment Findings and Technical Support Document use peer review and consensus extensively, which, as noted, does not determine real science.
“Censorship of the Contradicting Real Science. By using “the scientific assessments of the IPCC, USGCRP, and the NRC” as “best reference” for science, 74 Fed. Reg. 66,511, the EPA inadvertently admits it censored the overwhelming evidence from real science that demonstrates there is no danger that fossil fuel CO2 will cause catastrophic global warming.
“The Endangerment Findings and Technical Support Document are Driving Disastrous Consequences. Contrary to common reporting, CO2 is essential to life by producing food through photosynthesis. Increasing CO2 in the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels will produce more food for people worldwide. Elimination of fossil fuels in response to the Endangerment Findings will be doubly disastrous by reducing the amount of food available to people worldwide and eliminating the major source of low-cost energy.
“Thus, real science requires that all the false science be removed from the Endangerment Findings and Technical Support Document. This requires deleting all the government-dictated IPCC material, all IPCC theoretical climate models and scenarios, and all citations to consensus. As a result, the Endangerment Findings and Technical Support Document will be without adequate required real scientific support.
“Accordingly, it is Amici’s scientific opinion that the Endangerment Findings and Technical Support Document are based, in part, on government dictated material and must be withdrawn before they cause more disastrous reduction in the food supply worldwide and the end of affordable and reliable fossil fuel energy for people worldwide, future generations, and the United States.”…
“The fourth section is titled “The IPCC theoretical models do not work and thus under basic scientific method must not be used.” Another section is titled “Censored Real science proves fossil fuel CO2 will not cause catastrophic global warming.” This section includes graphs of 600 million years of atmospheric CO2 and temperature data and a part titled Atmospheric CO2 is now “heavily saturated,” which in physics means more CO2 will have little warming effect…
“The section before the brief conclusion is titled “The Endangerment Findings and Technical Support Document support of ‘Net Zero’ fossil fuel CO2 policies will disastrously reduce food worldwide and eliminate fossil fuels, the major source of low-cost energy for the US and people worldwide.”
“This brief is the most effective, well-articulated, practical summation of the false science that went into the disastrous Endangerment Finding that TWTW has seen. The consequences of this ideological decision include the perversion of American physical science.”
The full response of Lindzen and Happer available at…
https://alarmistclaimresearch.files.wordpress.com/2022/10/epa-denial-amicus-co2-coalition.pdf
Eco-zealotry gets the story of industrialization all backwards and upside down (i.e. industrialization- the “great evil destroying the world” that should be subjected to “de-growth”)…
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/columnists/2022/11/08/cop27-dont-owe-developing-countries-climate-reparations-owe/?mc_cid=64bb2b0a99&mc_eid=bbd9cad85f
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-11400861/DANIEL-JOHNSON-insane-demand-pay-sin-industrial-past.html?mc_cid=e9aa38dc91&mc_eid=bbd9cad85f
This good report from Judith Curry…
Terrorizing, traumatizing children with climate alarmism and the horrifically harmful outcomes on a generation of children (unnecessary fear, learned helplessness, fatalism, depression, nihilism). “Victims of the Faux Climate ‘Crisis’. Part 1: Children” by Judith Curry.
Quotes from Curry’s article:
“The apocalyptic rhetoric surrounding the climate “crisis” has numerous victims. Children and young adults rank among the victims of greatest concern.
“Numerous academic studies have highlighted the psychological health effects of climate change on children and young adults, including elevated levels of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, increased incidences of suicide, substance abuse, social disruptions including increased violence, and a distressing sense of loss…
“There is little basis in the IPCC assessments for a level of alarm that would induce such psychological effects — even in context of the IPCC’s numerous erroneous assumptions and dubious judgment calls that were outlined in my previous blog post ‘The climate crisis isn’t what it used to be’. The apocalyptic and misleading rhetoric in the media and political discourse about climate change is arguably the driving impetus of these adverse psychological health effects.
“In context of a complex scientific and political debate, there are strong incentives to raising the alarm about climate change. Media gets more clicks and views with alarming stories. Activist campaigners get attention and funding. Researchers who position themselves in the mainstream of apocalyptic rhetoric receive media attention, professional recognition from increasingly activist professional societies, and greater funding opportunities. Politicians that emphasize alarming climate scenarios seek the authority to distribute significant resources to fix the problem according to their own political values.
“Are the adverse psychological impacts on children and young adults merely collateral damage of this complex debate on climate change, or are children being used as political tools? It is well known that children are fostering climate change concern among their parents, providing a motivation for apocalyptic messaging targeted at children and young adults.
“Harmful rhetoric
“The presentation of climate change to children is far more alarming and less nuanced than what adults are exposed to. Stories of the coming climate apocalypse have become commonplace in schools, textbooks, churches, movies and even children’s books. A prominent example is the book “Our House Is on Fire: Greta Thunberg’s Call to Save the Planet,” a picture book aimed at ages 3-8. The book’s overarching message is summed by this statement in the book: “There might not be a world to live in when she grows up. What use is school without a future?”
“Media targeted at teens and young adults portrays relentless doom. The 2018 U.N. warning that governments need to take action on climate change within 12 years led Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to incorrectly conclude that millennials fear “the world is gonna end in 12 years if we don’t address climate change.” The website of the U.K.-based group Extinction Rebellion warns that “societal collapse and mass death are seen as inevitable by scientists and other credible voices.”
“The world’s teens and young adults seem to have gotten the message: A 2021 study polled 10,000 people between the ages of 16 and 25 from numerous different countries and found that over half thought that humanity was “doomed” because of climate change. Further, there is an explicitly political message being fed to teens and young adults as evidenced by this finding from the study: “Climate anxiety and distress were correlated with perceived inadequate government response and associated feelings of betrayal.”…
(The survey above affirms a similar world survey that found a majority of the world’s population believed the declinist narrative that “the world is becoming worse”- Ten Global Trends, Intro.)
“Some voices are suggesting that we would all be better off if we dialed down the hyperbole about climate change. Kate Marvel, climate scientist at Columbia University and science communicator, states: “This message of ‘We’re all going to die, how dare you say there might be something we can do’ … that’s just not supported by the science.” “There are so many futures between doomed and fine.” “I’m not saying we can all rest, and I’m not saying we live in the best of all possible worlds. But one can have a sense of optimism by working towards a solution.”
“Educational curricula
“Public school districts in the U.S. are adopting curricula on climate change that portrays climate change only in context of human causes and as a peril beyond dispute, emphasizing worst case scenarios — actual climate science seems to be ignored in the curricula. Further, there is an explicit objective that students should respond through activism.”
Insert (mine)- Curry says the outcome of climate alarmism directed at children has been “anti-hardiness” or “lack of resilience” which is a form of “learned helplessness” with its consequent fatalism, depression, and even nihilism.
Continuing Curry’s points…
“Related to anti-hardiness of young people, the book The Coddling of the American Mind describes how parents’ attempts to promote their kids’ emotional well-being often instead makes them more emotionally fragile. The book argues that by succumbing to their own sense of fragility and wrapping themselves in the cloak of victimhood, young people are developing cognitive patterns similar to those of people suffering from anxiety and depression…
“Apart from ill-advised parenting, children and young adults are being used as tools in national and international political campaigns and are encouraged to be seen as ‘victims’. Blaming this unfortunate situation of psychological stress on a changing climate is incorrect, and the use of this situation to achieve political goals is reprehensible behavior that is acting to reinforce the children’s psychological injuries.
“So much for “saving the planet for the grandchildren.” These depressed children often talk of not having their own children in the future because of climate change (such sentiments feature prominently in the Complaints organized by Our Children’s Trust). This is a pretty big backfire for the “suffer now so we can save the planet for the grandchildren” crowd.
“JC note to the brainwashing educators of K-12 children: Children suffering from acute anxiety and depression are in no kind of shape to be effective activists. Further, in a decade or so, when it is apparent that there is no climate catastrophe, these young adults are not going to be very trustful of information from the establishment.”
Curry also includes data that children climate activists (Just Stop Oil, Extinction Rebellion) are not part of some spontaneous bottom-up movement but are well-funded by major climate alarm organizations like Climate Emergency Fund, the Getty heirs, the Kennedy heirs, and the Rockefeller family.
Among Curry’s conclusions:
“And finally, there are near- and long-term political implications. Does anyone think that throwing tomato soup at paintings in museums is helping the “cause”? In the longer term, all of this propaganda and brainwashing will backfire when it becomes apparent in a decade or two that there is no climate catastrophe, and young adults are rebelling against the ‘establishment’.”
A statement of sanity in the midst of so much hysterical insanity
This from Eric Worrall- “Senator Malcolm Roberts Challenges the Aussie Government to Prove CO2 is a Problem”
Senator Malcolm Roberts Challenges the Aussie Government to Prove CO2 is a Problem
Quotes from the above article:
“An inside view into what it is like being a climate skeptic politician who is determined to get answers out of both his colleagues and government scientists.”
Worrall then quotes from Roberts’ submission…
“This embraces our duty to ensure legislation and policies are solidly based on accurate and objective data so that the consequences on our constituents and nation are safe, affordable, reasonable and fair. Attachment 1 shows there has never been and there remains no, factual scientific basis presented in parliament for legislation cutting, or limiting the production of carbon dioxide from human activity.
“Parliament has never debated the climate science. The term logical scientific point means the empirical scientific data within a logical scientific framework proving causality. Senators and members of parliament have never been presented with the necessary logical scientific points to justify legislating the cutting or limiting of carbon dioxide from human activity.
“Nor has parliament ever been presented with the specific, quantified effect of carbon dioxide from human activity on any aspect of climate or weather…
“… Our earth’s climate has been changing for 4.5 billion years. Historical, empirical, scientific evidence shows there is nothing unusual or unprecedented about our current temperatures or weather events.
“Climate science has been hijacked. Special interest groups pushing ideological societal change, rent- seekers wanting to profit from taxpayer subsidies and politicians looking for easy new ways to tax citizens, are hijacking our nation’s governance and sovereignty. Alarmingly, once highly regarded agencies such as the CSIRO and BOM, have allowed themselves to become a part of the climate change industry and have failed to provide government with robust, competent science advice upon which to base policy.
“There is no logical, scientific point with empirical evidence linking carbon dioxide from human activity as the cause of climate variability. No entity or person has ever proven that the ongoing natural climate variability is not entirely natural.
“This lack of vigorously tested evidence has allowed governments to create policy that is permanently damaging our once cheap and reliable electricity system. Our manufacturing industries are disappearing overseas, families are struggling to pay their exorbitant power bills, farmers are under pressure and our once reliable electricity system is on its knees, due to government regulations forcing intermittent wind and solar into the electricity grid.
“Even our children are not safe from this alarmism, with eco-anxiety finding its way into the innocent world of our children.
“Nor is the environment safe, due to the lack of recycling of many solar, wind and battery components with relatively short working lives, and due to other inherently damaging aspects of solar and wind.
“I implore you to apply the utmost of analytical and sceptical scrutiny to the claims underpinning climate and related energy policy. The effects of climate policy are historic, and Australia has never before faced such a fundamental and arguably monumental change to our way of life and lifestyle.
“Your extra scrutiny on the claims underpinning climate and related energy policy could be the difference between millions of Australians suffering if the proposed legislation is passed or alternatively, having a more prosperous nation if existing climate and related energy legislation is rescinded. …
“Attachment 4 reveals the repeated results of two global natural experiments and proves that cutting carbon dioxide from human activity can have no effect. The associated limited summary of the science introduces concepts explaining why the cutting of carbon dioxide from human activity can have no effect on global or regional climate or weather…
“In its presentations to my team and I, the CSIRO stated that there is no danger from carbon dioxide from human activity and that there is nothing unprecedented about our planet’s temperature. Therefore, there is no scientific justification for any government to introduce policies designed to reduce carbon dioxide from human activity.”
Worrall continues…
“Although the focus of the document is Australia, much of the document is applicable to everyone – climate alarmists worldwide all tend to use the same scientific talking points to push their case…
“For example, Senator Roberts caught the curious issue of the “Marcott 2013 et al paper”, which is used by alarmists to push the idea that the current temperature rise is unprecedented. But Marcott’s paper differs from his PHD thesis. The difference? Marcott grafted a hockey stick onto his published paper.
“One of the most intriguing elements of Senator Roberts’ analysis is his interaction with Australia’s premier government science body. The CSIRO, in my opinion may be leaving themselves a large escape hatch for when today’s political climate hysteria collapses.
“According to Senator Roberts, “… CSIRO admitted that it has never stated that carbon dioxide from human activity poses a danger. Instead, statements of danger came from politicians …”.
“One day historians will look back on today’s climate hysteria. They will struggle to understand how politicians and voters ever mistook such a flimsy house of cards as a solid edifice of evidence and sound policy – especially with politicians like Senator Roberts sounding the alarm.
“Update (EW): Re the “Marcott 2013 et al paper”, Marcott himself dissed his own hockey stick addition. He admitted the “… 20th century portion of our paleotemperature stack is not statistically robust, cannot be considered representative of global temperature changes, and therefore is not the basis of any of our conclusions. …”. His words.”
The full Roberts report available at…
https://wattsupwiththat.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/220819-MRoberts-Submission-Climate-Change-Bills-combined.pdf