Why No Uproar about Glenn Beck ?

[Michael Hardner]

We have no smoking gun that tells us that climate scientists were deliberately giving us falsehoods in order to help their careers. We do, on the other hand, have a smoking gun that Glenn Beck is being a hypocrite about Global Warming.

Why is there no uproar at all about Beck ?

Beck can say whatever he wants and the more ridiculous he gets, the more people watch, the more successful his career is. Now, I don't know if he's supposed to be a journalist, but for some reason people watch him and I suspect they believe what he says.

Shouldn't he be accountable for that ?

Here he is ridiculing Global Warming:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im22AkN2piY

From 1:35 on he talks about Phil Jones.

Here he is in USA TODAY:

He believes in global warming

“You’d be an idiot not to notice the temperature change,” he says. He also says there’s a legit case that global warming has, at least in part, been caused by mankind. He has tried to do his part by buying a home with a “green” design and using energy-saving products. “I’m willing to do anything but use the CFLs,” he says of compact fluorescent light bulbs. “I put them in once and couldn’t stand the way they lit up the room.”

http://www.usaweekend.com/article/20100219/ENTERTAINMENT01/100218001/Don-t-judge-Beck-by-his-cover

I have problems with Al Gore's video, too. But find an instance where Gore does a flip-flop this bad. With that interview Beck is practically flaunting the fact that he is scamming his audience.

[bush_cheney2004]

Beck, like Limbaugh, can do as he pleases in his context as a media host. His objective is to gain audience share from competing networks, not win a Nobel Prize. Haven't you ever listened to Art Bell?

[Michael Hardner]

Beck, like Limbaugh, can do as he pleases in his context as a media host. His objective is to gain audience share from competing networks, not win a Nobel Prize. Haven't you ever listened to Art Bell?

That's fine, except where do you think all the misinformation about the science came from ?

And please don't tell me that most aren't misinformed. There are a few very valid points to be made about skepticism, but how often do you hear, for example, that there is no warming at all ?

It comes from pundits who speak as though they are telling the truth, and convince people that they're telling the truth. But they're snake oil salesmen.

Of course Fox has the right to put him on, but don't you see this as a problem ?

[bush_cheney2004]

That's fine, except where do you think all the misinformation about the science came from ?

But that's my point...don't confuse entertainment with hard science, which Carl Sagan began rescuing from hopeless boredom decades ago.

And please don't tell me that most aren't misinformed. There are a few very valid points to be made about skepticism, but how often do you hear, for example, that there is no warming at all ?

Doesn't matter....a large number of his listeners are indifferent either way.....warming or cooling. They know that in the end we will adapt as before. The arrogance of stopping change is even less credible.

It comes from pundits who speak as though they are telling the truth, and convince people that they're telling the truth. But they're snake oil salesmen.

Of course they are, and that's what their audiences want. It is entertainment that panders to existing convictions....warmers can mosey over to MSNBC or the Weather Channel (but even they have toned down the over-the-top climate change huckstering of years past).

Of course Fox has the right to put him on, but don't you see this as a problem ?

Of course not....if only because of First Amendment rights (USA). The answer for critics is more/better (i.e. entertaining) speech.

[Michael Hardner]

But that's my point...don't confuse entertainment with hard science, which Carl Sagan began rescuing from hopeless boredom decades ago.

I never confused it. But others have.

Doesn't matter....a large number of his listeners are indifferent either way.....warming or cooling. They know that in the end we will adapt as before. The arrogance of stopping change is even less credible.

I don't think that's accurate. As you can see from the video in my link, he doesn't talk about adaption versus mitigation. He openly scorns the idea of GW. And I'll be damned if someone tells me his viewers aren't influenced by his lies.

Of course they are, and that's what their audiences want. It is entertainment that panders to existing convictions....warmers can mosey over to MSNBC or the Weather Channel (but even they have toned down the over-the-top climate change huckstering of years past).

Of course not....if only because of First Amendment rights (USA). The answer for critics is more/better (i.e. entertaining) speech.

This is what Neil Postman called "Amusing Ourselves to Death". It's poisonous to America to have the country enthralled by misinformation and fake problems when there are real ones to deal with.

But, you have stated how it should be dealt with - basically, The Daily Show. Ok...

[bush_cheney2004]

I never confused it. But others have.

OK....just more experience along the continuum. Some people believe when they die, they either go to Heaven or Hell...go figure.

I don't think that's accurate. As you can see from the video in my link, he doesn't talk about adaption versus mitigation. He openly scorns the idea of GW. And I'll be damned if someone tells me his viewers aren't influenced by his lies.

Perhaps I wasn't clear...what I meant is that many in the audience have a que sara sara attitude, particularly when faced with more pressing and short term matters.

This is what Neil Postman called "Amusing Ourselves to Death". It's poisonous to America to have the country enthralled by misinformation and fake problems when there are real ones to deal with.

Not at all....America is so jaded and bored, heightened conflict and scandal are more important than the "truth". Producers are keen to deliver saucy content or face ratings irrelevance. Even NatGeo and Discovery productions hype disaster.

But, you have stated how it should be dealt with - basically, The Daily Show. Ok...

It's all good in the end.....because it will...end.

[Michael Hardner]

It's all good in the end.....because it will...end.

In flames... Ok... I confess that was just a comment to get the 'last word' in...

[JB Globe]

But that's my point...don't confuse entertainment with hard science,

The thing is, millions of people believe Beck's "entertainment" IS science.

What's more, Beck actually initiates many stories that work their way into the news cycle.

ie - Beck says "Obamacare is socialism" and then a conservative blogger who appears on Fox News references him in their blog (or vice-versa)

Then the news anchors on Fox pick up on it, saying: "critics are calling Obamacare socialism!" and push the story, they then bring in other pundits to act as expert commentary, who then agree with their fellow Fox commentators that yes, Obamacare is socialism.

The rest of the media eventually picks it up as well, because they don't want to be left out of "such a big story" and then what began as some random unsubstantiated rant turns into a national story.

[bush_cheney2004]

....The rest of the media eventually picks it up as well, because they don't want to be left out of "such a big story" and then what began as some random unsubstantiated rant turns into a national story.

But that's all it is...chum for the news cycle. Many years ago, Americans would tune in to one of three network anchor teams to be fed "facts" in one dimension....Cronkite would end his show with "...and that's the way IT IS".

Vietnam ruined all that and it became a media free-for-all with expanding bandwidth. Even Hollywood got in on the act, and Al Gore ran with it all the way to a Nobel Peace Prize, despite many half-truths and "lies".

George Carlin made a living out of explaining that it is ALL BULLSHIT.

Edited February 25, 2010 by bush_cheney2004

[bloodyminded]

But that's all it is...chum for the news cycle. Many years ago, Americans would tune in to one of three network anchor teams to be fed "facts" in one dimension....Cronkite would end his show with "...and that's the way IT IS".

Vietnam ruined all that and it became a media free-for-all with expanding bandwidth. Even Hollywood got in on the act, and Al Gore ran with it all the way to a Nobel Peace Prize, despite many half-truths and "lies".

George Carlin made a living out of explaining that it is ALL BULLSHIT.

Yep, it's often the lefties like Carlin who will tell you the way it is.