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lot like: 'Club. Club. Club …' Saying it is unfair to question this makes a heartbreaking
joke out of us all.
Speaking for the gods
The stranger from the future begins to explain howmicrowave ovens work.But Maxwell's
equationsandthedipolemomentofthewatermoleculedon'tseemtomakemuchheadway
with the Paleolithics. In desperation, he falls back to the gibberish method. 'Well, the
microwaves rub up against the water, causing heat from friction.' Oh, wait. That's the
explanation for microwave ovens given to modern humans.
Making fun of us on science is too easy. But given the torrents of prattling nonsense
flowing endlessly from the mouths of our illustrious leaders, journalists, and academics on
climate, it's richly deserved. I would be sympathetic if I did not believe that people were
capable of much better. Most underestimate their scientific side: you can do it human—it's
built in. It might seem hard, but like brussel sprouts, differential equations are good for
you. Some squirm to avoid their vegetables, and others enable their tortured avoidance.
Theenablersforceustoindulgepeoplewhoactlikecatsgingerlysteppingaroundapuddle
when scientific technicalities are in play. By all means don't use microwave ovens if you
think they infest your brain with leprechauns. However, if we are facing political decisions
over policy affecting everyone, you should not get to step gingerly around the puddle. You
should either step up and learn, or get out of the way in favour of those who have.
The usual method for dealing with what you don't know is to consult an expert. People
do that with physicians, auto mechanics, and plumbers all the time. It's mostly okay. But
therearecaseswhereitisn't.Climateisoneofthose.Ohyes,Iknowwecanallunderstand
droughts, heat waves, snow, floods, storms, and the wrath of the gods. But how do you
knowwhetheranyofthesephenomenaarerelatedtoclimatechange?Thisisn'taplumbing
issue. Even if you don't do your own plumbing, you know when your toilet does not work
and when it's fixed afterward. That's crucial. After farming out everything else to experts,
knowing whether you got what you want or need is your last link to your own problem. It
keeps you in charge.
However, if you farm out something like climate to experts, where you have no
expertise yourself outside of some prejudice and folklore, you are like a child, precisely
because you cannot say, on your own, whether or not there is a problem, let alone whether
it has been fixed or not. So, why not just put the experts in charge then? You would only
vote according to what they tell you anyway. Isn't that the concept? Think about that. If
youdon'tstepuptolearnnewthingswhenneeded,whatstartswithplumbingflushesaway
democracy.
But, cluelessness notwithstanding, children and cavemen insist on decision-making
anyway. There are a number of popular methods. The most primal of these is to decide
whether you trust some particular expert. Where would you begin? Maybe you can
