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grown largely among those
already
disposed to be doubtful based on
their preferred values (e.g. individual freedom is good, limited gov-
ernment intervention in society is desirable). Those holding different
values have had their trust in climate scientists less affected by the
2009-10 scandals. This indicates that, in many modern democracies,
citizens inhabit face-to-face and virtual networks that shield them from
deliberating about how their own values articulate with - and may
stand to be changed by - those of diverse others. So much for the
political benefits of living in the 'information age'!
As Yale University's Dan Kahan notes,
if the cost of having a view of climate change that doesn't conform
with the scientific consensus is zero, and the cost of having a view
that is at odds with members of one's cultural community can be
high, what is a rational person to do? In that situation, it's perfectly
sensible for individuals to be guided by modes of reasoning that con-
nect their beliefs to ones that predominate in their group.
(Kahan, 2012: 255)
Kahan's point is that the majority of citizens who are either cli-
mate change sceptics or non-sceptics
all
tend to inhabit cultural silos.
This prevents them from discussing with each other the whole range of
'mainstream' options for climate change mitigation and adaptation (see
Hoffman, 2011). It also shields them from taking seriously 'extreme'
options hailing from either the far right or the far left of the political
spectrum.
As one of the CRU scientists whose emails were hacked, Mike
Hulme (2009: 322), put in his book
Why we disagree about climate
change
, 'Just as the transformation of the world's physical climates is
inescapable, so is the idea of climate change unavoidable.' He goes on:
We should use climate change as both a magnifying glass and a mir-
ror. As a
magnifier
,[it]
...
allows us to conduct examinations - both
more forensic and
honest than we have been used to - of each of
our human projects: whether they be projects of personal well-being,
self-determination,
...
[etc.].
Climate change demands that we focus on the long-term implica-
tions of short-term choices, that we recognise the global reach of our
actions, and that we are alert both to material realities and cultural
values. And as a
mirror
,[it]
...
localised trade, poverty reduction
...
...
teaches us to attend more closely to
what we really want to achieve for ourselves and humanity.
(Hulme, 2009: 363, emphasis added)
Hulme's insights are acute. Sadly, research by Kahan and others
suggests that many modern democracies lack the means for citizens and
