Sometimes it’s better to stay silent.Īlthough the role of human activity in the causation of climate change is both ‘clear’ (and ‘growing’), evidence for large-scale behavioural adaptation on the part of the public appears absent. It was also probably not the best time to point out that there is a remarkable scientific consensus on climate change – ‘remarkable’ because it is rare to see this degree of scientific agreement on anything. Some have suggested instead ‘climate chaos’, which captures better what we are witnessing in terms of more frequent extreme and unpredictable weather patterns. It wouldn’t have felt right talking about the difference between the weather and the climate to that man on the bus, or even trying to empathise with the fact that ‘global warming’ can be a highly misleading term for many. There is just too much disagreement that cannot be bridged by polite words. It seems that climate change like politics, religion and death has entered the domain of topics that are not discussed in polite conversation. ‘You don’t believe in that rubbish, do you?’ His look was accusatory, it demanded an answer. ‘So that’s global warming for you,’ he said and looked at me to join him in some communal condemnation of this great hoax. It was only a fine dusting but it was enough. ‘Well, that’s nonsense for a start,’ he said. He tutted on his third glance at the page and then started to speak abruptly.
The pure white page of the notebook had just two words on it. He kept glancing over at it, surreptitiously at first, and then with longer glances as if he wanted to be seen. It was probably the open notebook that attracted his attention.
#Unrealistic optimism bias how to
How to avoid talking about climate changeĬonversations with strangers on buses can be very awkward. Geoffrey Beattie is Professor of Psychology at Edge Hill University.
#Unrealistic optimism bias pdf
The print version of this article can be downloaded as a PDF file. Sprite-icon-accessible-parking sprite-icon-apple-podcasts sprite-icon-arrow-up sprite-icon-audio-description sprite-icon-baby-changing-facilities sprite-icon-british-sign-language sprite-icon-caret sprite-icon-chevron-in-circle sprite-icon-chevron sprite-icon-cross sprite-icon-deezer sprite-icon-disabled-parking sprite-icon-down-block-arrow sprite-icon-download sprite-icon-external Facebook sprite-icon-google-podcasts sprite-icon-hearing-loop sprite-icon-instagram LinkedIn sprite-icon-live-subtitling sprite-icon-medium sprite-icon-menu sprite-icon-minus-in-circle sprite-icon-online-and-in-person sprite-icon-online-event sprite-icon-open-quote sprite-icon-padlock sprite-icon-pause sprite-icon-play sprite-icon-plus-in-circle sprite-icon-podcast-addict sprite-icon-quote sprite-icon-right-arrow sprite-icon-search sprite-icon-soundcloud-blank sprite-icon-soundcloud sprite-icon-spotify sprite-icon-stitcher sprite-icon-subtitles Twitter sprite-icon-up-block-arrow Vimeo sprite-icon-warning sprite-icon-wheelchair-accessible-venue sprite-icon-youtube
0 kommentar(er)
