We've known for some time that as Republicans become more highly educated, or better at general science comprehension, they become stronger in their global warming denial. It's a phenomenon I've called the "smart idiot" effect: Apparently being highly informed or capable interacts with preexisting political biases to make those on the right more likely to be wrong than they would be if they had less education or knowledge. Now, a new study in the journal Climatic Change has identified a closely related phenomenon. Call it the "rich idiot" effect: The study finds that among Republicans, as levels of income increase, so does their likelihood of "dismissing the dangers associated with climate change." But among Democrats and independents, there is little or no change in climate views as levels of income increase or decrease. climate denial is a defense of economic interests. "Among individuals with conservative political orientations, there is a correlation between occupying advantageous positions within industrial economic systems and an unwillingness to acknowledge the risks associated with climate change," Bohr writes. "Perhaps to validate their economic interests, these individuals are more likely to process information on climate science through political filters that result in denying the risks produced by climate change." http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/07/climate-denial-wealth-rich-republicans
The ugly delusions of the educated conservative Better-educated Republicans are more likely to doubt global warming and believe Obama's a Muslim. Here's why Buried in the Pew report was a little chart showing the relationship between one’s political party affiliation, one’s acceptance that humans are causing global warming, and one’s level of education. And here’s the mind-blowing surprise: For Republicans, having a college degree didn’t appear to make one any more open to what scientists have to say. On the contrary, better-educated Republicans were more skeptical of modern climate science than their less educated brethren. Only 19 percent of college-educated Republicans agreed that the planet is warming due to human actions, versus 31 percent of non-college-educated Republicans. For Democrats and Independents, the opposite was the case. More education correlated with being more accepting of climate science—among Democrats, dramatically so. The difference in acceptance between more and less educated Democrats was 23 percentage points. This was my first encounter with what I now like to call the “smart idiots” effect: The fact that politically sophisticated or knowledgeable people are often more biased, and less persuadable, than the ignorant. It’s a reality that generates endless frustration for many scientists—and indeed, for many well-educated, reasonable people. And most of all, for many liberals. Let’s face it: We liberals and progressives are absolutely outraged by partisan misinformation. Lies about “death panels.” People seriously thinking that President Obama is a Muslim, not born in the United States. Climate-change denial. Debt ceiling denial. These things drive us crazy, in large part because we can’t comprehend how such intellectual abominations could possibly exist. And not only are we enraged by lies and misinformation; we want to refute them—to argue, argue, argue about why we’re right and Republicans are wrong. Indeed, we often act as though right-wing misinformation’s defeat is nigh, if we could only make people wiser and more educated (just like us) and get them the medicine that is correct information. For one thing, well-informed or well-educated conservatives probably consume more conservative news and opinion, such as by watching Fox News. Thus, they are more likely to know what they’re supposed to think about the issues—what people like them think—and to be familiar with the arguments or reasons for holding these views. If challenged, they can then recall and reiterate these arguments. They’ve made them a part of their identities, a part of their brains, and in doing so, they’ve drawn a strong emotional connection between certain “facts” or claims, and their deeply held political values. And they’re ready to argue. What this suggests, critically, is that sophisticated conservatives may be very different from unsophisticated or less-informed ones. Paradoxically, we would expect lessinformed conservatives to be easier to persuade, and more responsive to new and challenging information. In fact, there is even research suggesting that the most rigid and inflexible breed of conservatives—so-called authoritarians—do not really become their ideological selves until they actually learn something about politics first. A kind of “authoritarian activation” needs to occur, and it happens through the development of political “expertise.” Consuming a lot of political information seems to help authoritarians feel who they are—whereupon they become more accepting of inequality, more dogmatically traditionalist, and more resistant to change. http://www.salon.com/2012/02/24/the_ugly_delusions_of_the_educated_conservative/
So if there is a buck to made you will install carbon generation devices and then castigate everyone around you for being global warmers because "if I don't install them someone else will"? You have zero conviction behind your beliefs. The liberal mind is unable to detect hypocrisy, irony or actual imminent threats. Your language strongly indicates some impairment to cognitive function in my opinion.
or using the Razor... you might conclude smart people who took the time to educate themselves on the subject realize there is zero science showing man made co2 causes warming. Note Obama also refused to produce evidence to a Georgia Court for where he was born and Obamacare does have death panels... no matter what name you wish to give them. so the only issue is where Obama is really a Christian, a Muslim or something else. Something only God and Obama can really know. In short we see once again Salon takes the side opposite logic and reality.
Well there it is. Proof you are what the author calls the educated idiot. Too funny. Thanks for the laugh.
still waiting for some science showing man made co2 causes warming. luckily for you... there is no science otherwise you would be classified as an agw terrorist in possesion of a terrorist's gas. You might need to hire an attorney who would be willing to defend a terrorist. this is the scenario I don't understand. so do you sell 410a. ? are you aware it is a very powerful greenhouse gas? do you admit to selling it? do you believe greenhouse gases cause warming? Dangerous warming? Seriously fraudcurrents... that is indefensible. And your rants here would just send you to the chair in a penalty phase. And again, I am not saying stop selling a/c. I am saying stop being a Kennedy Gore Reid Pelosi Obama type hypocrite.
Not only that, futurecurrents has also bragged many times that he enjoys performing fellatio on his gay brother, infact he once bragged about his ability to suck a golf ball through a garden hose.