A poll is not only a mirror of the current consciousness of the polled but also a guide how to mirror the reality in the consciousness of the polled. It depends on how you put the questions and where you place the single question. It is not a mirror of intensive reflexions by the polled as when they'd got access to a broad knowledge base which takes time to learn and reflect.
"A new majority believes global warming is human caused." (Page 6) Why not? The question is how it is caused.
"More Americans believe scientists agree global warming is happening." (Page 7) First of all, a scientist can be mistaken. Second, a group of scientists can also be mistaken. Third, it is not mentioned who has decided the selection of being a "scientist" and under what criteria the selection has happened. This implies that the term "scientist" is part of a belief system. Fourth, if global warming was happening it has not to be agreed about the causes of global warming among scientists. It means only that "global warming" is happening. Fifth, there are no axioms on the topic of "global warming" which are unshakeable. This means that "Climate Science" lacks the feature for being an "exact" science. Sixth, there is no objective scientific debate about the topic of global warming possible because it is not a debate with arguments - rather it is a medial debate to govern public consciousness about the topic of "Climate", which is something different from what weather is.
"More Americans are 'very worried' about global warming." (Page 8) Being worried is only a term that means that the polled have a concern about a topic. In this context "very worried" means "very concerned" which implies that it is strongly in the consciousness of the polled.
"Global warming still seen as a relatively distant threat." (Page 9) This means that the polled don't see a connection between their conduct and the observed concern.
"However, Americans increasingly perceive global warming as a growing threat to themselves, their families, and local communities." (Page 10) The polled accept it as a topic. But this only to less than a half of the polled ones.
"Global warming is also perceived as a growing threat to others." (Page 10) This implies a social context of the topic. A social context demands a positioning by the community which is commonly the state (government).
"Global warming also perceived as a growing threat to future generations and other species." (Page 12) This implies also another social context which has not even already happened. Also, it occupies a topic of social context which relates to everybody's own future planning.
"More Americans say global warming is harming people now." (Page 13) This is a worsening question of the question "Global warming is also perceived as a growing threat to others." (Page 10). It is also a control question to examine on how ready people are to accept government action on the topic: The topic is always questioned of being a growing threat which implies emotional factors like protection and survival. The question of "However, Americans increasingly perceive global warming as a growing threat to themselves, their families, and local communities." (Page 10) has values between 40 and 50 Percent, the control question of Page 13 has only a value between 30 and 40 Percent which means that already a consirable part of the population would accept government action on that topic.
"Fewer Americans say they could easily change their mind about global warming." (Page 14) This is also a control question to the topic of a need of government action because of "global warming". It is a control of how strong the belief system of the polled is. It implies also that those who don't think that global warming is a reality accept it as a reality although they don't belief in it. This question controls how acceptable the topic of global warming is to those who don't belief in it. It is also a control question to those who believe in the global warming topic of how firm they believe in it.
"Fewer Americans say they need more information about global warming." (Page 15) This question puts in the foreground that "fewer" polled need more information - it excludes the fact that only 30 Percent don't need more information. This means that it excludes the fact that yet 70 Percent of the polled needs more information. It is also a control question to examine the already-in-place public campaign about its effectiveness.
"Climate scientists are Americans’ most trusted source of information." (Page 16) This is a question to evaluate the acceptance of "Climate Scientists" as a source of information to the populace. It is a question about the grade of reputation of "Climate Scientists" to the public which is something different than to the populace which usually does not have the time to check the allegations of "Climate Science" which again is different from the "Climate Scientists" who are only - exchangeable - representatives of "Climate Science". It is a question of how ready the polled are to "believe" from "Climate Scientists" what they tell the public. "Climate Scientists" have in this way a function as a trojan horse to the belief system of the public. The grade of persons of being acceptable to the public is even more important as "Climate Science" itself is not an "exact science". This question targets truely to examine the possibility of building up a "climate scientist" as a media agent on a base of a personal relationship to the populace.
I understand that any poll or statistic and media can be manipulated. I put it up more to encourage all of us that the population is not rock solid in their belief system about weather and we can have an impact, educating and raising their awareness about geo-engineering. I didn't really have time to go into that yesterday. To much to do, to little time to do it.
I understand that any poll or statistic and media can be manipulated.
Yes, but usually nobody reflects it because of the information overflow. It is like thinking - well, it is wasteless to spend time on it. Unfortunately, it is like advertisement. Because the environment is full of it it seems that advertisement does not work. But it works. And these polls cost money. Money which is not spent for nothing. Like the ads we are looking through. These comments were just ideas which may reflect only part of what could be found out. Also, it is interesting that the polls originated in Yale. If polls stay undiscussed they look like they tell the truth.
Of course, there are more important things in life than polls but: polls make politics.
I agree, it is interesting that it took place at Yale.
There isn't enough time to split hairs. I appreciate your points. Through this propaganda piece, it was my hope to instill some hope in a population that to put it bluntly, has lost any hope that individually (or a small group) can effectuate change. We can change the hearts and minds of man, to see and then grapple with, the reality of geo-engineering. It was not that long ago people just did not believe in, as they put it, climate change or global warming. If they can do it, we can also win peoples minds to reality on the origin of this climate change. It is human induced alright, but not your average Joe human.
