Emperor’s new clothes

Lysenko speaks at the Kremlin, 1935 (pic: Wikipedia)

A rarely asked, but important, question is whether promoting alarmism is
good for science. The situation may not be so remote from the impact of
Lysenkoism on Soviet genetics. However, I believe that the future will view the
response of contemporary society to “global warming” as simply another example of the appropriateness of the fable of the “Emperor’s New Clothes.” For the
sake of the science, I hope that future arrives soon. In the meantime, we can
continue to play our parts in this modern version of the fable. Our descendents
will be amused for generations to come.

Richard Lindzen

Global Warming: Looking Beyond Kyoto

The comparisons between Lysenkoism and ‘Global Warming’ can be rehearsed as follows:

1. Work first through political organizations;

2. Claim that the science is settled. There is nothing to debate;

3. Disregard, or deny, all the accumulating evidence that the predictions might be wrong;

4. Demonize the opposition ;

5. Victimize the opposition (execution and exile; loss of jobs or research funds, public and media humiliation);

6. Relate to a current ideology (Stalinism; Environmentalism);

7. Support a vast propaganda machine; and,

8. Create a huge bureaucracy where many people have careers dependent upon ‘the ruling concept’.

Cliff Ollier