OK, so by now it is quite clear that the people who read BIG Media content regularly are always the smartest people in the room.
With that in mind, we are making a polite request that you wield your superior intelligence with kindness and humility.
The people who visit our rivals in the sensationalistic sphere of mainstream media are generally not aware that they are universally ill-informed regarding our society’s most pressing matters.
Here are some tips to avoid the appearance of an arrogant intellectual:
- When someone says, “YIKES – the sea is rising so fast, we should build an ark and move to Nepal,” there is no need to be an obnoxious Noah-all and mock their mountains because of a molehill. Instead, gently point out that the ocean has been rising steadily for more than 20,000 years since the last glacial maximum, and humans continue to adapt. Rather than insulting them, we prefer that you say something like, “I understand your concern, and I think you will feel better if you read this informative article on the subject by doctor of geology Brad Hayes (Sea level is rising; should we be worried?).”
- When someone says, “OMG – COVID is going to kill us all!” … we recommend saying, “COVID-19 is a dangerous disease, indeed, especially for those who are elderly and in poor health. You might feel less stress if you read data scientist Laurie Weston’s piece on the subject (Assessing the relative lethality of COVID-19: a Canadian case study).”
- When someone says, “Wow – that Texas energy crisis in February showed us all that we need to switch from that disgusting oil and gas and dangerous nuclear power to renewables immediately!” … politely say, “Well, that sure was a terrible situation. Thankfully, natural gas and nuclear power saved Texans from a much more devastating disaster. This story by Laurie Weston, which includes compelling data and informative tables and charts, will help us better understand what happened (Power struggle – data analysis puts Texas energy debacle in perspective).”
- When someone says, “Gee, it certainly is great that we are making an immediate transition to clean energy and will cut emissions by 50% in the U.S. and 40% in Canada by the year 2050!” … we suggest saying, “Yes, we need to focus on reducing harmful emissions as much as possible while being realistic about what changes are feasible given steadily increasing energy demand, and how long those adjustments might take. Check out this insightful article by Brad Hayes (It’s time to start setting realistic goals for energy transition).”
We appreciate your co-operation as we empower intellectually the individuals who need it most – without making them feel bad.
