Stoking Fear though Ignorance

Vincent J. Curtis

3 Mar 21

Today’s Spectator contains two applications of the technique of developing fear and loathing through ignorance.  One is the story on “Study finds emissions rising steadily in GTHA,” (Greater Toronto Hamilton Ara) and the other is “Another outbreak tied to new variants.”  The technique is to provide enough information to raise alarm, but not enough explanation to quieten the alarm.

The TAF study found alleged increases of carbon dioxide emissions, that the rate of increase was “alarming”, and concluded that if “emissions aren’t lowered soon they could further affect daily life.”  The article offered no cause for the increase.  The increase had to happen somehow, so what caused it so that we can address it?   No explanation, and none is offered as to why this increase is “alarming.”  No explanation is offered as to what these “further affects on daily life” amount to, exactly.

I dismiss the TAF report on the grounds that they can’t measure carbon dioxide emissions in the GTHA, and by measure I don’t mean “guesstimate” - which is what they actually did.  I dispute that anything they’re talking about is objectively “alarming,” since in the world picture, the increase in carbon dioxide emission in the GTHA is insignificant.

The COVID variant story is straight-up fearmongering.  Blacks, East Indians, Chinese, Germans and French are variants of the human species.  Insofar as human potential goes, are there any real differences?  No.  So, whether a person is infected with this variant or that, it is still of Chicom-19.  Left-handed or right-handed, it’s the same.

Stop worrying! And stop fearmongering!

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