Does anyone else think this is propaganda???

The riddler

Its an advert about global warming I keep seeing, I think it has all the key elements of propaganda. Do you think so?

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMp8UiCNYas

Thanks for any replys :)

Al68

Obviously, if you just care about little children, you would be in favor of the Democrats' agenda. You do love little children, don't you? Don't you? Well, don't you????!!!!

Come on now, how could that possibly be propaganda?

Skyhunter

Of course it is propaganda.

Propaganda is the spreading of facts, ideas, rumors, or allegations to further ones cause.

Propaganda is not inherently false, in fact the most effective propaganda is the truth. Although Goebbels big lie theory has proven to be quite effective.

For instance, to this day a majority of people believe Hitler was a vegetarian, although his official biographies tell us otherwise.

russ_watters

It is difficult to judge just how far one should go with propaganda. Outright lies are generally considered wrong, exaggerations, only maybe. In particular, with global warming, since all we have are vague predictions anyway, it is tough to argue if an ad such as this has gone too far.

Skyhunter

I agree with everything here except the characterization of "vague predictions". I realize of course that vague is more subjective than objective, which is why it is difficult to quantify whether or not the ad goes to far.

If the ocean's ecosystem collapses in the next two decades due to acidification and stratification, then we can say the message was not urgent enough. If on the other hand, the solar magnetic field weakens and we experience another Maunder like minimum and by some yet unknown evolutionary mechanism plankton rapidly adapts to the more acidic seas, it will seem as if they were overstating the threat.

I like to gamble, but I always bet the odds. I take the threat seriously, so I am changing my lifestyle.

Pengwuino

Hitler was a vegetarian??

Skyhunter

According to his biographers, some who knew him personally, he was quite fond of Bavarian sausage. According to his head chef, his favorite dish was squab pie.

His doctors prescribed a vegetarian diet as a cure for his flatulence, but he did not follow their prescription, and there is no evidence that a vegetarian diet will cure flatulence. In fact it is the soluble fibers in fruits, vegetables, and legumes that are most likely to cause flatulence.

seycyrus

Not only does it have the elements of propaganda, it has the elements of the worst kind of propaganda.

Talk about fear tactics.

mheslep

Nature called that AWG UK clip the Worst. Climate. Campaign. Ever. I agree it's awful.

russ_watters

Yikes, perhaps I should have said "overly specific!"

Usually, though, what we see is a potential range of temperatures and probabilities, along with possible effects of warming in those ranges.

Just out of curiosity, what do you consider the odds of that first scenario and what do you consider your ability to influence those odds to be?

Skyhunter

My examples are what I consider the extremes. I think that the odds of the first scenario, within the time frame stated are lowe, but given that ocean acidification and stratification is the primary suspect for the seas dying during the Permian extinction event... well given enough time this is a real possibility.

My ability to influence the odds is negligible. But I don't let that stop me from changing my lifestyle. Humans as a whole are definitely altering the chemical and thermal structure of the atmosphere, and the carbon cycle. How the biosphere responds to these changes is still an open question, but if the past is any indicator it will not be a good thing for life in it's present form.

russ_watters

I find that very odd. If your actions make a negligible difference, why change your actions?

Skyhunter

Because it is the right thing to do. Be the change you want to see in the world.

Nothing I can do will change the nature of the universe to any significant degree, yet I will perform my every act to best of my ability, striving to act impeccably.

The alternative would be to just die, since existing only for self gratification is meaningless.

Choronzon

What special meaning—beyond the meaning you assign yourself—does your particular world-view give your life? The universe probably doesn't care if we destroy ourselves or our planet.

chemisttree

That's not propaganda but this is!

I'm a believer now...

Skyhunter

I agree the universe does not care and nothing I can do is significant. The only thing I can control to any degree are my actions. So my actions are what is significant in my life.

Skyhunter

That's not propaganda, it is art!