In recent years there have been record setting snowfalls, as well as one of the coldest recorded winters in Minnesota. Observations like these are ones that conservatives have used to try to dispute the existence of global warming. Micheal Crichton presents a similar argument, albeit in a much more clever way. He talks about how the temperature in Antartica is decreasing (and therfor global warming must not exist). This statement, while seeming more scientific than the local weather, uses the same logic as conservative who cite the local weather. To get a more accurate view of the effects of global warming it is essential to look at the bigger picture (probably by using a graph or model that shows more long term effects in more areas).
One thing about the novel that stood out was how the characters are constructed. The "bad guys" are constructed to be shown to be short tempered and easily angered about small details. In contrast the "good guys" are rational reasonable people who are willing to patiently explain things to the ignorant lawyer (and us). By using this method it's hard to associate with the pro-global warming folks and go against the main protagonist of the story.
The last I'll mention is the back cover. I thought it was really interesting how the summary was split up by the recomondations. In each section a new part of the world is brought in, making it appear as if this book is concerned with every corner of the globe. By putting this idea before we even start reading, we get a preconcieved notion that the issues contained in the book are not bound to one region but rather the entire world.
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I think it's interesting that you bring up the argument pertaining to local temperatures decreasing and snowfall increasing. While doing some research for my letter to the editor I found some facts on several websites that claim that with gradual temperature rise we will see an increase in precipitation in some regions, and drought in others. Of course, like most facts surrounding the issue, the people who did this research and posted their results online probably have an agenda they are sticking to. It might be political or economic or whatever, but there is probably a bias in the way they present their facts.
ReplyDeleteThis is something that I hear people say about global warming all the time. They never look at the big picture of how the weather around the world is changing. For example, Minnesota started getting really warm really early this year while at the same time they were getting snow down in Texas. They don't realize that temperature increases just in a few spots can change wind currents which can ultimately change weather patterns and disrupt the environment that has relied on that type of weather for a long time.
ReplyDeleteclimate = global; weather = the pile of snow in my driveway.
ReplyDeleteI think it was one of the WARMEST winters yet, in fact. But my memory always goes to the day the car wouldn't start.....