Chris Mooney thinks that the use of the term "Swifthack" for the climate scandal is clever. This is because he thinks the Swiftboaters were liars. But the people who think the Swiftboaters were liars are leftist fools. Why does Chris Mooney not think he is simply digging a deeper hole for the cause of Science! ? Why does he think this attitude is going to convince those who need convincing?
Fair or not, true science is in the position of having to convincingly defend itself, if it wants to maintain its prestige. But its biggest alleged fans have gotten it into their heads that the answer to their critics is merely to shout "F*ck you! We're scientists!" Given the stakes, this attitude betrays a certain lack of wisdom and bigger-picture thinking. Folks are correct to wonder if this evident cognitive shortcoming also applies to the science itself.
The credibility inferno rages with ever greater intensity, and their only answer is to fiddle and mock. It seems that compact fluorescents are not the only dim bulbs we need to contend with.
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