Most Conservative White Guys Deny Climate Change
It's not just a political stereotype: Conservative white men really do make up a disproportionate percentage of climate change deniers. (more)
It’s not just a political stereotype: Conservative white men really do make up a disproportionate percentage of climate change deniers.
A paper for “Global Environmental Change” published in January found that almost 60 percent of conservative white males deny that most of the world’s scientists have agreed on climate change, while just 32 percent of the American general public deny that fact. Those conservative white males who reported having a better-than-usual understanding of global warming were even more likely to deny that anything aberrant is happening. — BF
Wait, before you go…Mother Jones:
It’s not exactly shocking news, if you’ve ever taken a moment to consider that white men seem to make up the majority of the audience for Fox News, Glenn Beck, or Rush Limbaugh. The authors boil it down to a few psychological explanations: “identity-protective cognition,” or seeking out and believing that which affirms the beliefs or values one already holds, and “system justification,” or a motivation to defend the status quo.
[Chris] Mooney also raises a good point about one theory the report authors left out of the discussion: “social dominance orientation.” Basically, the idea is that white men like things they way they are now, because so far they’ve made out pretty well. They also seek out and are affirmed by others who believe the same things (i.e., Limbaugh and Beck).
If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.
Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.
Support Truthdig
Global Voices
Zimbabwe’s hydropower collapse is a harbinger of crises to come.
Environment
The United States’ neighbor to the north is having a serious conversation about the promises of never-ending “green growth.”
Digs
Advocates of “Green Growth” promise a painless transition to a post-carbon future. But what if the limits of renewable energy require sacrificing consumption as a way of life?
Digs
Absent from most public and policy conversations is any acknowledgement of the possibility that renewable energy cannot power a high-consumption civilization. This series will explore mounting evidence that a major downshift in consumption is looming — and explore the implications of this energy realism for human progress and flourishing.
Middle East
Amid a severe drought, Afghan scientists are asking the international community to engage with the brutal new regime.
Technology
One in five Americans now live in an area that's trying to transition buildings away from fossil fuels.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.