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Australia’s Darling River is running dry

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Re: Australia’s Darling River is running dry

#31

Post by ceejayoz »

enriquto wrote: post #29
computerex wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even if what you say is true, one sensationalized article does not mean that the entire climate change issue is hyperbole. The fact is that climate change is a real problem with potentially catastrophic outcome for the human specie: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipping_points_in_the_climate_... When the stakes are so high, where we are literally risking the future of the human race, I'd definitely lean towards the s…

> When the stakes are so high, where we are literally risking the future of the human race, I'd definitely lean towards the side of action and change even if they sensationalize some facts sometimes in order to motivate change in others. I find this behavior deeply hypocritical and irresponsible. Worse, it is unproductive, because even a minimal sensationalization may trigger a lot of misguided (but sincere) oppositi…

> As a matter of principle, I am disgusted by propaganda that contains falsehoods or exaggerations, even when it is for a good cause.

Any issue important to more than a few dozen people will involve propaganda, falsehoods, and exaggerations from both sides of the issue. Simple fact of statistics and human nature.

Letting that affect your evaluation of the facts is a mistake.

Re: Australia’s Darling River is running dry

#32

Post by nshepperd »

ehnto wrote: post #30
nshepperd wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, so charge agriculture and industry more.

I imagine the prices would just flow on to the consumer. I would personally prefer water usage regulation, that's something we can pretty easily do since we already meter it to charge for it. If you just raise the prices, there's no guarantee it would actually lower water usage enough to help.

If prices flow on to the consumer, that's good. It motivates consumers to buy less water hungry alternatives and industry to find less water hungry production methods. It certainly would lower water usage.

Re: Australia’s Darling River is running dry

#34

Post by eranima »

corebit wrote: post #14

This article is a perfect example of why the climate change issue is so polarized - it's just so full of propaganda and lies that the important truth it talks about is glossed over with mistrust. "Reduced to a string of stagnant mustard-coloured pools, fouled in places with pesticide runoff and stinking with the rotting carcasses of cattle and fish, the Darling River is running dry." This river runs dry regularly and…

Source for your claim that this river is always in this state? Because the article disagrees with you. You don't think the country's largest drought has any impact on its largest river?

You seem looking for a reason to bash climate change and journalism in general.

Re: Australia’s Darling River is running dry

#35

Post by enriquto »

ceejayoz wrote: post #31
enriquto wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> When the stakes are so high, where we are literally risking the future of the human race, I'd definitely lean towards the side of action and change even if they sensationalize some facts sometimes in order to motivate change in others. I find this behavior deeply hypocritical and irresponsible. Worse, it is unproductive, because even a minimal sensationalization may trigger a lot of misguided (but sincere) oppositi…

> As a matter of principle, I am disgusted by propaganda that contains falsehoods or exaggerations, even when it is for a good cause. Any issue important to more than a few dozen people will involve propaganda, falsehoods, and exaggerations from both sides of the issue. Simple fact of statistics and human nature. Letting that affect your evaluation of the facts is a mistake.

> Letting that affect your evaluation of the facts is a mistake.

I never said I will change my opinion about the issue because of that. Only that I am disgusted by this behavior.

As a more practical effect, just a tiny speck of falsehood in the discourse of "my" side, turns any attempt to convince anybody on the "other" side as an endless discussion about that silly speck, agreeing that it is false, but nonetheless the main cause remains true. It is very tiring. Exaggerated propaganda is useful to create stronger echo-chambers, but not to convince people who are outside.

Re: Australia’s Darling River is running dry

#36

Post by quickcode »

Fricken wrote: post #22
corebit wrote: post #14

This article is a perfect example of why the climate change issue is so polarized - it's just so full of propaganda and lies that the important truth it talks about is glossed over with mistrust. "Reduced to a string of stagnant mustard-coloured pools, fouled in places with pesticide runoff and stinking with the rotting carcasses of cattle and fish, the Darling River is running dry." This river runs dry regularly and…

Your comment is an even better example of why the climate change issue is so polarized, because the article made no mention of climate change, yet you were triggered by it anyhow.

>Last summer was the hottest on record, and in Menindee, where temperatures regularly top 38 Celsius (100 Fahrenheit), another scorching season is expected.

Climate change is very implicit in the context of the article, even if not explicitly stated.

Re: Australia’s Darling River is running dry

#37

Post by sjwright »

ehnto wrote: post #28
computerex wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even if what you say is true, one sensationalized article does not mean that the entire climate change issue is hyperbole. The fact is that climate change is a real problem with potentially catastrophic outcome for the human specie: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipping_points_in_the_climate_... When the stakes are so high, where we are literally risking the future of the human race, I'd definitely lean towards the s…

They aren't suggesting climate change is hyperbole, they're suggesting that the reason many people are able to dismiss climate change is because articles like this reek of sensationalism. In otherwords, in an attempt to get people to listen, they are turning people away as readers can pick up on the hyperbole and feel they're being manipulated. If instead we spoke about the issue factually, to the point and without t…

Except the article never mentions climate change so that argument doesn’t make any sense. The issue here is largely due to overuse of water for irrigation combined with a spell of hot dry weather.

Re: Australia’s Darling River is running dry

#38

Post by ssully »

corebit wrote: post #14

This article is a perfect example of why the climate change issue is so polarized - it's just so full of propaganda and lies that the important truth it talks about is glossed over with mistrust. "Reduced to a string of stagnant mustard-coloured pools, fouled in places with pesticide runoff and stinking with the rotting carcasses of cattle and fish, the Darling River is running dry." This river runs dry regularly and…

The article doesn't even mention the word 'climate', let alone 'climate change'. There are references to last summer being the hottest on record, which is true, or the effects of the drought, but it's not talking about climate change. Get your shit together - you are a perfect example of why the issue is polarized.

Re: Australia’s Darling River is running dry

#39

Post by kieranmaine »

missosoup wrote: post #27
computerex wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even if what you say is true, one sensationalized article does not mean that the entire climate change issue is hyperbole. The fact is that climate change is a real problem with potentially catastrophic outcome for the human specie: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipping_points_in_the_climate_... When the stakes are so high, where we are literally risking the future of the human race, I'd definitely lean towards the s…

I don't think GP is saying that climate change itself is hyperbole. The problem is that reporting on both sides is garbage laden with misunderstandings and outright lies. This fuels the anti-climate movement, especially when it's coming from the 'pro' side like in this case. I've been ringing bells about catastrophic climate change since the early 00s after being involved in a relevant research project, I'm the polar…

As pointed out by others the article talks about water use not climate change:

"At Menindee, 830 km west of Sydney, despair has turned to anger as residents blame the government for exacerbating the drought by drawing down river water in 2017 for irrigation and other uses downstream."

Re: Australia’s Darling River is running dry

#40

Post by bambataa »

corebit wrote: post #14

This article is a perfect example of why the climate change issue is so polarized - it's just so full of propaganda and lies that the important truth it talks about is glossed over with mistrust. "Reduced to a string of stagnant mustard-coloured pools, fouled in places with pesticide runoff and stinking with the rotting carcasses of cattle and fish, the Darling River is running dry." This river runs dry regularly and…

Isn’t the overwhelming scientific consensus on the harm we’re doing enough to justify collective action? It seems to be the only thing of sufficient scale to address the harm you’re concerned about. I am struggling bc to understand your priorities here.
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