For two weeks the whole world has been fretting about the petition “World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity:  A Second Notice” with thousands of scientists stating that:

“To    prevent    widespread    misery     and       catastrophic       biodiversity        loss,    humanity    must    practice    a     more    environmentally    sustainable     alternative  to  business  as  usual.  This   prescription  was  well  articulated  by   the  world’s  leading  scientists  25  years   ago, but in most respects, we have not  heeded  their  warning .  Soon  it  will  be too  late  to  shift  course  away  from  our   failing  trajectory,  and  time  is  running   out.  We  must  recognize,  in  our  day- to-day   lives   and   in   our   governing    institutions,  that  Earth  with  all  its  life  is our only home.”

and boasting that:

“We  have  been  overwhelmed  with  the   support  for  our  article  and  thank  the   more  than  15,000  signatories  from  all   ends  of  the  Earth.  As  far  as   we  know,  this  is  the  most  scientists  to   ever  co-sign  and  formally  support  a   published journal article.”

 

There is only one slight problem: everybody can sign the petition, you, me, everybody. Where is the evidence? Well, simply go to their page and look for yourself: http://scientistswarning.forestry.oregonstate.edu/node/add/endorsers

 

Still not convinced? Here is a screen shot of their list of “endorsers”:

list of 17 0000 scientists w adolf

And right beside Adolf….Alfred.

alfred hitchcock presents poster

As reported….by CNN….(and countless other media outlets)

cnn 16000 scientists

http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/14/health/scientists-warn-humanity/index.html

These kinds of ‘consensus’ pronouncements are extremely influential on most people, as Robert Cialdini found in his work on ‘social proofs.’  The ‘social proof’ (bandwaggoning, group approval) is so very powerful as described in the book “Influence”. He also found that our general obedience to authority can be used against us by claiming ‘consensus’ of perceived authorities. Most people comply with authority in the right context in ‘good faith’ – in order to be  helpful (such as obeying police who are clearing an accident scene).  But as he noted, when compliance practitioners are exploiting your good faith in ‘authority’ and you find you have been tricked, you must fight back, vigorously.

“In short, we should be willing to use boycott, threat, confrontation, censure, tirade,
nearly anything, to retaliate.”

97% consensus? No. They’re fooling you.

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