Global Warming: Fact or Cascade?
As discussed in class, networks are very susceptible to ‘irrational’ behaviors, that is, it is very likely for people connected by a network to get influenced by each other’s behavior and decisions. There can infinite situations where people get influenced by others and stop behaving rationally and start imitating others. Though for them, they may be acting rationally but in reality, they are basically forming herds or ‘information cascades.’ One such cascade, according to this article, is the ongoing debate of global warming.
The argument that the planet has got warmer might be true to an extent but facts such as, melting polar-regions or rising sea levels should only be accepted with a pinch of salt. This article states that today’s weather scientists are like availability entrepreneurs: activists, journalists and publicity-savvy scientists who monitor the globe for newsworthy evidence of new forms of transgression. Thus, their facts are not only inundated with biases but also are targeted. Consequently, once a certain proportion of population starts believing in these facts, they become universally accepted norms. With time, it becomes difficult to get the truth out as even experts become reluctant to dispute the popular wisdom and even if they do, they are ignored.
The melting polar regions has become symbol of global warming and even people are not interested in hearing any other explanations of why the ice is melting apart from global warming. However, according to studies by NASA, much of the melting was caused by a cyclical change in ocean currents and winds and not global warming. Due to formation of cascades, these studies receive little attention as people start ignoring their own private information and start believing in what the world around them believes in.
This shows that the way in which facts about global warming are portrayed and decorated are not fully accurate. It is a victim of information cascades, which not only impedes future development in its study but also hides its real impact on our planet.