My wife and I were going to enjoy a big rivalry football game this weekend. A guy from the opposing team made an unfortunate remark about the academic standing of the other team not knowing that I was a Professor at that institution. I calmly presented the facts and statistics of why he was spreading misinformation. When I moved past the arrogance of his statement packaged in playful language, I wondered why he felt so comfortable saying that to me. I see the spread of misinformation as a climate scientist. This tendency has been amplified by the recent COVID-19 Pandemic. Football games offer clues on how to stop the spread of science information.
On November 1, 2020, the Baltimore Ravens will play the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. Patrick Smith is the photographer.
The images are from the same company.
It is important to recognize the landscape of science misinformation. When you see someone sharing misinformation about climate change, it is important to ask the following question. Do you understand their motives, support, or the ideological marinade that information is born from? A defense tries to make the quarterback and offense confused. Conspiracy theorists try to make science misinformation sound credible.
The family member at Thanksgiving dinner is not the only one. The rise of social media has given many outlets to share misinformation. misinformation can flourish in group texts. Check with trustworthy and credible sources for accurate information. Don't share if you're not sure.
People walk past a CDC trailer near a Covid-19 testing station at Black Lives Matter Plaza. The photo was taken by MANDEL NGAN.
The images are from the same source.
We live in a world that has an effect on the environment. People think they know more about topics than they do. I am certain that there were many people in the stands or at home on Saturday who were second-guessing the decisions of experienced coaches. People are very comfortable making assessments about topics based on anecdotal evidence, opinions, or isolated cherry-picking. When people conclude that the climate is not warming because it is cold today or that heat lightning is an actual thing, it is because their grandmother told them so when they were 12. The unfortunate comments my game day neighbor made this weekend were shades of this.
It's important that we give people factual information and try to find solutions that will help mitigate the spread of science information. I told people in a recent Ted talk to review their biases and do the work to confront them. It is important to point out that everything published is not from a credible source. There are differences among peer-reviewed literature, grey literature, and opinion pieces.
Intercloud lightning at night. The photo was taken by the Hulton Archive.
The images are from the same company.
Over the years, I have engaged in debates about college football games, rankings, and other topics. I know how hard it is to be a fan. People with biases or misinformation about science can be equally tough nuts to crack. When someone has a misperception, the HHS recommends that you listen with empathy, establish common ground, ask questions, provide alternative explanations and sources of information, stay calm and don't expect success from one conversation. I have found this approach to be effective when speaking to groups of people who are uncertain about the climate.
This was my approach at the football game. On the other hand, my wife thought that his statement was forward and that he should just watch the game. My team won the game and that gentleman might have a different approach in the future. Sports rivalries are fun, but they should not get in the way of the academic discussion. I have wonderful collaborations with colleagues at many places that they would see as rivals on the field or court.
