> carbon-vomiting oil extractors
Language like that discredits the whole article as a hysterical piece.
In any case, oil extractors are in business only because ordinary people want gasoline to drive their cars.
Language like that discredits the whole article as a hysterical piece.
In any case, oil extractors are in business only because ordinary people want gasoline to drive their cars.
As a general rule, people use such phrases to cover for a weak, poorly argued case. It's a tell.
It's like what a lawyer told me once:
1. If the law is on your side, argue the law.
2. If justice is on your side, argue for justice.
3. If neither the law nor justice is on your side, call the other party names.
Yet I did read the whole article, and found it weak and poorly argued. His specific point about vomit was also weak and poorly argued, as I pointed out.
A word to the wise - if you want thoughtful people to read an article, don't use such phrases. I'm hardly the only person to point this out.
He did it repeatedly in the article.
> why his post was poorly argued
I pointed out that he neglected to account for why the oil companies existed - because people want gasoline. It isn't the oil companies emitting CO2, it's the gas consumers.
Thoughtful people can forgive some logical transgressions, especially when a growing subset of society see contributing to the supply of carbon as immoral. I personally do not, being an Albertan... however, it is a very common position in British Columbia, where Tim lives.
Subjects as big as these should not end up as "personal responsibility" of the consumers. Especially when suppliers hold all the cards.
> suppliers hold all the cards
Hardly. I chose to not do drugs. Drug suppliers have no hold over me.
I can say based on a lifetime of experience if you want reasonable and influential people to shut their ears to you, use incendiary language. And the reason is simple - the strong correlation between an emotional appeal and a lousy argument.
You don't have to believe me, but I encourage you from now on to pay attention to the language used and the strength of the argument.