Global Pandemic Provides Ominous Foreshadowing of Future Scientific Ignorance
April 3, 2020
The following is an op-ed submitted by senior Willow Volkert, who is specifically focused on awareness of environmental issues. You can find more of her work at her personal blog for information on how to approach and lessen the threat of climate change. Want to share on opinion of your own? Send an op-ed to [email protected].
Every disaster movie begins with a scientist being ignored.
The coronavirus is a perfect example of that type of movie.
Wuhan physician Li Wenliang first realized that COVID-19 was not the typical flu in December. However, he was punished by local authorities for “spreading rumors”.
Now, four months later, we are in a global pandemic and not allowed to leave our houses.
Perhaps we should start listening to the scientists, right?
Climate change is that same disaster movie, just in slow-motion. Scientists have been warning the public about how real climate change is for fifty years, yet we continue to ignore them and their solid evidence, just like we ignored Dr. Wenliang.
We need to stop being ignorant. We need to stop avoiding the obvious because it’s “too scary,” and confront it for what it actually is, just like we all had to finally stop pretending everything was going to be fine by spring break and cancel our plans.
We need to listen to the experts, they’re called that for a reason, and we need to make a change.
If this quarantine taught you one thing, let it be that the scientists know what they’re talking about. You pretending that what they have to say isn’t valid will only result in more damage, just as it did with COVID-19.
We saw the coronavirus coming, it was an ominous threat in the distance. Yet, most of us rolled our eyes and did not prepare for what was to come. I bet now that you wish you did.
Climate change right now is at the same stage, just an ominous threat in the distance that some people still cannot really see. But it is coming. Australia showed us that.
We cannot let history repeat itself by not preparing for this disaster too.
It is time. Time to stand up, unite, and work together. It’s time to forget the political circus, party lines, and pointless debates. It’s time to realize that this is now or never. We waited too long to confront the disaster of COVID-19, and we are paying that cost. Let’s not repeat our mistakes.
Let’s stop this before it’s too late.
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Climate Change Scientist • Apr 3, 2020 at 10:54 am
We don’t we just make a really giant ice cube and put it in the ocean to reverse the effects of global warming?
Haha • Feb 17, 2022 at 9:13 am
that’s just moving the heat, not doing anything about it.
I don't know what polemicist means • Apr 3, 2020 at 10:50 am
Hindsight is 20/20.
"Contrarian Polemicist" • Apr 3, 2020 at 8:50 am
Actually, I would like to assert quite the opposite. This is virtue signaling. There are many issues with the facts that we know about the coronavirus. Things like, but what about the fact that 99% of dead patients had pre-existing conditions, or that up to 50% of people who get it are asymptomatic, or that the median age of patients in Italy is about 80? These are facts that go against the “scientific” notion that the entire world needs to be shut down to contain the virus. There are three entities to blame for the coronavirus response: the government, the media, and scientists. There is a large contingency of scientists who wanted to be the first to report this new virus, and earn funding and fame from that. If anything I have lost complete faith in most institutions as a result of this pandemic. I just don’t know what do think, and unlike you said about “We need to listen to the experts, they’re called that for a reason, and we need to make a change. ” I’m not too sure that we should be listening to these people anymore. How can you be so sure about all this? You can’t, and you are just virtue signaling. I find it funny how you blame all of us in saying “just like we ignored Dr. Wenliang.” Dr. Wenliang was a doctor in COMMUNIST CHINA. They are the ones who ignored him and suppressed his work. Not us. I am not responsible for that. Neither are you. So do not say “we”. China is the enemy for the 21st century, and needs to be stopped at all costs. This is a pervasive problem nowadays that people are reluctant to blame China. Maybe it is their fault for being ignorant or maybe the failure of politicians and leaders to educate them. Consensus is not evidence. Oh yes, and this: “Australia showed us that.” Learn the facts. It was NOT climate change that caused the disastrous fires. Australia has had those fires before and will have them again. It was particularly bad this year, maybe because over 100 people were arrested for arson! 67 of them were juveniles. The fires were caused by disgusting arsonists, not climate change. When climate changed is blamed for it it takes the pressure off of a lot off the arsonists that caused this mess and the deaths of hundreds of millions of animals. If I was China I would invade Taiwan right now. America is weak right now. Getting facts wrong and getting the story wrong about coronavirus and all of this around us makes America weaker. Blame Trump if you want, but the real problem here is the media. The media, once again, is the chief driver of panic and misinformation. Wake up!
Dude • Feb 17, 2022 at 9:14 am
Chill
Mr. Mergl • Apr 3, 2020 at 7:20 am
Thank you Willow of restating what should be both obvious and omnipresent. Experts are not 100% correct all the time but heeding their warnings is necessary for the survival of our planet and our species. Earth would happy continue without humans and those who dismiss science are behaving like they are okay with our extinction. I’m not and I know many others aren’t either.