My Science is Bigger Than Your Science
"But wait, there's... Oh, no. There isn't really."
Naturally, I watched tonight’s Lateline interview with Ian Plimer and George Monbiot. It was, if nothing else, entertaining, and revealed nothing of the two men (or the issue of climate change) that we do not already know. The thing that stuck with me was the peculiar contrast of Plimer’s ‘I’m just a scientist’ argument, and the image of him holding up (on at least three occasions) a copy of his book, Heaven and Earth, in the manner of Tim Shaw with a set of Demtel steak knives.
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Ian Plimer stopped being a scientist the moment he set foot on the climate sceptic warpath. Which isn’t to say that he lost any of his credibility, or any right to speak his mind. But he is now effectively a politician and lobbyist, and his performance on Lateline (as well as one earlier in the year when he released his book) made this starkly apparent. A genuine scientist is a thrall to empirical evidence, and will change their findings to suit it, but Plimer’s reluctant to answer questions because, as a politician, he cannot concede any such territory – in the same way that Paul Keating could not admit to his broken promise with the LAW tax cuts, or Howard with the ‘children overboard’ deception. In politics, a concession to one’s opponents is a tangible step towards death. Whether he has put himself in this position, or because he has been hauled atop the shoulders of the climate sceptics, Ian Plimer is no longer a scientist, in spite of his regular assertions to the contrary.
What’s particularly strange – and my brother, who is far less inclined to take these debates in earnest, pointed this out to me – is that Plimer, aside from his corpulant appearance and slightly weak voice, resembles a classic pro-wrestling heel. From his ever-smug countenance, to the part of the interview in which he told Monbiot to mind his manners, “young man”, I can imagine him marching to the ring, in full suit-and-tie, holding high a copy of his book – all to the glorious boos of the audience.
L-R: Ludvig Borga, Jerry 'the King' Lawler, Ian Plimer, The Repo Man, I.R.S, Yokozuna, Ted 'the Million Dollar Man' DiBiase
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Is it just me, or was Plimer distinctly unimpressive when debated?
As soon as he was challenged on any of his favourite talking points, he wilted. Vague promises to get the references etc etc.
Definitely not just you
He performed in exactly the same way when I first saw him on Lateline earlier in the year and, as I understand it, it’s part of his regular debating repertoire.
He carries that bloody book to interviews like a stage prop, presumably to keep it ever-handy in case he needs to say, “Well, the reference is somewhere in my giant, impressively thick book. I’d fetch the quote, but it’s buried deep in torrents of scientific fact!”
Monbiot called him a liar and a fabricator. These are deeply defamatory to any academic, especially a Professor, if only they are untrue.
I am not going to hold my breath waiting for the lawsuit, however…
And that’s why I don’t get too worried about a man like Plimer. He just comes across as a slightly inarticulate, weed of a politician. He doesn’t address the allegations of fraud directly, but seems rather flattered with all the attention, and smugly self-righteous in the face of it.
If he cared about his reputation as a university professor, he’d have made sure to respond to those serious allegations.
Bro, you totally photoshopped my dreams into reality! Although, where’s Papa Shango and (evil) Doink?
I knew you’d have some suggestions to make it more authentic
I might do another edit. Anything to place Ian Plimer next to more of his peers.