This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things

I think both FoS and Grist's website exemplify what's troubling with the climate change debate, and the discourse of anything political (at least in the US) right now: we, as voters, are not presented an agreed-upon set of facts with which we can debate and arrive at informed decisions. Instead, elites in politics, business, and media have for various reasons obscured our debates, even what we believe factually, to steer our opinions towards one of two rather specific and incomplete views. FoS's intention is perhaps the only clear argument presented on that website, that climate change is not due to humanity. Grist's website, on the other hand, systemically delineates one thing: that climate change is entirely man's doing. While I commend FoS's statement that they are merely trying to foster discourse, their vehement disposition and one-sidedness would best be fit for one that wants to disprove climate change as a product of humanity and merely needs ammunition. Similarly, Grist's website is a virtual arsenal for the stereotypical Democratic partisan preparing for a night on the town with Bill O'Reilly. I characterize them in these extremes because the culture of debate and organization of power that they represent is unfortunately not far from my minimal hyperboles. To the critical, both websites should provoke skepticism. To partisan, even the ideologue, one website stands as the paragon of truth and freedom, and the other the archetype of tyranny.