Because the "Concerned Scientists" Say So

Well, global warming must be a legitimate threat because "the union of concerned scientists" has declared it so.

Obviously the previous statement was saturated with sarcasm but nevertheless at work is a devious marketing scheme in line with Michael Crichton's method of evoking the public's fear in regards to the "global warming crisis/emergency/catastrophe" ( you fill in the blank) The website is http://www.ucsusa.org/global_warming/ at at work is a series of different marketing ploys to seduce the viewer into ACTing against global warming, and as every good post-industrial thinker knows, donating is without a doubt the best way to act against a cause.

Firstly, the design of the website it self is appealing, starting with its domain name ".org" immediately implies knowledge and authority, legitimizing from the get-go. Next, the mature tan colored banner, emblazoned with the seal of the "union of concerned scientists" is stretched across the top of the site. Which is another form of legitimation by declaring oneself a scientist is it assumed that they are an expert in their field, despite the fact that there are no concrete qualifications to becoming one. Below that a series of single word tabs, each a soothing shade of blue, the first of which is "donate" There are also links along the left-hand side "scientific integrity" "global warming" and "global warming 101" The tone of the website, indicated by the syntax deployed, the color scheme, the various links and sources all work to legitimate the source. Because people will give money to a legitimate cause backed by a legitimate source.

To investigate further I clicked on the "scientific integrity" tab (top of the left-hand column) and was meet by this mission statement

Political interference in federal government science is weakening our nation's ability to respond to the complex challenges we face. Because policy makers depend on impartial research to make informed decisions, we are mobilizing scientists and citizens alike to push for reforms that will enable our leaders to fully protect our health, safety, and environment

The concerned scientists make a very big effort to distance themselves from the government, claiming that while the government's science is bad while their is legitimate because it is not corrupted by the money-focused government. There are also a series of links provided with "further information" again reinforcing that their stance is the right one.

Despite presenting themselves as a legitimate source worthy of your financial support, very little scientific facts are presented as evidence, there are no graphs, or charts, or statistics. Instead they offer a variety of links to other websites, which they declare to be credible and focus instead on presentation. I think this is the most fascinating part of the whole scheme, like Crichton the biggest part of the message is the package it is wrapped in. For Crichton this message is wrapped in a novel, in sexy female heroines capable of handling guns and juggling suitors, skeezy lawyers who manipulate the world to serve their own agenda, glamourous hollywood stars clueless and beautiful with their lattes and airplanes. For the Concerned Scientists the message is packaged in soothing mature mauve and grey-blue, with elegant font and simplistic wording (enough so that the most ignorant of ignorants can discover how to give money) To get the world to hear your message you must not present the facts, because those can be corrupted, instead you must wrap it in the right colored bow