Hit a wall when my college brought in a climate skeptic to speak last semester

I went to a talk by a guy who says global warming is a hoax and was shocked that 40% of the 200 students in the room actually clapped for him. The whole thing felt like watching someone sell fake medicine to a crowd that should know better. How do you balance letting a controversial speaker on campus when their ideas could actually confuse people about science?

2 comments

2 Comments

calebw502d ago

Letting him speak was dumb.

cameron_owens492d ago

The part nobody talks about is how these speakers actually help prepare students for the real world. I work with people every day who believe in things that aren't backed by evidence... essential oils curing cavities, that sort of thing. You can't just ban bad ideas from your personal life. Having a climate skeptic on campus gives students a chance to practice pushing back on bad arguments in a safe space instead of getting blindsided by a coworker or family member later on.