# Does the scientific community find Organic foodies and Climate change deniers equally ignoble ?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-scientific-community-find-organic-foodies-and-climate-change-deniers-equally-ignoble/841119>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [October 1, 2019, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-scientific-community-find-organic-foodies-and-climate-change-deniers-equally-ignoble/841119 "2019-10-01T21:48:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-scientific-community-find-organic-foodies-and-climate-change-deniers-equally-ignoble/841119/41 "2019-10-04T14:36:28Z")

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> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#):
>
> Again: it’s not about outlawing genetically engineered plants. I’ve been involved in, or interested in, organic agriculture for about three decades now. I’ve attended FDA events, read articles, worked on organic farms before national certification existed. In all that time, I have never heard an organic agriculture advocate call for outlawing GMO crops.

The Organic Consumers Association has in fact [supported bans on growing GM crops](https://www.organicconsumers.org/essays/gmos-ban-them-or-label-them).

The OCA in addition to its vehement preachings against GMOs, has also been involved in [denouncing vaccines and water fluoridation and promoting homeopathy and 9/11 conspiracy theories](http://geneticliteracyproject.org/glp-facts/organic-consumers-association-2/). Featured authors have included Joe Mercola and Mike Adams of Natural News, and there are also articles promoting guests on the Alex Jones show. Crank magnetism reigns supreme at the OCA.

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**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-scientific-community-find-organic-foodies-and-climate-change-deniers-equally-ignoble/841119/42 "2019-10-04T15:19:11Z")

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> [@Jackmannii](#):
>
> The Organic Consumers Association has in fact [supported bans on growing GM crops](https://www.organicconsumers.org/essays/gmos-ban-them-or-label-them).
> 
> The OCA in addition to its vehement preachings against GMOs, has also been involved in [denouncing vaccines and water fluoridation and promoting homeopathy and 9/11 conspiracy theories](http://geneticliteracyproject.org/glp-facts/organic-consumers-association-2/). Featured authors have included Joe Mercola and Mike Adams of Natural News, and there are also articles promoting guests on the Alex Jones show. Crank magnetism reigns supreme at the OCA.

Fair. I’d never heard of this organization before, but they have a $4 million annual budget (roughly; I only looked at one 990 for them). I should have allowed for a well-funded crank group existing.

Note that even they are calling not for a worldwide ban on GMOs, but for county-wide, or region-wide, bans to be allowed. Not that I’m advocating for such bans, but I just want to be clear on what the cranks are asking for. A county-wide ban wouldn’t necessarily cause international starvation.

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**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-scientific-community-find-organic-foodies-and-climate-change-deniers-equally-ignoble/841119/43 "2019-10-04T15:35:29Z")

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> [@am77494](#):
>
> Since both the groups are unscientific in their beliefs, do scientists detest both the groups equally ? Should they ?

There’s lots of room for semantic interpretation here. But morally, intent matters. The organic food/local food people get some criticism for being mistaken and not totally rational. But they agree that the environment is of concern, they agree we all have to change, consume less, pollute less, they just disagree on tactics. The scientific community gives them credit for intent, but a lot of criticism for not basing good intent on good fact.

Climate change denial is driven primarily by a selfish desire not to change, climate-destructive behaviors, then it proceeds into motivated reasoning to either (A) discredit the science saying the climate is changing, or (B) reason that humans are adaptable, so why bother, or (C) fuck you, I’m doing whatever I want and I’ll be dead when the consequences arrive.

I am not a scientist but, but Global Science Inc has authorized me to speak on their collective behalf here.

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