Conserve The Planet, Destroy The Language?
“The Science,” which it must be remembered is very different than actual science, can produce some absolutely maddening things. “The Science” is a perversion of actual science designed to speak unequivocally (science is almost always equivocal) in order to drive some agenda in some direction. Science is about precision, hence mathematics is its primary language. “The Science,” being political in nature, uses English as its primary language and often tortures the language in order to make a point.
Consider this lede from a CNN piece that appeared yesterday:
The world has entered “an era of global water bankruptcy” with irreversible consequences, according to a new United Nations report.
That statement may be “The Science,” but it is far, far from actual science. Anyone who knows actual science knows that it is impossible for their to be a dirth of water (isn’t that what “bankruptcy” is?) on a global scale. Globally, there is a finite and unchanging amount of water. Water may change form, from fresh to salt, liquid to ice, liquid to steam, or may begin to accumulate in different locations than it used to, but it never goes away, it never gets less and it never gets more. To continue with the financial analogy, the planet’s water wealth is immense and fixed, but it might change the particular asset in which it is invested.
Now, there may be drought in a region because, as I say, water may begin to accumulate in a different region than it used to, but a regional drought is far, far from a “global water bankruptcy.” Funny thing is, people can move from a drought stricken area to one that is not, or they can move water from where it is accumulating to where they want it, or they can change its form – problem solved. But a “global water bankruptcy” well that is inescapable and would require large action by government. This story is about driving a political agenda and is therefore “The Science,” not actual science.
But nowhere has “The Science” tortured that language more than in California with their vehicle emission control regulations. The California Air Resources Board has this whole scheme designed to drive manufactures and consumer towards vehicles with zero emissions. There is a point system and all sorts of other overly complicated governmental and regulatory nonsense. But there is a problem, “zero emissions” is a binary thing – a vehicle either is, or it isn’t. You get an “A” or an “F.” But the system needed some middle ground – a “C” if you will. And so, the “Partial Zero Emission Vehicle” (PZEV) was invented. There is no actual science in that term at all – none.
As I said early on, mathematics is the language of science. Most of us learned to divide in the third grade. And what did we learn? You cannot divide zero. There are no parts of nothing. If you open a spreadsheet and ask it to divide zero by any number, the answer is always zero. These could be “Lower Emission Vehicles,” or “Cars with Lesser Emissions,” or “Trucks that don’t spew as much as regular trucks,” but no, this bunch of buffoons have to torture both math and the language beyond any reason or recognizability and invent the completely nonsensical term “Partial Zero Emission Vehicle.” “The Science” in action.
The world is full of utter madness right now. People would rather live in filthy refugee camps in Europe than live in the U.S. under a president they did not vote for. Completely innocent people are attacked by mobs because they look like I.C.E. agents. If you have ever encountered an actual crazy person, one of the hallmarks is they don’t make sense. Well, if “The Science” and the policies it produces can’t make sense, why should the rest of the world. Give me actual science every time.
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