I purchased An Inconvenient Truth yesterday and watched it this afternoon.
I had not given the film much thought until I read James Randi’s comment on it last week. He was clearly impressed by it, and that’s a big indicator. Randi is one of the most no-nonsense guys there is, and if he’s piqued, then I’m paying attention.
To the extent that I had considered the film at all, I suspected it was like Fahrenheit 9/11: engaging and well-made, but heavily biased, perhaps a bit crass, and a “documentary” in name only (as most of us use the term).
My suspicion was inaccurate. This is a powerful, compelling, and entertaining piece of persuasive communication. The Al Gore in this film is charismatic, comfortable, and genuine–everything he wasn’t in 2000. If this man had run for president, there would have been no Florida recount.
For me this is not the end, but the beginning. I am motivated to read and research further to discover and build a well-supported position on global warming: something I never much cared about having before. I suspect that given my political history, intellectual background, and the like, that motivation would be sufficient for Gore to consider his film successful with me.
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I really have to get my act together and rent that movie.
I have yet to be convinced that global warming is due to the actions of man. I’d like to know why this period of warming is defend from other recorded periods in our planet’s history of warming and cooling that occurred long before man showed up. I’ve also heard that other planets in our solar system like Mars are also undergoing warming which to me would indicate that the Sun is more likely the main culprit.
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/mars_ice-age_031208.html
Bo, I do respect your opinion though since I’m sure it’s based on reason and not blind partisanship.
Bob230
Bob, I appreciate that.
Most of my opinions on global warming have been “metaopinions” of the politics involved in both sides, which have frequently been pretty deplorable, in my view.
I really don’t have an opinion on global warming itself yet, but this film convinced me that I want one, and an informed one. That’s the best way I know to put it right now.
The film is certainly worth your time if you’re interested. It’s very well done. You won’t recognize Al Gore. I liked this guy. He’d have walked off with it had he been around in 2000.