PublicHealthInnit reviewed The New Climate War by Michael E. Mann
Review of 'The New Climate War' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
I found this a constant mix of enlightening discussion and frustrating waffle. There is much to take away in arguments for particular policy solutions to climate change. However, it also reads as super-defensive, needlessly antagonistic, and at times condescending and hypocritical. Mann has no time for people who disagree with him on any point, particularly if they are at all on the left of the political spectrum. If you agree with anybody who disagrees with him, e.g. you see a link between climate justice and social justice, you are either a shill for fossil fuels, a Russian bot, or as a last resort you could be a well meaning idiot.
It’s also strange to read of the danger of identity politics (not at all defined) and outrage that somebody could accuse him of mansplaining... shortly followed by an accusation of mansplaining of others who disagree with him. Now the accusation …
I found this a constant mix of enlightening discussion and frustrating waffle. There is much to take away in arguments for particular policy solutions to climate change. However, it also reads as super-defensive, needlessly antagonistic, and at times condescending and hypocritical. Mann has no time for people who disagree with him on any point, particularly if they are at all on the left of the political spectrum. If you agree with anybody who disagrees with him, e.g. you see a link between climate justice and social justice, you are either a shill for fossil fuels, a Russian bot, or as a last resort you could be a well meaning idiot.
It’s also strange to read of the danger of identity politics (not at all defined) and outrage that somebody could accuse him of mansplaining... shortly followed by an accusation of mansplaining of others who disagree with him. Now the accusation may be true in both, one or neither of these cases, but without any contextualisation, it reads as hypocritical.
Having said all that, I did get a lot from the discussion and get some good nuggets of info from a climate expert. I’m definitely going to have to read a book from one of those pesky people who want social justice with their climate justice though to get the other side of the argument.