Addendum

In recent sworn testimony by the owner and  in documents submitted in evidence Fox News was shown to have knowingly and repeatedly lied about factual aspects of the last presidential election in order not to lose viewers.

Now any reasonable adult will ask why. The answer is that management correctly assessed viewers would likely migrate in increasing numbers to platforms that were more willing to push the obvious lies. The viewers in question did mot want facts, did not want truth. Instead they wanted to told their fantasies were permissible. Reality did not matter. Their emotional needs were all that mattered. In supporting the obvious lies Fox News retained devoted viewers and remained hugely profitable.

Apologists for Fox News will likely attempt all sorts of excuses and Spacial Pleading Fallacies but the fact remains that in exchange for profits viewers were reassured the obvious lies they wanted would be available.

This type of exchange  is almost inevitable in a soviety under duress. On the one hand is the profit motive and on the other is predictable narcissistic defensiveness.

Humans are an interesting species

  LOL, the question was retorical, but thanks for trying, I hope it didn't tax you too much.

Addendum

In recent sworn testimony by the owner and  in documents submitted in evidence Fox News was shown to have knowingly and repeatedly lied about factual aspects of the last presidential election in order not to lose viewers.

Now any reasonable adult will ask why. The answer is that management correctly assessed viewers would likely migrate in increasing numbers to platforms that were more willing to push the obvious lies. The viewers in question did mot want facts, did not want truth. Instead they wanted to told their fantasies were permissible. Reality did not matter. Their emotional needs were all that mattered. In supporting the obvious lies Fox News retained devoted viewers and remained hugely profitable.

Apologists for Fox News will likely attempt all sorts of excuses and Spacial Pleading Fallacies but the fact remains that in exchange for profits viewers were reassured the obvious lies they wanted would be available.

This type of exchange  is almost inevitable in a soviety under duress. On the one hand is the profit motive and on the other is predictable narcissistic defensiveness.

Humans are an interesting species

Oh, I wasn't looking to argue with you.  I make it a point to never do that with anybody that has a superior than others attitude.  You see, they believe that they are always right and those that disagree with them are wrong.  Not much point in it. 

This is for others that are willing to have a ratioinal thought process.  Science is not about concensus.  If it were, the earth would be flat.

In layman terms it means the persons using the term do not know what it means.  If it is considered "aggressive" not to sing the preferred tunes with the few remaining choir members then that term is also being
Misused. .

Pushing back on conspiracist absurdities, spreading of blatant disinformation and bullying is what responsible adults do. The effort to be tactful and engaging in discussion is also what responsible adults do.

In our nation today we have become reliant upon ridiculous levels of partisanship instead of fact. Cognitive bias is the standard in which all arguments are grounded. Unfortunately, the dominant model of a lot of the inteweb is catering to and creating delusional nonsense. A lucrative for some and poisonous for society business model.

In lay terms: There is no evidence the last presidential  election was "stolen". People continue to claim it was. The claims are not based in fact but in an emotional need. Qui bono ( who benefits) ?

in lay terms: The scientific consensus is that human contributions to the atmosphere are adversely affecting climate. Those arguing otherwise are routinely debunked yet the" arguments" are still accepted by many people for reasons that have nothing to fo with the scientific method. Qui bono?

In lay terms: People seek opinions that confirm their already existing opinions. Facts do not matter. What is at issue is an emotional need for a feeling of security, however shaky or downright absurd.

For a while the "over counting Covid" idea was popular  among people who do not understand Morbidity and Mortality (sick and dead) analysis in medicine. Rather than informing themselves on the issue many ran with disinformation, treated it as gospel to reinforce existing incorrect opinions and pushed facts to the curb in the process.

Now, I certainly don't claim to always be right because that's not the case. What I choose is a reliance on fact, reason and principles of the Enlightenment embodied in our Constitution.  When standing up for those principles is considered "aggressive" then either one does not understand aggression or is too wedded to one's shaky emotional state to deal with reality.

The global climate changes are starting to be recognized by even the most dedicated denialists.  While the claims have changed from "Not Happening" to " Always Changing" to silence things just keep piling up.  In Central Europe major rivers are drying up, agricultural use is being restricted and folks are preparing for more hard choices on top of hard times. Already posted about dry sections of the Mighty Mississippi this winter and halted barge traffic here in The Homeland. Winter storms bought record snowfall to some areas but precipitation patterns relied on for water distribution schemes are out the window in the western states.

Then there's heat. Last spring and summer saw record heat in numerous places some pretty unexpected. New terms like Heat Domes and Cooling Centers are now part of reporting.

What we're seeing today is just the beginning of accurately predicted changes . As glaciers continue to melt and sea levels rise, as storm severity and frequency increases due to warming oceans our world is going to look much different.  Prepping for that is going to be interesting. No point in doing the "Told ya so" thing. It doesn't matter. The world we have known is unequivocally changing and things are going to be very different in a couple of decades or so. And it will be permanent.

The contribution of human industry to Climate Disruption is undeniable by any rational standard. The factual evidence is well known and denial at this point is well, pathetic at best.

Nature will seek a new balance over time. We can always count on that.

Maybe people will eventually seek a new balance as well. We can never count on that.

Im grateful for all the times outside in the sticks. Grateful I introduced the wonders of our world to my kids  Grateful for the quiet revelations time in Nature provides.

Too bad we screwed things up for those who follow.

 I have to laugh at all the folks who subscribe to the panic that is global warming/climate change, they call the rest of us deniers, yet they refuse to accept that the worlds climate and weather patterns have been in constant flux ever since the seventh day when God rested, or the big bang whichever theory you choose to follow.
I can just imagine the Dinosaurs of old running around crying "we are doomed, this is going to be bad, and it's all Barney Rubbles Boss's fault, that damned Slate factory is ruining the air quality, that and those darned Wolley Mammoths farting all over the place, what can we do ?
 Millions and millions of years of climate change has indeed changed the world to what we know it today, and like the Dinosaurs, we've had a good run, but when we are all gone the earth will continue without us, but a new life form that is better adapted to the existing climate will go on to thrive as we did until it's time for them to become a part of history.
 You boomer are one of those Henny Pennies who knows that the sky is falling, you can't accept your fate, so you hang on to the belief that man's progress along with animal waste and fossil fuels are the cause, surely it can't be a natural occurrence, because if it were all of the peoples tax money and sacrifice in the world , all the foolish wind farms and all those ugly solar panel fields wouldn't stop it.
 You lefties claim to care about the environment yet you turn a blind eye to the killing of millions of birds, and the killing of countless whales with your stupid windmills, and then you clear cut tens of thousands of acres of forest that clean our air, control flooding, and that are home to millions of animals and countless species, all in a failed bid to save your sorry A$$es, you'd be better off getting on your knees and praying to your Creator to forgive your ignorance.
 Or, you can just accept your fate, break out the booze and dig out your old vinyl copy of Cry ME A River, and enjoy the adventure.