Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Hothothothot
This blog is not meant for weather commentary, but the heat and humidity on the East Coast of the US this year have been bothersome, to say the least. The East Coast is just one global hot spot. The West Coast of the US has sustained high temperatures. France, Spain and Italy are baking. The Alps continue to melt and the Arctic to lose its icepack.
There might have been argument about global warming in years past, but not now. And, here is where we get to public relations. The weather itself has been the best proof of the contention that the world's average temperature is rising. When we had cool summers, you didn't hear as much discussion of global warming as you do now. Granted that this is a passing phenomenon and next year might be OK, but I have noticed even the president of the US said recently that manmade sources have helped boost the temperature of the earth.
The point here is that some issues must play out over time before people accept them. Communications are water on rock. They help change attitudes but only a tiny amount at a time.
We have two other controversies in the US in which this is true -- social security and health care. Both are broken, but everyone would rather fight over a solution than come to a consensus. When both crises reach fever pitch, the public will demand that legislators "do something." Something eventually will be done, but there are only competing interests now.
Big issues often develop at their own pace. No matter how much PR you do, you can't rush them.
There might have been argument about global warming in years past, but not now. And, here is where we get to public relations. The weather itself has been the best proof of the contention that the world's average temperature is rising. When we had cool summers, you didn't hear as much discussion of global warming as you do now. Granted that this is a passing phenomenon and next year might be OK, but I have noticed even the president of the US said recently that manmade sources have helped boost the temperature of the earth.
The point here is that some issues must play out over time before people accept them. Communications are water on rock. They help change attitudes but only a tiny amount at a time.
We have two other controversies in the US in which this is true -- social security and health care. Both are broken, but everyone would rather fight over a solution than come to a consensus. When both crises reach fever pitch, the public will demand that legislators "do something." Something eventually will be done, but there are only competing interests now.
Big issues often develop at their own pace. No matter how much PR you do, you can't rush them.
Comments:
Post a Comment