Date: January 18, 2010
Title: Arming Yourself for Battle
Podcaster: Bill Hudson of 2012 Hoax
Organization: http://2012hoax.org
Music by Kevin McLeod; http://www.incompetech.com
Description: Bill Hudson with 2012hoax.org builds on the “Call to Arms” issued in his January 6th podcast, and gives advice on how to best fight the 2012 doomsday hoax. Using militaristic language, specific ‘tactics’, ‘weapons’, and ‘ammunition’ are discussed. Resources for educating yourself and your audience are given.
Bio: Bill Hudson is an amateur astronomer in California, and is not usually militaristic at all. He has spent the last decade looking up, and is involved in astronomy outreach programs in the California central coast area. He became involved in debunking the “2012 doomsday” hoax after being asked about it by school kids. He is the publisher of 2012hoax.org, a wiki that seeks to document and debunk all of the doomsday rumors surrounding the year 2012.
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Transcript:
This is Bill Hudson from 2012hoax.org.
The last time I spoke to you I issued a “call to arms” regarding the “2012 doomsday” hoax. This time I am going to give you those arms: The weapons and ammunition, so that you can go forth and do battle.
First, recognize your goal. Your target audience is primarily children between the ages of 10 and 18. They are hearing about 2012 via word of mouth, and via the television, and via the internet. We need to counter these messages in order to win our audience over.
There are also adults who are otherwise reasonable, but who have a belief in, or fear of the “2012 doomsday”.
Now, in a battle of logic between equally matched adults, the arguments on both sides may be nuanced, i.e., the difference between the scientific usage of the word “theory” and the every-day usage. These nuanced arguments are going to be lost on kids, they’re not going to “get it”. They are being sold the “2012 doomsday” hoax as an absolute fact. We need to cast aside our normal, nuanced, scientific language in favor of more direct language.
Speak and write boldly on the topic. Too often writers used to speaking to or writing for a scientifically minded audience, and they will use terminology that transmits the message “Uncertainty” to a lay audience. Instead of saying things like “The evidence suggests…” say “We know…” or “We can show…” or even “We can prove…” Now, I realize that the “P-word” is not acceptable in scientific discourse, but this just proves my point:
The overwhelming evidence provides what the lay audience considers (or should consider) “proof”.
Now, Rules of Engagement
Be Respectful: There are many kids out there who are quietly worried about 2012. Do not say things like “anyone who believes that the end of the world is coming in 2012 is stupid”… that will just turn them off. Instead approach it with an attitude that their beliefs are understandable because that is what they have been told. Don’t make it *their* fault they believe in 2012, transfer the blame where it belongs: the people who are pushing this for money.
Attack ideas and not people. This debate is not about whether or not particular persons are stupid/lying/mentally ill, but rather it should be about the truth of the idea of the “2012 doomsday”. Don’t waste your audience’s time by describing the lack of qualifications of Jose Arguelles or Nancy Lieder… it is more effective to show how their ideas are incorrect.
Don’t overtalk your audience. I can’t emphasize this enough, especially in a classroom setting. If you are dealing with 3rd graders, put the arguments in terms that they can understand. Don’t assume that they know the difference between a hoax and a fraud is. Talk about the concepts in terms of experience: For example, ask them “Did you ever have someone lie to you in order to get something?” … things of that nature. Introduce the topic in terms that they can understand.
Understand their fear: People, especially kids, are obsessing about 2012, and are building up a gut-level fear that is not going to go away just because you tell them once that it is a hoax. They are going to continue to be afraid for some time. Commit to answering their questions, and give them a way to do so. If you are not comfortable doing that, then direct them to one of the online resources that can do that, such as the forums on 2012hoax.org or the Bad Astronomy/Universe Today forums.
DO NOT DISMISS THEIR FEARS; People, especially kids, are afraid of the “2012 doomsday” hoax. You must *address* their fears, be reassuring, tell them that the idea of the “2012 doomsday” is false, without talking down to them, or making them feel like you think they are stupid.
Go to the audience: Don’t assume that you’ll be asked your opinion about 2012, get out there and talk about it where the target audience is likely to hear it. Libraries, schools, etc.
Don’t forget the social media tools like twitter and facebook.
Now, on to the Weapons
The first weapon is rhetoric. Being an amateur astronomer, and being someone with a more analytical mind than a creative one, I tend to assume that people will be swayed by facts and logic. However, this is not always the case. We have to not only have the facts at hand, and use logic in our arguments, but we also have to master the fine art of rhetoric. Rhetoric is the art of persuading an audience, by the use of arguments. Besides facts and logic, you also have to establish a relationship with the audience, and gain their trust.
Facts are not enough. You have to be able to explain the facts to the audience in a way they can understand. Obviously this will vary depending on your audience: A third-grade classroom is going to be quite a bit different than a group of adults.
And last, but definitely not least: Personal Visits. This is probably the most effective way to persuade people. If you can develop a venue to talk to kids about why the “2012 doomsday” is a hoax, then you are going to be able to affect many kids at once. If you are convincing, they will carry the message on to their friends and family.
Next; The Ammunition I’m going to give you some of the online resources that you can use to educate yourself, as well as give to people who are worried about the “2012 doomsday”. All of these resources will be linked in the show summary
First resource: 2012hoax.org (My favorite, of course) It is a website that is built and maintained by an international team of amateur and professional scientists. It is a wiki, meaning that any of you can sign up for a free wikidot account and add or edit material. We are always looking for new material, as well as looking to improve and correct what we have posted so far. Our goal is to discover, define and debunk every “pro-2012” argument we can find. Besides the original content, we have a very large page of links to skeptical resources for the 2012 debate. Every link I’m going to mention here is contained on our links page, plus many more.
Next resource; Neil Degrasse Tyson has produced two videos discussing the “2012 doomsday” hoax; Here, and here. (update: After I recorded the audio for this podcast, I found another video) Since Dr. Tyson is one of the most recognizable faces of astronomy, these videos should probably be near the top of your list of links to give to people.
NASA’s “Ask an Astrophysicist” site by David Morrison has a whole section on 2012. Dr. Morrison has also written articles for the Skeptical Inquirer, and “Astronomy Beat”, which is the newsletter of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, and both of those are available on-line. David also has a short video.
An excellent series of articles has appeared in Universe Today, written by both Ian O’Neill and Nancy Atkinson.
Alice Enevoldsen of the Pacific Science center has a video lecture on dealing with the “2012 doomsday” scare.
The “Discovery News” site has articles by Ian O’Neill, Ray Villard, and Irene Klotz
Stuart Robbins’ “Pseudoastronomy” Blog has a series of articles dealing with the astronomical impossibilities of some of the “2012 doomsday” claims.
And, the 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast episode for April 27th, 2009 with Cameron Hummels of Columbia University discusses the “2012 doomsday” hoax.
There are many more, available on the “links” page of 2012hoax.org. Feel free to pick and choose your own set of favorites. We try to keep the links page up to date, so check back frequently, and if you know of a resource that we are missing, feel free to let us know.
Until next time, this is Bill Hudson with 2012hoax.org
End of podcast:
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