1) Regardless of where you stand on the merits of climate scientist Michael Mann's defamation suit — you should be troubled by the absence of substantive news coverage of the trial that is now heading into its third week. #scicomm #sciencecommunication #envcomm #climatecomm #polcomm #AEJMC #climatechange #climatecomm #journalism #CJR #STS #scipolcomm #PCST

Honestly c'mon guys @STWong @johnfcook -- @ConversationUS: You are now positioning yourselves as part of the "climate science heroes to martyrs" narrative that frames almost everything Oreskes/Mann write? theconversation.com/disinfor… 1) Like in the case of nudging, social priming and so much else in behavioral science/social psychology, you are overselling your work. washingtonpost.com/opinions/… nature.com/articles/d41586-0… 2) Pre-bunking/consensus messaging research provides talking points that in some studies with specific research designs [but not in others with slight tweaks] provide some evidence that in some conditions specific to some people may be persuasive for a limited time. 3) But in contrast, you are presenting yourselves in the mold of Michael Mann's autobiographical "Climate Wars" Trilogy [who compares himself to Rachel Carson, Carl Sagan...]. In this well-worn story, you are revolutionary science heroes-turned-martyrs attacked for your groundbreaking discovery of a breakthrough messaging techno-fix/weapon in the escalating "New Climate Wars." 4) This Mannichean battle of good versus evil, heroes versus villains — now includes an expanded enemies list of deniers, delayers, misinformers, false solutionists, and luke warmers as Mike Hulme so eloquently described. issues.org/new-climate-war-m… There are even dangerous "new forms of denial" as Naomi Oreskes accused James Hansen and Kerry Emanuel when they announced their support for nuclear energy. theguardian.com/commentisfre… In this "New Climate War" as Mann describes — enemies, deniers, delayers, + misinformers are everywhere. How far and wide will the list of wrongdoers and confusionists with your help expand? 5) Step away, go away to a retreat for a month. Reflect, meditate, do yoga, hike. Let the time away from the computer, the buzz, and the high of battling in the "New Climate Wars" reframe your thoughts and feelings and provide insight into what you are doing and enabling. Is this how you want to spend your life? Is this the Mannichean vision and way of thinking you want to preach to the world and generations of younger researchers and students? 5) In your @ConversationUS you also say that GOP attacks on the scientist heroes like you doing misinformation research is having a chilling effect. I can't speak to that. But as the former EIC of the journal where there has been perhaps the most focus on the limits, flaws, and contradictions in consensus messaging research — I do know that the militancy and aggressiveness by which you have responded to any disagreement, critique, or diversity of thought on the topic — has indeed likely discouraged junior + senior researchers from doing work in the area. tandfonline.com/action/doSea… From years of experience, I can handle angry emails within 12-24 hours of a critical commentary or study with contradicting findings being published. But I doubt many other researchers, journal editors, or journalists would want to deal with the same. That's a chilling effect. CC @scheufele @brossardd @yadugar_ @ezramarkowitz @jekotcher @portereduardo @voooos @Revkin @matthewgburgess @RogerPielkeJr @TedNordhaus @CaulfieldTim @PCSTNetwork @SciPublic @jonhaidt #polcomm #scicomm #climatecomm #misinformation #heterodoxy @DeclanFahy10 #STS @wihbey @SkeptInquirer @BethBDaley @mlamonica @MaggieConvo #EnvComm @SiKristiansen @tpn1818 @luishestres