The story is a little more like this:
He should think about getting an adult job one day. The most laughable part of this pseudo-science babble is Nye’s claim that “the strong winds we had in California” are a result of climate change. For those unfamiliar with the region, they are called Santa Ana Winds and they have been a fact of life here for thousands of years.
My take on Nye is that he was a schoolroom celeb but didn’t really age into a guru role.
Fair? Unfair? Thoughts?
Update: From a recent interview with Nye (National Geographic) on Nye’s book, Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation:
It’s been said that a good way of convincing people of something is to appeal to their emotions. What do you think?
That’s my business! In the book, I purposely spend a lot of time in the first person. The reason is, we find stories compelling. Stories are how we remember things, how we organize things.
By telling a story in the first person, it’s hard to dismiss. If I say, “I remember the time I met Ivan the gorilla,” it’s really difficult for the listener or reader to go, “No, you don’t!”
When you say, “I feel,” it’s really hard for the reader to say, “No, you don’t.” Yes, I do. I did a lot of that in the book.
His book is doing well in the religion market at Amazon this afternoon:
–
#1 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Theology > Creationism
#2 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Religious Studies > Science & Religion
#3 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > Religious Studies
–
vs. Steve Meyer’s Darwin’s Doubt
#2 in Books > Science & Math > Biological Sciences > Paleontology
#4 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Theology > Creationism
#11 in Books > Science & Math > Evolution > Organic
–
That feels significant. Again, thoughts?
Sorry for delayed serious coverage; have been dealing with local non-warming at the elite editorial offices of Uncommon Descent in prestigious downtown Dirtysnowpile.
Dam.
See also: Contemplating Bill Nye’s skulls slide