The Voice of Reason

[NotHardUp1]

I was flipping channels and one of my PBS affiliates was beginning a program on climate change. Although I'm certainly among those championing the prudent shift of society from fossil fuels to renewable energy, from air freighted foods to those shipped by train, boat, and truck, I started to turn the channel. It was just not the right night to hear another downer documentary.

And then, David Attenborough was speaking as the host. Immediately, I felt differently, willing to listen. And it's not because the host is smarter than other scientists, or even has more insight. It's because I trust him not to endorse hokum, or politically pander.

Trust is a big deal in messaging.

Whom do you feel that way about, on a national or international stage? Whom do you trust as a voice in government, art, science, news, or whatever?

Attenborough is 93 years old. I am already anticipating the day I may outlive him and will be bereft of his trusted voice and cherished teaching.

 

[HoodedRat]

David Attenborough has frequently been named as 'the UK's most trustworthy figure'.

I would tend to agree. I can't think of any other UK person that I would put anywhere near him.

 

[NotHardUp1]

David Attenborough has frequently been named as 'the UK's most trustworthy figure'.

I would tend to agree. I can't think of any other UK person that I would put anywhere near him.

He has earned it. He even admits to foolish indiscretions when he was younger, e.g., his filming crew ate certain animal on the Galapagos when they first filmed on location. That's integrity.

 

[mikey3000]

I totally believe President Donald Trump . Every. Single. Word.

 

[ShadowCat]

I remember years and years ago seeing a commercial for the Chevy Vapor ran on hydrogen and emitted 100% environment friendly water vapor both my dad and I saw the commercial 2 separate times one summer night and the following night same channel NOTHING! NOTHING can be found about it online either!

 

[cabinfever]

Three politicians come to mind that I completely trust - Jimmy Carter, Barbara Boxer and Norman Mineta.

Lately I trust Dr Fauci.

 

[unloadonme]

I agree entirely about Sir David Attenborough.

When it comes to speaking out about environmental issues, I'm also coming increasingly to respect the Prince of Wales. True, he comes from a position of great privilege, but he's not constrained in the same way as his mother and he talks a lot of sense about the environment as well as social issues and, of course, architecture.

In the field of writing, I admire Alan Bennett. I don't share much of his political outlook, but I've read a lot of his work and, just as Jason says about Attenborough, his name is enough to keep my finger away from the off button.

 

[NotHardUp1]

Interesting comments. Thank you for sharing.

 

[NotHardUp1]

I remember years and years ago seeing a commercial for the Chevy Vapor ran on hydrogen and emitted 100% environment friendly water vapor both my dad and I saw the commercial 2 separate times one summer night and the following night same channel NOTHING! NOTHING can be found about it online either!

That's curious. The internet records GM's military division working on a couple of electric-hydrogen vehicles that produce only water vapor, but nothing about ever having marketed a car to the public.

There are cars in that vein from Toyota, and two others.

Is this the right thread, or did you cross-post?

 

[rareboy]

Anything with Morgan Freeman doing the voice-over.

The Queen of England.

 

[unloadonme]

Anything with Morgan Freeman doing the voice-over.

Presumably he's paid to say whatever the scriptwriters tell him to say.

The Queen of England.

Similarly, as a constitutional monarch, HMQ will say in public more or less whatever her ministers advise her to say. She was wheeled out to ask everyone to stay at home during the present virus emergency, presumably because it was felt that people were more likely to comply with her request than with Boris's.

 

[rareboy]

Presumably he's paid to say whatever the scriptwriters tell him to say.



Similarly, as a constitutional monarch, HMQ will say in public more or less whatever her ministers advise her to say. She was wheeled out to ask everyone to stay at home during the present virus emergency, presumably because it was felt that people were more likely to comply with her request than with Boris's.

I didn't mean that I believe the content.

The question was who do we trust as a voice?

Because when it comes to content, it is always going to be subjective, isn't it?

 

[ClubLevelVegan]

Earthling Ed.

He is a vegan activist, speaker, content creator, etc. He's well spoken and factual about the ethics of being vegan and how it contributes to climate change, he approaches people with the intention of having a conversation. Non-confrontational at all and I think that is an important approach to have to get people to at least understand.

 

[Alistair]

Presumably he's paid to say whatever the scriptwriters tell him to say.

You really don't think David Attenborough is doing the same thing?

 

[unloadonme]

You really don't think David Attenborough is doing the same thing?

The difference is that David Attenborough is an expert in his field who has written as well as presented some of the Natural History series he's known for, whereas Morgan Freeman is an actor paid to do voice overs.

 

[NotHardUp1]

Attenborough has a Natural Sciences degree from Cambridge. He was devoted to studying it before television even came into being as a medium.

I like Morgan Freeman, and I particularly like his voice, but I don't associate it in any way with authority or integrity.

Of course our choices are subjective, but I would like to hear whom you trust and why. I'm assuming that trust inherently means belief in the message conveyed.

 

[Alistair]

Attenborough has a Natural Sciences degree from Cambridge. He was devoted to studying it before television even came into being as a medium.

That doesn't mean he's not reading a script written by someone else. It's more than likely he is.

 

[NotHardUp1]

I think you are implying I trust Attenborough because he is speaking unscripted or extemporaneously. Not at all.

He is a learned, experienced naturalist. Whether he writes his own copy, or is scripted, he's speaking on the subject for which he has invested his life's work. Many of his shows feature him interviewing or collaborating with a paleontologist, a botanist, or zoologist. They are mere conversations. It's more like he is speaking unscripted and the final footage is merely edited.

It matters not whether he's rehearsed it or taken several cuts to get the right shot.

There's no competition here between him and Freeman. I trust Attenborough for his life's work. If someone trusts Freeman for any reason at all, that's another choice, and just as valid.

Ultimately, I trust Attenborough because I knew conservationists in Arkansas, many of them, when I was a member of the state's native plant society. From those experiences, I recognize a real dedicated conservationist.

 

[Alistair]

Since I've been admonished for not answer the OP's question, I'd say astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. With his credentials I consider him to be a scientist ahead of being a presenter, and a trusted voice.

If only Carl Sagan was yet alive.

 

[NotHardUp1]

I encouraged you to post whom you trust. And I'm glad you did.

Carl Sagan was one of the scientists I enjoyed, although his style was not as appealing to me. He still did a great job engendering interest in science, as does Tyson.

I feel that way even though I'm against the push to Mars. Space is intriguing, even if practically unreachable. We just have so much more pressing scientific needs here on Earth, namely, to reduce global warming or devise survival technology to adapt to the warmer period that is coming.