Section 1.1 The State of Climate Change Discourse

My exploration began with an examination of the data to identify which topics resonated most with readers on Medium. Before diving into the specifics, let me clarify some terminology:

• Topic Views: The total number of visitors to a story.
• Topic Reads: The number of viewers who read the entire article (Medium estimates this).
• Reads Ratio: The percentage of viewers who finish reading the article.
• Fans: Unique readers who appreciated a specific story.

I categorized my discussions into four primary themes:

1. Critique of Medium's Climate Change Content

   In this section, I expressed my frustrations regarding the subpar quality of climate change articles on Medium. Many pieces lack credible sources and contain poorly constructed arguments. Some even venture into scientifically impossible claims, creating confusion rather than clarity. It's challenging to find well-researched, data-supported articles amidst a sea of mediocre content.

Readers seem to gravitate towards this controversial subject, as evidenced by the strong reactions I received. They typically fall into two camps:

• Those who agree with my critique on the content quality.
• Those who question my expectations for high-quality articles on a platform like Medium. Many prefer easily digestible content over rigorous scientific discussions.

This concern arose after encountering multiple articles based on random information devoid of genuine knowledge. As Arthur C. Clarke aptly stated: "Information is not the same as knowledge, and knowledge is not the same as wisdom."

2. Climate Change: Foundational Insights

   This category aimed to educate readers on the fundamental aspects of climate change, providing a framework to differentiate between credible ideas and misinformation.

3. Proposed Solutions to Climate Change

   Here, I presented a variety of research-backed solutions. Unlike simplistic claims such as "meat is harmful—Dr. Greger said so," my approach focused on comprehensive research rather than seeking monetary gain through flashy headlines. However, I recognized that conveying meaningful solutions in a single, attention-grabbing article isn't feasible, especially when it lacks the necessary depth.

4. Social Dynamics Surrounding Climate Change

   This section examined the societal interactions related to climate change and its broader impacts on communities.

Now, let’s take a look at the data. The most engaging topic among readers was my critique of the low-quality climate change articles, which also garnered the most applause. While applause is a misleading metric, it indicates that to "monetize" content on Medium, I should continue discussing this theme. However, I have no desire to pursue this path indefinitely.

Surprisingly, interest in the solutions to climate change was limited, with only a small group of readers engaging with these discussions. The lack of interest in social interactions related to climate change was also evident.

Based on my analysis, a mere 0.8% of the population shows a genuine interest in serious climate change solutions, while 3.2% actively consider their carbon footprint. Up to 16% appear to have a superficial interest, embracing climate change solutions as if they were a dogma, often without critical examination. The remaining 80% seem vaguely aware of climate change but prioritize other issues.

If we overlay this analysis with IQ distribution data, we find a significant correlation between the general understanding of climate change, the quality of articles on Medium, and the intelligence levels of readers.

Moreover, considering Medium's traffic data, my sentiments become clearer. It’s crucial to choose effective methods to mitigate human-induced climate change. History has shown us the pitfalls of blindly following popular trends, as exemplified by the DDT saga.

"DDT, initially hailed as a miracle pesticide in the 1940s, was ultimately banned in 1972 due to its harmful environmental effects."

The blind adherence to extreme solutions—like a strict reliance on 100% renewable energy—echoes the past where society followed unsubstantiated promises without scientific backing. This brings to mind the pre-1989 era in Czechoslovakia, where many were swayed by the promises of communism, leading to a long period of hardship.

Will humanity learn from its history?

P.S.: This is not to say that renewable energy is inherently bad—except for biomass. Each technology has its strengths and weaknesses, and we must find a balanced approach to achieve sustainable solutions, not just profit-driven motives supported by blind followers.