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Hey all, I'm trying to debate with my parents about Global Warming and Peak oil.

About a week or two ago, I tried to debate about Peak Oil to my parents, first explaining that we shouldn't drill in ANWR because it wouldn't be able to sustain us for very long. I also looked at the Department of Energy to get the data that we use 20 million barrels a day and multiplied that by 365 to come up with 7.566 billion barrels of Oil a year and said that ANWR would only support our nation for at least a year, more or less. BUt my mother refuted by saying, "THey don't know how much is in there and the Crazy Enviromentalists are preventing us from drilling there because of the caribou.". She also said to look at both sides of the issue. My Father keeps on making jokes about it

I also tried to discuss Global Warming to my parents but I didn't make a dent in their thinking. I said I got information of it from the UN's own IPCC but my father said that "The UN is anti-human, except for themselves and they are anti-first world.". He said that that information shouldn't be counted because "They have an agenda" and they also siad that we are only having a small effect on global warming and they also said ,"I saw a report about..." or "I heard from the news....". I asked my mom where she got that information and she just said, "I got it from an internet article a long time ago.".

Is there any information I could show them to at least make them think about these as serious issues?

being honest:

Unless you get along with your parents a lot better than most, no. Generally your parents won't respect your beliefs and really listen to your arguments because they still see you as a child. It doesn't matter if your right. I would recommend against rocking the boat, but if they bring it up, by all means attempt to correct them. But with what you have posted about them before, I would say that even when you move out/get a job and they have no choice but to accept you as an adult, they probably still will dismiss you. They don't sound overly rational and be careful, if you push irrational people too far it can have consequences you may not be ready for (especially if they are providing your food and shelter).

AS for the actual debate, if they are just handwaving away figures because of the tried and true "biased source" and making up crap without providing a source you are just talking to a brick wall. They arn't interested in a debate, they just know they are right and your wrong. Walls of ignorance are much harder to break than you think.

WesFox13 wrote:Hey all, I'm trying to debate with my parents about Global Warming and Peak oil.

Do you they think that global warming / peak oil don't exist, or do they not think that either one is a problem?

About a week or two ago, I tried to debate about Peak Oil to my parents, first explaining that we shouldn't drill in ANWR because it wouldn't be able to sustain us for very long.

How does that argument make sense? None of the reserves out there would sustain us for very long on their own, but that doesn't change the fact that it's a significant amount of oil.

The best argument I've seen against drilling in ANWR is that oil is running out, and that we'll need that oil in the future when it won't be so cheap to buy it from overseas.

I also looked at the Department of Energy to get the data that we use 20 million barrels a day and multiplied that by 365 to come up with 7.566 billion barrels of Oil a year and said that ANWR would only support our nation for at least a year, more or less. BUt my mother refuted by saying, "THey don't know how much is in there and the Crazy Enviromentalists are preventing us from drilling there because of the caribou.". She also said to look at both sides of the issue. My Father keeps on making jokes about it

I'd argue that oil is a strategic resource that is of vital national importance. If oil imports suddenly crash, how will the US survive and adapt without the oil reserves of ANWR?

I also tried to discuss Global Warming to my parents but I didn't make a dent in their thinking. I said I got information of it from the UN's own IPCC but my father said that "The UN is anti-human, except for themselves and they are anti-first world.". He said that that information shouldn't be counted because "They have an agenda" and they also siad that we are only having a small effect on global warming and they also said ,"I saw a report about..." or "I heard from the news....". I asked my mom where she got that information and she just said, "I got it from an internet article a long time ago.".

I'd just keep pounding home how nearly every major scientist and geologist who really studies global warming agrees that it exists in some form or another.

Is there any information I could show them to at least make them think about these as serious issues?

What I'd do is try to debate it within their value system. If their values are "Make America strong, keep gas cheap, give me stuff", then you need to show them that preventing global warming and not drilling in ANWR will help fulfill those values.

First off, no offense, but your parents are fucking idiots.

About a week or two ago, I tried to debate about Peak Oil to my parents, first explaining that we shouldn't drill in ANWR because it wouldn't be able to sustain us for very long. I also looked at the Department of Energy to get the data that we use 20 million barrels a day and multiplied that by 365 to come up with 7.566 billion barrels of Oil a year and said that ANWR would only support our nation for at least a year, more or less. BUt my mother refuted by saying, "THey don't know how much is in there and the Crazy Enviromentalists are preventing us from drilling there because of the caribou.". She also said to look at both sides of the issue. My Father keeps on making jokes about it

I think that the people with Ph.Ds in geology who specialize in finding and extracting oil have a pretty good idea how much is down there.

So lets see... min gain, and entire ecosystem destroyed. And yes, it would be destroyed, because the infrastructure needs of the drilling operation would be much much bigger than the operation itself.

So fuck your parents.

I also tried to discuss Global Warming to my parents but I didn't make a dent in their thinking. I said I got information of it from the UN's own IPCC but my father said that "The UN is anti-human, except for themselves and they are anti-first world.". He said that that information shouldn't be counted because "They have an agenda" and they also siad that we are only having a small effect on global warming and they also said ,"I saw a report about..." or "I heard from the news....". I asked my mom where she got that information and she just said, "I got it from an internet article a long time ago.".

The IPCC is a group of independent scientists who are asked by the UN to make recommendations and reports. They dont really answer to the UN even if you accept that the UN itself is anti-west. Your parents are idiots.

This is when you get sarcastic and ask what is more reliable. Every reputable professional organization of climatologists, or the internet.

Your parents are morons and the best thing you can do at this point is brutally point out their stupidity.

Then again, I would not take my own advice. Sarcasm works with my mother (because she gets really defensive if I dont use it, she needs to be knocked down a peg so her 'I am the parent you are my adult offspring' schtick wears off and she listens to reason....