In this video, I try to adequately examine my “debate” with Michael Wood Jr. — former Baltimore police officer, whistleblower, and Police Management Scholar. I’ve spoken with Michael previously on the podcast (#163), in which we discussed his experiences and research into modern policing in the United States. But, in this “debate” (if we can even call this exchange a “debate”) we attempt to work out our views on human nature, humanity’s relationship with the natural world, what is “natural,” and whether the science behind human-caused climate change, ecological collapse, and catastrophic loss of biodiversity, as a result of collective human behavior within the context of our modern society, is worth being at all concerned about. My contention is that yes, it certainly is. His contention is no, not so much. In fact, Michael repeatedly asserts that the science behind these subjects is “conjecture” and mostly “opinion.”
In this introduction, I examine the technique Michael used in this so-called “debate.” After our two hour exchange was over, I felt this "debate" was basically a waste of time, as well as incredibly frustrating to participate in. After uploading the audio of this “debate” to my Patreon page, I got some much needed feedback. A friend of the podcast nailed it right on the head: Michael used the “Reid Technique” in this exchange. In this video, I examine what the “Reid Technique” is, how it’s used by law enforcement to manipulate people into giving confessions (whether they actually committed the crime or not), and how using this kind of technique in this ”debate” is a pathetic approach in discussing the subjects presented in it.
If you are like myself, you will find this whole “debate” incredibly frustrating to watch. I had some reservations about releasing this at all. But, I do think there is some value that can be derived from this thing, in particular when it comes to examining how certain people use manipulative tactics to “win,” at least in their eyes, regardless of what the actual science points to. I hope that some value can come from this, at the very least to examine how Michael uses this technique in this exchange.
Notes:
Learn more about the “The Reid Technique”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reid_technique
Segments of this video was used in the introduction: https://youtu.be/7H19F_8AP-E
This is the article that started this whole thing — ‘How Trump's Wall Would Alter Our Biological Identity Forever’: http://bit.ly/2R1phs0
The papers Michael referenced can be found here: http://bit.ly/2ASMgQM
These are the sources I referenced in this “debate”:
- What Is the Anthropocene and Are We in It?: http://bit.ly/2sBN2gz
- Biological annihilation via the ongoing sixth mass extinction signaled by vertebrate population losses and declines: http://bit.ly/2sBN2gz
- Climate-driven declines in arthropod abundance restructure a rainforest food web: http://bit.ly/2QYIIC0
- Border Fences and their Impacts on Large Carnivores, Large Herbivores and Biodiversity: An International Wildlife Law Perspective: http://bit.ly/2QYIIC0
- Carbon Pollution Has Shoved The Climate Back At Least 12 Million Years, Harvard Scientist Says: http://bit.ly/2T3WUv4
- WMO climate statement: past 4 years warmest on record: http://bit.ly/2QXe7Vf
- Arctic Ice Volume: http://bit.ly/2QXe7Vf
- Antarctic Ice Loss Has Tripled Over the Past Decade: http://bit.ly/2U08VBV
- Mass balance of the Antarctic Ice Sheet from 1992 to 2017: https://go.nature.com/2FApX6B
- How Much Heat Does the Ocean Trap? Robots Find Out: http://bit.ly/2RAL6UL
- Direct isotopic evidence of biogenic methane production and efflux from beneath a temperate glacier: https://go.nature.com/2RV1Ll7
- Exclusive: Some Arctic Ground No Longer Freezing—Even in Winter: https://on.natgeo.com/2Ml2lmR
- Future warming increases probability of globally synchronized maize production shocks: http://bit.ly/2W6QopE
- Effect of environmental changes on vegetable and legume yields and nutritional quality: http://bit.ly/2TZzrLN
- How Feedback Loops Are Driving Runaway Climate Change: http://bit.ly/2swlo4K
- William Rees: Cognitive Blindspots; The Road To Extinction: http://bit.ly/2FIzJTg