“They’ve changed the map color! It’s a conspiracy!” That’s the sum total of disinformation spreading around Europe as record temperatures and massive fires strike the continent.
No, cretins. You’re even wrong about the map coloring, but hey, you’re all geniuses, right? You “know something”, according to you and absolutely no one else?
On this basis, most of western Europe isn’t experiencing record heat. The continent isn’t on fire. The constant stream of crisis headlines is wrong, and only you pitiful clowns know what’s happening?
All those firefighters and helicopters and billions of dollars of attached resources have nothing better to do than try to pretend there’s a problem?
All that smoke is the result of what, exactly? Gigantic bongs? A lot of incense? A horde of obsessive chain smokers?
People’s homes are being destroyed by innuendo, presumably?
It’s not hitting 40C in London and Paris simply because some ridiculous paid troll says so?
This heat is dangerous. It’s inexcusable to misinform anyone about it. It can get people killed or hospitalized. Heat at this level is definitely no joke.
A few little pointers:
- Heatstroke can hit very suddenly, and it can kill. You’ll feel godawful afterward, if you survive.
- Heat is very draining on the human body, and it can wear you down fast.
- Dehydration can lead to kidney stones and other problems.
- Third-degree burns are not good for you.
- Grass fires can move incredibly quickly and connect to other fuel sources fast.
- Forest fires are by definition extremely dangerous.
You’ve only started experiencing real heat.
I come from a place called Australia. We have way too much experience of heat on this scale. About a quarter of the country got more than slightly singed a few years back. We even somehow managed to have a fire in a desert.
No fiction required, thanks for asking.
Try this little shopping list:
- When fires turn your cars into puddles, your power systems break down, and your houses are basically cinders, you’ll get the message.
- When you can’t tell the difference between clouds and smoke for months, you’ll figure it out.
- When there’s smoke all around and it rains, and the rain doesn’t even dent the smoke, you might have some revelations.
- You might even notice exactly how useless disinformation can be.
Yes, there’s a fix for the disinformation.
This level of disinformation does directly impact public safety by interfering with public health warnings. That can easily be considered illegal on multiple levels.
The disinformation can obstruct and hinder public safety measures. Also illegal by definition.
So if you hit the publishers and promoters of the disinformation with massive fines and jail terms, maybe things might change a bit?
More to the point – Who’s the genius behind this garbage? Are you seriously expecting anyone to believe that this nonsense was spontaneously invented and generated by a few saintly meandering morons?
Does it seem likely?
There’s another fix – Call them out. They don’t mind being stupid, but they do mind looking stupid. Confront them in public with the facts and see if they can talk their way out of it.
They have nothing to say. There’s no possibility of denial. That won’t look good, even to the idiots that believe them. No credibility equates to no more disinformation.
It’s time to crack down on this quaint little cottage industry of idiocy, permanently.
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Disclaimer
The opinions expressed in this Op-Ed are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Digital Journal or its members.