Repetition as a Strategy: They Say the Heat is Rising
Endless repetition is a well-known strategy in propaganda and pedagogy.
Media, scientists, and politicians tirelessly repeat that temperatures are increasing. This summer, despite often rainy and cold weather that required raincoats and sweaters, the Minister for Ecological Transition claimed it was the fourth hottest summer ever recorded in France, following those of 2003, 2022, and 2018. However, several inconsistencies temper this statement.
Premature and Exaggerated Claims?
It is surprising to declare that the summer of 2023 was extremely hot when it had not yet ended at the time of the announcement on September 5. Since when can ministers redefine the duration of summer? Moreover, according to Mathilde Panot, July 2023 was supposedly the hottest month in France in 100,000 years, but in the end, the summer of 2023 is only the fourth hottest since 1850. Why such a difference? The answer lies in the average. The summer is judged as the fourth hottest on average over the months of June, July, and August, and across the entire territory. This explains why some regions felt cold during the heatwave while the Côte d'Azur was baking.
The Question of Average Temperatures
The real question is how an average temperature is measured, both in time and space. Can we truly say that the summer was the fourth hottest when some regions experienced poor weather while others were scorching? Skeptics will respond that it is the arithmetic mean of daytime and nighttime temperatures recorded at all meteorological stations in the metropolis that is used. But is this method really meaningful when variations are minimal? For instance, although July's average temperature was announced as the hottest in 100,000 years, it was only 0.8 degrees higher than the average. Does this justify alarmist predictions by Yves Tramblay, a hydro-climatologist, that southern France will soon have a climate similar to Morocco or Algeria?
Legitimate Skepticism
In conclusion, statements about the heat of summer 2023 and the accompanying climate prophecies should be viewed with a degree of skepticism. Climate variations and methods of measuring average temperatures do not always justify alarmist announcements. It is essential to maintain a critical perspective and question whether current predictions are based on solid data or on a tendency to exaggerate facts to support a predetermined narrative.
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https://leblogalupus.com/2023/09/05/un-ete-chaud-en-moyenne-et-pourri-en-detail-pauline-mille/