How do you convince others of your views when the facts are overwhelmingly against you?

If you’re one of the many hoaxers, cranks, and denialists out there, you use language. What rhetorical tactics do they rely on, and how can you spot them?

Skeptic Kylie Sturgess joins Daniel and Ben in the studio on this episode of Talk the Talk.


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155: The Language of Denialism (featuring Kylie Sturgess)

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Promo

Promo with James Hall, 2014-03-18: Denialism

Show notes

A device that will try to decode dog thoughts.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/checking-the-claim-this-device-would-allow-dogs-to-talk-like-humans-180949895/?no-ist

No More Woof
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/no-more-woof

‘Far Side’ cartoon: What dogs really say.

Kylie Sturgess: Token Skeptic
http://tokenskeptic.org/

Token Skeptic blog
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/tokenskeptic/

The AVN changes its name to include ‘skeptic’
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-11/nsw-anti-vaccination-group-changes-its-name-after-complaints/5312910

Here are some of their tactics.
http://www.danbuzzard.net/journal/anti-vaxxers-resort-to-vandalism.html

Anti-vaxxers are bringing back diseases that were once under control.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/13/thanks-anti-vaxxers-you-just-brought-back-measles-in-nyc.html

How anti-vax is being challenged on many fronts in Australia (not just the business of skeptics!)
http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles/show/retreating_to_the_church_of_anti-vaccination/

Here are some ideas for how to communicate climate change.
http://talkingclimate.org/guides/language-words-phrases/

Here’s a plain-language guide to climate change
http://nas-sites.org/americasclimatechoices/events/a-discussion-on-climate-change-evidence-and-causes/

How to estimate the risk involved in climate change
http://news.discovery.com/earth/global-warming/understanding-the-probabilities-of-climate-science-130929.htm

‘Warmist’
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Warmist

Kylie’s interview on GM foods with Dr Ashley Ng
http://tokenskeptic.org/2012/10/04/one-hundred-and-thirty-nine-on-the-seralini-affair-and-gm-foods-interview-with-dr-ashley-ng/

Skeptical Science: Rebutting climate change denialists’ arguments
https://www.skepticalscience.com/

Linguistically modified foods? How language shapes our perception of GMs.
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/food-matters/2013/09/25/linguistically-modified-foods-how-language-may-shape-perception-of-gms/

“Fear and Politics” by Carmen Lawrence
http://scribepublications.com.au/books-authors/title/fear-and-politics/

The Rod Lambert’s interview mentioned near the end of the interview
http://theconversation.com/facts-wont-beat-the-climate-deniers-using-their-tactics-will-24074

Tape measure? How about a ‘roll of inches’?http://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/1zon1v/my_russian_wife_was_trying_to_say_tape_measure/
http://cheezburger.com/212229