https://www.leolinne.com/?portfolio=discourses-of-climate-de...
and a cartoon by Céline Keller:
One of the authors, John Cook, is known not only as a climate scientist but a cognitive psychologist working on the subject of 'the psychology of denial'.
His inoculation theory has become very relevant also in the pandemic, and provides a solid frame for action: rather than debunk the myths of people who have fallen for conspiracy frames, we should 'prebunk' the public to make them more aware of and resilient to misinformation and 'conspiricist' thinking.
One reasons debunking isn't as effective is because convinced conspiracy thinkers have a trait called immunity to evidence. Any attempt at debunking will be interpreted by them as a strategy of the nefarious powers to further their conspiracy, and thus immediately rejected and attacked. Through this attack, the conspiracy theory gains more power. Any debunking will actually strengthen the false beliefs of convinced conspiracy theorists, which is why it is pointless or even harmful to argue with them. This is why they will say 'you are lost' or 'a sheep' and just not engage any further on evidence, which they will say is planted or something to that effect.
Conspiracies are, of course, just a subset of the denial & delay discourse, but perhaps inoculation also works against other forms of climate action sabotage.
"Don't believe the hype" is a dangerous message when those with power operate with hype.
And so instead of actual innoculation what is done is a kind of "believe our hype, don't believe theirs and don't try to work it out yourselves". This ends up with the political situation in the USA of polarised groups pointing at the other side and saying "they are brainwashed"
