The ring of truth
Michael Crichton has been awarded a journalism award for his novel State of Fear. The novel describes a fictional scenario in which:
[A] theory quickly draws support from leading scientists, politicians and celebrities around the world. Research is funded by distinguished philanthropies, and carried out at prestigious universities. The crisis is reported frequently in the media. The science is taught in college and high school classrooms.
The story then runs with the premise that global warming has been made up by a group of politicized scientists. At one point the theory of global warming is compared to eugenics to give you an idea of the tone. Crichton isn’t known for his journalistic skills and you might think that there’d been a mix up until you found out that the award is from the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.
“It is fiction,” conceded Larry Nation, communications director for the association. “But it has the absolute ring of truth.”
Now that’s something you couldn’t make up. More at the NY Times.
February 20th, 2006 at 9:48 am
[...] Further to our coverage of the plaudits Michael Crichton has been receiving for his “journalistic” abilities the International Herald Tribune are reporting on a meeting between Crichton and President Bush in 2005. Bush requested the meeting after reading (having read to him?) Crichton’s global warming denial fantasy State of Fear. Apparently the delusional pair were in “near total agreement”. I can only wonder what effect Jurassic Park will have. [...]