If that's ancient...

[byslantedlight]

...then even I'm pretty seriously old...

From ancient times people suspected that human activity could change the climate. For example, in the 19th century many Americans believed that cutting down forests brought more rainfall to a region.

Ah, the ancient times of the 1800s... I wouldn't mind, but he's a scientist, and was Director of a reasonably big institute until he retired, for all it looks like he's written more popular work than peer-reviewed. God knows how he'd describe Clovis culture, or... so how does he view "ancient Greece"?!

Ancient times... *headdesk*

ETA - this! This is what it reminds me of!

*hugs Eddie*

Comments

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Hang on - my grandparents were born in the 19th century... I think I'm offended *g*

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

I know! Of all the stoopid things to write! I mean, even if you go with the American-history-is-all-recent idiocy (cos it's not - European American history is relatively recent!) it's just... such wrong usage of the word "ancient"!

Ooh, actually it reminds me of that Eddie Izzard sketch (mind you, everything reminds me of an EI sketch... *g*)...

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

LOL - perfect!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Eddie is... *g*

trying to be ....

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

stretching a point as far as it could possibly go and trying to be charitable *g* I suppose it's just conceivable that this person meant "from the earliest times of whose beliefs we have evidence" and the very recent history C19th example was just an example ... maybe one he thought would resonate more with his audience than all the many 2000+ years old or older examples he had on the tip of his tongue ..... but on the whole I doubt it - you're probably absolutely right and it's just bloody laziness-plus-dumb-i-tude just as you suspected. :-/

Re: trying to be ....

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, I'm sure that was what he meant - but he certainly didn't say it! And if you're claiming beliefs "from ancient times" then really you'd better have a better example than just 200 years ago, cos otherwise I'm gonna assume the rest of your research is lazy and shoddy too... *is tough on research, and tough on the causes of research...* *g*

Re: trying to be ....

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

tough on the causes of research... *beg*!

Re: trying to be ....

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Hee! Well honestly - do dogs drown if you hold them underwater long enough, et al...! *headdesk*

[sineala.livejournal.com]

I once had to grade an essay in which the student attempted to make a point about language change by mentioning the use of thou "20 years ago." It was exceedingly hilarious.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Oh dear... bad enough when high school kids talk about 1930s Germany with reference to the way Hitler stopped all emails and phone calls, but... wow... People are frightening sometimes!