Doubt used to defend concussion and climate change

Brisbane's John Brown,
has a history of serious
head injuries.

Concussion and climate change seem unrelated and although they might well be, the same tactics are being used to protect the status quo.

Those antagonistic to the idea of climate change have sewn doubt in the minds of people at every opportunity in an effort to ensure the maintenance of business as usual.

Their efforts have been rewarded as those industries and the behaviour of the developed world have changed little, procrastination has been rife and the profits of the wealthy have continued unbridled.

Concussion arising from clashes in contact sports all around the world has long be a concern for many and prompted even more discussion following a recent decision in the U.S. in which some 4000 gridiron players received a payout of nearly $1billion in an action against the NFL, alleging the league mislead them about the risks of long term brain damage from concussion.

Many are worried about developing a disease known as CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which causes early onset dementia.

Interestingly those eager to see that people understand the complications for those participating in contact sports have bumped into circumstance similar to those that confront climate change advocates and before that, those working to convince smokers that their habit was killing them.

Sporting bodies, particularly the AFL in Australia, are busy engineering doubt in the minds of many; doubt that will engender delay and so protect the status quo.

“The Concussion Games” were discussed on Radio National today.