The problem is, when you do stupid stuff and lie and manipulate data, you are forever tainted by that. You will never be trusted again, even in cases where you may be right. You have trashed your reputation.

An example: Many years ago I would sometimes donate to Greenpeace. Save the baby seals and all that. Then I saw a news article where they scaled some Navy ship and repelled down hanging offensive banners off it. What the heck? How stupid and pointless is that? Subsequently, they have never gotten any more money from me and I don't give them an ear when they try to convince me why I should. They may do some good things, but they are infiltrated by idiots.

Same thing goes for these climate scientists and their dire headlines about global warming (or global cooling). I don't know what their motivations are, but I don't listen to what they say any more, they have trashed their credibility. I'm not saying that global warming/cooling is real or fake, just that I have zero trust in those who are spouting off their predictions. Therefore, it is a non-issue for me at this point in time.