Why do Climate Change Skeptics Maintain the Rage?

Public discussion on climate change is only a recent phenomenon. It seems like just yesterday that it was an issue that pervaded below the consciousness of the community. Almost overnight, people who were previously unaware or unconcerned about climate change have been conscientiously wanting to do their part to conserve the environment for their children and for future generations. No longer can concern for the environment be said to be the province of small special interest groups. It is amazing and indeed refreshing to have observed such a paradigm shift in such a short period of time.

Almost as sudden as the public interest in the environment is the emergence of the climate change skeptic. The climate change skeptic is not merely a passive agnostic who refuses to believe in global warming. Rather, he or she aggressively and ambitiously set out to debunk what they regard to be the myth of climate change. If necessary, the climate change skeptic will resort to ad hominem arguments to attempt to support their case and believes that recycling the latest wikipedia article that they have read constitutes knowledge and/or research.

I guess my general sense of bewilderment exists because of the vitriol that will come out of the typical climate change skeptic. Of course, this doesn't invalidate their arguments in itself, but I do wish to know why such intense anger exists. To me, such anger seems about as productive as that of the village atheist who has given their life over to the pursuit of establishing the non-existence of God. I mean, if someone doesn't believe that God exists that's one thing, but to dedicate your life trying to attack this supposely non-existent being is simply absurd. In like manner, climate change skeptics seem to expend a lot of fury trying to disprove something they regard to be non-existent. Why do they feel the need to do so? Why do they not simply hold onto their convictions and move onto issues that are more worthy of their time? Surely there as so many other Wikipedia articles that they could be regurgitating?