What might a productive debate look like? Too often public debates act as spectacle and entertainment whilst doing little to inform action where it is necessary. If it is possible for a productive debate to be had on climate change, the subject matter must be approached from a place of common understanding. The growing threat of climate change intensifies dangerous weather events causing disastrous damage to the environment. Despite the increased risk, little action is being taken to address this. Propaganda and distrustful communities allow doubt and conspiracies to spread like the wildfires that become more prevalent by the year. The need for individuals to place their trust in experts for complicated and intricate matters is an example of the deeply social nature of human knowledge. This dependency and difficulty in knowing who to trust leaves the public vulnerable to disinformation. Alongside an abundance of intentionally misleading propaganda (that public debates often further legitimize) the potential for progress in public understanding of climate change and other major issues is destroyed.