The spectacle of wealthy environmentalists trapped in Antarctic ice on a mission to demonstrate the ravages of purported global warming is both hilarious and edifying.  Alas, the participants themselves are just about the only ones not getting the joke and not learning the obvious lessons.

The Wall Street Journal's Review & Outlook column points out what may be the ultimate irony that is being lost on this bunch:

In an earlier age, explorers who so badly underestimated the expanse of polar ice would surely have perished. But the 74 passengers and crew of the Akademik Shokalskiy are thriving. An expedition spokesman reports that, "Surprisingly, all the passengers seem to be considering it the adventure of a lifetime."

And why not? The rich abundance of our carbon-based economy has not only provided the means to sustain their lives, but even to post a cheerful sing-along on Youtube. And the helicopters and ships participating in the next rescue attempt aren't powered by renewable-energy credits.

The greenies reportedly plan to plant trees to offset the carbon their rescue is generating, demonstrating that in the face of the cognitive dissonance generated by the failure of Antarctic ice to diminish, they are clinging even more strongly to the beliefs which have not worked out as predicted. In this behavior, they are quite similar to other doomsday cults which persist even when the Armageddon predicted by their leaders fails to happen.

The warmist cult is now officially a laughingstock.

Hat tip: Cliff Thier