7 ms·

Why does the author of this article act like there is not a difference between clearly ngo funded protest movements and grass root movements?

olgeni 3y ago
"Vilifying" is the code word that gives the answer away, much like "combat" and "bigotry" and "vitriol". It is like an embedded watermark :)
- somedude895 3y ago
  Add "hate" to that.
marcus_holmes 3y ago
Or that the "shadowy" actions of right-wing think tanks are exactly the same (with the opposite intent) of left-wing think tanks and environmental groups? This is how the game is played. Both teams play the game this way. Labelling one side as "shadowy" is just dishonest.
- specialist 3y ago
  Is there a directory (wiki) of dark-money funded left-wing think tanks?
  - marcus_holmes 3y ago
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_think_tanks_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_think_tanks_in_the_Uni... plenty of them are left-leaning. I'm not sure about the "dark money" bit though
- diogenes4 3y ago
  Newsrooms are under no obligation to give equal footing to anyone, and no newsroom does. These organizations are a lot more useful when you abandon this assumption.
- yrcyrc 3y ago
  I doubt that left-wing think tanks are as powerful or billionaire-backed, or bankrolled by destructive industries. If there's a balance, so-called left-wing groups are probably outpaced 10 to 1. Shadowy is perfectly apt. The criminalization of protest uses deceptive techniques, out of proportion labeling, smearing, intimidation, the enactment of new laws, its arsenal is quite endless. Haven't seen any left-wing groups do any of it.
  - mptest 3y ago
    [flagged]
  - dadjoker 3y ago
    You really haven't been paying attention then.
    - mptest 3y ago
      Oh yeah? But you have? Show me what billionaire funded think tanks exist that push for leftist policies on climate, like the green new deal. Famously popular among the wealthy. Are you serious?? To act like there is the same billionaire class interest in "protecting climate" as there is "continuing burning fossil fuels if it makes us money" is childish naiveté. Joker indeed.
      - lawlessone 3y ago
        The only example i can think of its Soros open society.. and that's more socially left wing than economically left wing. His detractors though don't seem to see the difference between supporting things like lgbt rights and communism as an economic system.
      - almatabata 3y ago
        Jeff bezos and Bill Gates: https://www.geekwire.com/2023/the-billionaires-are-in-charge-heres-who-is-spending-the-most-on-climate-change-efforts/ https://www.geekwire.com/2023/the-billionaires-are-in-charge... https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2022/1/3/billionaires-abroad-who-are-funding-the-climate-fight https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2022/1/3/billionaire... >To act like there is the same billionaire class interest in "protecting >climate" as there is "continuing burning fossil fuels if it makes us money" is >childish naiveté. Joker indeed. I will put my conspiracy theory hat on. If you want to continue burning fuel and you have these pesky climate change activists. Why not fund the most aggressive and annoying groups? People get pissed off and vote for politicians that do not fight climate change. You can clearly make a case for why it makes sense.
- mptest 3y ago
  [flagged]
  - SpicyLemonZest 3y ago
    Those slogans are pretty equal. The idea that climate change is going to “kill the world” is not true; organizations like the IPCC predict that the world will continue to function, albeit with significantly slowed economic growth and major problems for subsistence farmers. But some people find it strategically useful to raise the stakes, so you get climate advocacy organizations insisting that humanity will literally go extinct if we do not adopt their preferred climate policies. I’ve even encountered people who horseshoe theory into science denial, claiming that the politicians force researchers and journalists to downplay things and you’ve gotta read blogs if you want to know how bad things will really be.
    - derelicta 3y ago
      Sure its not gonna "kill the world", but you can expect a constant inflation of food prices, wars plus tens of millions of refugees due to climate instabilities. It will not eradicate mankind, but it may provoke the downfall of modern civilizations. And then good luck starting from the beginning again after you have depleted all easily accessible basic ressources such as iron or coal.

olgeni 3y ago

"Vilifying" is the code word that gives the answer away, much like "combat" and "bigotry" and "vitriol". It is like an embedded watermark :)

somedude895 3y ago
Add "hate" to that.

marcus_holmes 3y ago

Or that the "shadowy" actions of right-wing think tanks are exactly the same (with the opposite intent) of left-wing think tanks and environmental groups? This is how the game is played. Both teams play the game this way. Labelling one side as "shadowy" is just dishonest.

specialist 3y ago
Is there a directory (wiki) of dark-money funded left-wing think tanks?
- marcus_holmes 3y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_think_tanks_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_think_tanks_in_the_Uni... plenty of them are left-leaning. I'm not sure about the "dark money" bit though
diogenes4 3y ago
Newsrooms are under no obligation to give equal footing to anyone, and no newsroom does. These organizations are a lot more useful when you abandon this assumption.
yrcyrc 3y ago
I doubt that left-wing think tanks are as powerful or billionaire-backed, or bankrolled by destructive industries. If there's a balance, so-called left-wing groups are probably outpaced 10 to 1. Shadowy is perfectly apt. The criminalization of protest uses deceptive techniques, out of proportion labeling, smearing, intimidation, the enactment of new laws, its arsenal is quite endless. Haven't seen any left-wing groups do any of it.
- mptest 3y ago
  [flagged]
- dadjoker 3y ago
  You really haven't been paying attention then.
  - mptest 3y ago
    Oh yeah? But you have? Show me what billionaire funded think tanks exist that push for leftist policies on climate, like the green new deal. Famously popular among the wealthy. Are you serious?? To act like there is the same billionaire class interest in "protecting climate" as there is "continuing burning fossil fuels if it makes us money" is childish naiveté. Joker indeed.
    - lawlessone 3y ago
      The only example i can think of its Soros open society.. and that's more socially left wing than economically left wing. His detractors though don't seem to see the difference between supporting things like lgbt rights and communism as an economic system.
    - almatabata 3y ago
      Jeff bezos and Bill Gates: https://www.geekwire.com/2023/the-billionaires-are-in-charge-heres-who-is-spending-the-most-on-climate-change-efforts/ https://www.geekwire.com/2023/the-billionaires-are-in-charge... https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2022/1/3/billionaires-abroad-who-are-funding-the-climate-fight https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2022/1/3/billionaire... >To act like there is the same billionaire class interest in "protecting >climate" as there is "continuing burning fossil fuels if it makes us money" is >childish naiveté. Joker indeed. I will put my conspiracy theory hat on. If you want to continue burning fuel and you have these pesky climate change activists. Why not fund the most aggressive and annoying groups? People get pissed off and vote for politicians that do not fight climate change. You can clearly make a case for why it makes sense.
mptest 3y ago
[flagged]
- SpicyLemonZest 3y ago
  Those slogans are pretty equal. The idea that climate change is going to “kill the world” is not true; organizations like the IPCC predict that the world will continue to function, albeit with significantly slowed economic growth and major problems for subsistence farmers. But some people find it strategically useful to raise the stakes, so you get climate advocacy organizations insisting that humanity will literally go extinct if we do not adopt their preferred climate policies. I’ve even encountered people who horseshoe theory into science denial, claiming that the politicians force researchers and journalists to downplay things and you’ve gotta read blogs if you want to know how bad things will really be.
  - derelicta 3y ago
    Sure its not gonna "kill the world", but you can expect a constant inflation of food prices, wars plus tens of millions of refugees due to climate instabilities. It will not eradicate mankind, but it may provoke the downfall of modern civilizations. And then good luck starting from the beginning again after you have depleted all easily accessible basic ressources such as iron or coal.