Surviving Capitalism (Not) : How a handful of scientists obscured the truth on issues from smoke to global warming

We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Thursday, July 15, 2010

How a handful of scientists obscured the truth on issues from smoke to global warming

by John Atcheson from Climate Progress. This is a review of a new book entitled, Merchants of Doubt. The book is an important read in how disinformation is spread in the US in service of the Empire and capitalism.

An almost religious conviction in small government and the potential evils of big government; a doctrinaire belief in unconstrained free markets and the purity of capitalism; and the conviction that “environmentalism” and other do-gooder efforts threatened our free market, capitalistic system.

This statement by the reviewer supports the argument I have often made--that capitalism is essentially a religion in the US and protected by all the fervor of any sacred religion. Hence the high priests of this religion will reward those who affirm the religion and will go to any lengths to punish those who criticize or threaten it.