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1. Cathal Garvey (cathal@social.coop)'s status on Friday, 24-Aug-2018 04:28:25 EDT Cathal Garvey

   "Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge." - Isaac Asimov
   This gives me the feels. Ask any scientist working on things-that-matter, odds are they've seen this since forever. Anti GMO, Anti Nuclear Power, Anti Vax... all use the same language and rhetoric of "corrupt" scientists secretly owned by baddies.
   (h/t KHayHoe on Twitter)

   1. Cathal Garvey (cathal@social.coop)'s status on Friday, 24-Aug-2018 09:27:16 EDT Cathal Garvey

      in reply to

      Another issue that I don't see get enough discussion or traffic, when it comes to #AntiIntellectualism: Nothing about the #Trumpism phenomenon was surprising to me, after seeing so much of the AntiGMO movement's tactics, rhetoric, and culture.
      They represent a clade that aggressively distrust "MSM" and consensus science. They have ideological leaders who they could trivially discredit with quick objective research. When challenged, they fall quickly to accusations of shilling and conspiracy.

      1. Cathal Garvey (cathal@social.coop)'s status on Friday, 24-Aug-2018 09:30:38 EDT Cathal Garvey

         in reply to

         I'm almost surprised that Trumpism hasn't capitalised on these similarities, because there is so much overlap between Trumpism and the more reactionary elements of "Environmentalism", that it wouldn't take much to rebrand Trumpism for that audience. They already distrust most politics, media, and science, and many of them are already obsessively "local" in outlook. Make your national socialism look more socialist, and put a green twist on it, they're yours. This is a real threat. It can happen.