Skeptic

225 readers

1 users here now

The skeptic movement is a collective endeavor that promotes the respect for knowledge and truth, methodological naturalism, science, reason, critical thinking, and consumer protection, and aims to distinguish legitimate science from pseudoscience, uphold ideological freedom, understand cognitive biases, address specific flawed or pseudoscientific claims, maintain cultural memory of past pseudosciences and scams, and improve science communication and journalism.

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

lewosadebu

A New Climate Conspiracy Theory Claims Traffic Control Is an Attack on Freedom (www.scientificamerican.com)

submitted 1 year ago by lewosadebu to c/skeptic

2 comments fedilink hide all child comments

A concept to reduce city traffic called the "15-minute city" is being accused by far-right critics as a Communist-style attack on personal freedoms. This urban planning principle aims to locate resources such as grocery stores, schools, and hospitals within walking distance of homes to lower carbon emissions. Opponents, including former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, have attacked each other's policies that mirror the 15-minute city concept, twisting it into a narrative of oppressive government control.

Misinformation spread on far-right media platforms suggests that efforts to reduce city traffic equate to surveillance and restriction of movement, likening it to "climate lockdowns" and the "Great Reset."

Despite the conspiracy theories, the plan is designed to reduce transit time and greenhouse gas emissions, improving urban life and combatting climate change.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] RoundSparrow 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Despite the conspiracy theories, the plan is designed to reduce transit time and greenhouse gas emissions, improving urban life and combatting climate change.

I think there is an actual conspiracy, with facts and evidence, that oil companies have cultivated an audience of meme and marketing message consumers to believe consuming as much oil as possible is good for the future of the economy. This large audience who lacks self-awareness of just how powerful images and symbols of big corporations have become in their minds. Compulsive defenders of the established iconic oil industry without using reason thinking to understand the science of climate change problems. Even the politics of Levant and Russian oil conflicts seem to not be a concern in their loyalty to the branding of oil sellers.