Companies knew for decades recycling was not viable but promoted it regardless, Center for Climate Integrity study finds
Plastic producers have known for more than 30 years that recycling is not an economically or technically feasible plastic waste management solution. That has not stopped them from promoting it, according to a new report.
“The companies lied,” said Richard Wiles, president of fossil-fuel accountability advocacy group the Center for Climate Integrity (CCI), which published the report. “It’s time to hold them accountable for the damage they’ve caused.”
Multivariate analysis indicates that economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while average citizens and mass-based interest groups have little or no independent influence. The results provide substantial support for theories of Economic-Elite Domination and for theories of Biased Pluralism, but not for theories of Majoritarian Electoral Democracy or Majoritarian Pluralism. Source
You know how ridiculous it looks to try to justify inaction, since nothing will ever affect change (per that stupid link of yours), so why bother?
You're so busy to try to win an Internet argument, and save face for being called out on something, that you post some kind of really dumb link on something so abstract that no one gives a crap about, instead of just taking a moment and thinking about "hey maybe if I made that phone call my local rep will see that their constituents are interested in the subject and will actually bring it up when they're in Washington".
You are part of the problem that you're bitching and moaning about here on Lemmy.
No. You’re part of the problem. Liberals think they can create radical change in the capitalist system through voting and reforms, when that is empirically not the case.
All of Marx’s economic works, mainly The Capital, seek to show that it is not possible to solve the problems of capitalism through reforms, as Proudhon wanted. Source.
We are under threat from fascism because of liberalism.
The immediate point: those looking for salvation in electoral politics are unlikely to find it. Source.
I do not advocate inaction. I want people to educate themselves and organize. I don’t care about losing internet arguments.
Fine. You win. Now, read and learn of things that might help you better create change.
Organizing can sometimes be as simple as "hey lets all call a senator to pressure them and lock up the phone lines and staff". The idea that strikes or revolutions are the only things that effect change is silly. Those just hurt the most but they are the hardest to organize as well.
Liberals think they can create radical change in the capitalist system through voting and reforms,
You know, talking to your local house representative isn't a "liberal" thing to do, it's an American citizenry thing to do.
And I guarantee you, if enough of us did that, on a regular basis, so that those Representatives are fearful for their positions if they go against the will of their constituents, you would see actual change happen.
You won't see change if we just complain about things on an Internet forum.
By the way, that Cambridge paper you quoted, is from 2014. Politics has changed since then. And, that paper doesn't discuss at all about the issue of the citizenry being inactive and not forcing their will onto those they elect. It also mentions where citizenry through special interest groups like labor unions can affect change.
Even Marxists who live in a democratic country could potentially benefit from speaking to their local elected representative. Beats waiting around for a revolution that will never come.