The so called left wing media is not left wing here is what left really means

I've said it many times CNN and MS-NBC are right wing media outlets. I once heard O'Reilly say, "I have leftists on my show all the time!" Well, when you are as far to the right as O'Reilly EVERYONE is a leftist.

If you want true left wing points of view you have to go to Mother Jones or Truthout.org websites. Here is an article of an interview with Noam Chomsky:

Noam Chomsky: “Worship of Markets” Is Threatening Human Civilization

Now THIS is truly left wing stuff in regards to fossil fuels causing global warming and dire consequences for all humanity:

"That continues to the present. ExxonMobil now proudly declares that it intends to extract and sell all of the 25 billion barrels in its current reserves, while continuing to seek new sources.

Executives are surely aware that this is virtually a death-knell for organized human society in any form that we know, but evidently it doesn’t matter. Looking away with a vengeance.

The suicidal impulses of the fossil fuel industry have been strongly supported by Republican administrations, by now, under Trump, leaving the U.S. in splendid isolation internationally in not only refusing to participate in international efforts to address this existential threat but in devoting major efforts to accelerate the race to disaster."

WOW! Now that's left wing!! Bold statement, "this is virtually a death-knell for organized human society" and "suicidal impulses of the fossil fuel industry" is what I would call left wing commentary. You will never hear this kind of brash left-wing commentary ever coming out of CNN or MS-NBC.

Left is left of center in my opinion. Right is right of center.
What center is can vary.
How wide center is would be the biggest question.
Many people view themselves as center when others view them as being left or right of their own 'center'.

It is subjective.

a reply to: butcherguy

Exactly.

UK lefty here and I'm fairly central when it comes to US Politics....

a reply to: dfnj2015

Yes. Other good examples for leftwing journalism would be counterpunch, truthdig and even The Intercept.

Possibly of value here is Noam Chomsky’s functional definition of class as who it is that gets to decide. Capitalism has always been ‘authoritarian,’ with owners and bosses doing the deciding. Ironically, from the bourgeois perspective, politics finds these same authoritarians determining public policy through their surrogates in the political realm. Donald Trump’s existence is an argument against concentrated power, not who wields it.

www.counterpunch.org...

The establishment media serves as a surrogate for authoritarian power within this political realm, and they are likely not to question the existence of concentrated power (which is essential for their existence with regards to funding and influence). Ever.

originally posted by: butcherguy
Left is left of center in my opinion. Right is right of center.
What center is can vary.
How wide center is would be the biggest question.
Many people view themselves as center when others view them as being left or right of their own 'center'.

It is subjective.

I would say that is accurate.

"Center" is whatever an individual percieves to be average, or median.

There is also the fact that a person can hold both "left", and "right" of center views, depending on the particular issue.

As to the OP, if he is basing his opinion on a single issue (in this case the use of fossil fuels), I cant take him seriously.

CNN, and MSNBC are leftist organizations by almost anyones standards, although I believe their anti Trump agenda gives them little choice in the matter.

As far as I am concerned, both those entities have ceased to be "news outlets", and are now soley purveyors of dem propaganda.

a reply to: dfnj2015

Not to drift too far from the point but i doubt the move by exxonmobile has anything to do with "peak oil". Probably more related to the increased adoption of electric vehicles in my opinion. And the US has handed out plenty to the rest of the world. When i travel internationally i have to tell people i am canadian because people oft do not like americans, regardless of their political affiliation, so i dont mind becoming isolationist.

a reply to: butcherguy

A Democrat from Texas is further to the right than a Republican from New Jersey.

a reply to: drewlander

I agree. Today it is embarrassing and dangerous to call yourself an American in foreign countries.

originally posted by: dfnj2015
a reply to: butcherguy

A Democrat from Texas is further to the right than a Republican from New Jersey.

That is an accurate statement.... from my viewpoint.

Wow, a philosopher gives an opinion on humanity.
Never heard one of them do that before.

Chomsky.....heh

originally posted by: Mach2
CNN, and MSNBC are leftist organizations by almost anyones standards, although I believe their anti Trump agenda gives them little choice in the matter.

As far as I am concerned, both those entities have ceased to be "news outlets", and are now soley purveyors of dem propaganda.

In terms of propaganda, I hope you also realize Fox News is not exactly unbiased reporting. If we are going to use the word "propaganda" in conversations it's probably best to acquire some sophistication about what it means:



In the video they talk about how people are conditioned in such a way that even though they are programmed to think a certain way they truly believe they are thinking for themselves!

The thing about the Noam Chomsky interview is what if it's not propaganda, the scientists are right, and continued use of fossil fuels will have dire consequences. I often hear people complain about scientists having a political agenda. The thing is scientists can make money doing anything. The World needs smart people. Where as the Big Oil interests are singular in their motivations. I don't see a reason they the scientists would lie. Scientists to me seem more interested in having good methods in order to increase their prestige. Lying about something for personal gain is death to a scientist's credibility. Everything a scientist does is about building up credibility and prestige. So if people who have studied climate change are sounding alarms maybe it's real news and not propaganda.

I think we can agree Chomsky's commentary is NOT news but he is presenting a particular interpretation to the facts.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
Wow, a philosopher gives an opinion on humanity.
Never heard one of them do that before.

Chomsky.....heh

Why is it people on the right ALWAYS attack the messenger and not the message? I think people on the right love to worship authority to the point where who is talking is MORE important than what is being said. Maybe that's what it means to be a leftists. When you are a leftist you care more about the message than who is the messenger.

a reply to: dfnj2015

Nice tribalism.

a reply to: dfnj2015

Spare me the line of bull.
And dont you dare pretend that you dont participate in identity politics on this website all the time.
Trump could cure cancer and you would have something negative to say about it because of the messenger.

Of course left leaning sites like CNN dont report the opinions of a philosopher, especially when the word "existential" is used.
Chomsky is so far left that he doesnt need a right leg.

Might as well get out the tarot card and crystals.

a reply to: dfnj2015

Lack of arguments, prepare for the following adhom fallacy in all your future threads.

Wait! You're a philosopher?

originally posted by: Lysergic
a reply to: dfnj2015

Nice tribalism.

Why is it people on the right always accuse anyone of the left of the same accusation a person on the left is making.

Your comment reminds me of an argument I once had with a born-again Christian. I made the point I can't trust someone on the pulpit for giving me information that is not self-serving to the person on the pulpit. I believe absolute authority comes from within. The person I was arguing with replied with, "Who told you that?" I then had an epiphany moment. I realized there is NOTHING I could ever say that would change this guys point of view about what to think, how to think, comes from some authority outside of himself.

So here's how I think my born-again story relates to your comment "nice tribalism". My post was about NOT associating with the messenger but concentrating MORE on the message. The message could come from any tribe. So saying my comment is "tribalism" is like saying not being tribal is a form of tribalism.

I guess your response is typical right wing stuff. Accusing me of tribalism by not being tribal is like making the claim atheism is a belief system like religion. Atheism is not the denial of God. Atheism is simply not having belief in God. Not having something is NOT something.

Same thing with promoting religion in schools and in government. I've heard many people say the left has an agenda or promoting secular government. In other words, not promoting religion in schools and in government is ITSELF a religion. Again, not having something is NOT something.

We are not going to solve the language barrier between right wing and left wing thinking in this forum. Generally, I don't consider my own opinions to be facts. And because the people on the right think their own opinions ARE facts there's really not much common ground.

a reply to: dfnj2015

Why does some guy who says he is on the left think he knows what everyone thinks and tries to put anyone who disagrees on the opposite side.

Yeah tribal .

Congrats

No, man, just no. CNN and MSNBC are not 'right wing media outlets' by any stretch of the imagination.

To be fair, I see the point you are trying to make here, I do. But you are doing the O'Reilly thing in the opposite direction.

Chomsky, Motherjones and those others you named, well, they are just radical, and anything less radical , I guess, you must consider on the right! Right?

a reply to: Bluntone22

I don't participate in identity politics. I think it is delusional to think either party is ever going to solve any real problems faced by the American worker making the median wage. Both parties are owned by the lobbyists. Money equals representation.

What I don't like about Trump is he is a bully. He doesn't care about what he says makes other people's lives miserable. I would prefer he keeps his mouth shut and let his actions do the talking. And let's review so far his major accomplishments. The swamp is full as it ever has been. Tax cuts for the billionaires. And consumer protection laws have been gutted. Seems to me to be the same old trickle-down economics which has never worked except for the billionaires.

I do like Barry Sanders through. Only because his policies make people on the right the most livid.

originally posted by: Maverick1
No, man, just no. CNN and MSNBC are not 'right wing media outlets' by any stretch of the imagination.
To be fair, I see the point you are trying to make here, I do. But you are doing the O'Reilly thing in the opposite direction.
Chomsky, Motherjones and those others you named, well, they are just radical, and anything less radical , I guess, you must consider on the right! Right?

Radical? I was actually thinking Chomsky was a bit of a centrist in 1970's politics.