Milton Friedman says there's open and free competition without deception or fraud. Naomi, I noticed that at the end of that statement from Friedman in that New York Times article, he says, open and free Competition without deception or Fraud. So this is where when we begin to scratch below the surface, there's just huge amounts of hypocrisy and even dishonesty in a lot of these arguments because you're right. There are many ironies in our book.
Many on the left say that the growing climate crisis is the inevitable result of unbridled capitalism – industries seeking profits above all else. In “The Big Myth,” Naomi Oreskes (who brought us “Merchants of Doubt”) points to a concerted effort from American business groups to propagate the myth that only markets free of government regulation can generate prosperity and protect political freedom.
“If we actually had appropriate regulations, appropriate rules of the road, we wouldn't be in this position of having to beg corporate leaders not to destroy the planet,” Oreskes says.
This myth has grown so pervasive that American citizens now put more faith in CEOs than in religious leaders, according to David Gelles, author of “The Man Who Broke Capitalism.” What should be done to change the narrative?
Guests:
Naomi Oreskes, Professor of the History of Science, Harvard
David Gelles, Reporter, The New York Times
Kate Khatib, Co-Director, Seed Commons
For show notes and related links, visit https://www.climateone.org/watch-and-listen/podcasts
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices