Marketplace of Ideas

Pimping ethnic diversity or democracy, like pimping poverty or the environment, isn’t anything new. Remember the we are the world Coca-Cola ads?

Nowadays, though, with the advent of unmediated online communication threatening corporate control of public discussion, the marketplace of ideas has been invaded by corporate messaging in the guise of grassroots media. Witness the numerous alternative news sites and blogs funded by neoliberal philanthropies like Ford, Soros, et al.

In fact, if you look at the funders of any well-heeled progressive new media, you’ll find they have ties to the neoliberal philanthropic network. Taking corporate ad money is bad enough; feigning integrity and independence when beholden to thieves who launder blood money via foundation grants is particularly loathsome.