The Atlas Network and its toxic messages to the Stink Tanks
Who are the the Stink Tanks?
Posing as impartial advisers, these "Think Tanks" provide reports and articles designed to direct governments, and educational and other social organisations, towards policies that improve the profits of big corporations, and remove barriers to their profits, The barriers would be regulations, especially those involved with protecting the environment, and the rights of indigenous people.
How does the Atlas Network operate to spread these messages?
Apart from some funding, and training support, the real focus of the Atlas Network is on LANGUAGE - teaching the stink tanks how to use words to manipulate thinking. George Orwell alerted the world to the way in which fascism uses language, and wrote of Newspeak. Now the Atlas Network perfects the method - repetitively using vague and deceptive words to convey a lying message that is aimed at molding public opinion.
Sometimes these words are straightout lies: sometimes just vague words in which the meaning is distorted. The word "Elite" is a good example - now used to discredit scientists and other experts, so that the public comes to distrust them, and to rubbish their opinions, and their reports, particularly about regulations to protect the environment and indigenous rights.
FEAR is indeed the currency of the Atlas Network. Fear and distrust of regulations, of officers and organisations involved in human rights and environmental protection. So these stink tanks work to weaken laws, and discredit agencies of human support - such as the United Nations.
Side by side with those messages of fear, come the lying messages of reassurance - for example the story that global heating is not happening, or, if it is, it has nothing to do with human activities, -greenhouse gas emissions. So we don't need to worry, or to do anything to stop these emissions. So we are reassured that nuclear power is "clean "green" "safe" "cheap" "nothing to do with weapons" .
What is the motive of the Atlas Network?
Are they evil? Wanting to harm people? Hating the environment?
NO - it's just one simple thing - company profits. Freedom - defined as - Nothing should impede corporate profits.
This month we shall no doubt see some wonderful activity by the hundreds of stink tanks affiliated with the Atlas Network, leading up to, and beyond, the COP 28 Climate Summit, as they parrot out soothing messages about how all is well, in control, we don't need to act on climate change.
And who funds the Atlas Network?
Fossil fuel companies and tobacco firms. Atlas has received funding from Koch Family Foundations, the Bradley Foundation. DonorsTrust and Donors Capital Fund. The Atlas Network receives much of its funding from libertarian and right-wing organizations and individuals
What can we do about this?
Well, I don't know - but at least we can be alert to their language - alert to those repetitive, misleading words:
There are the "hooray" words - "justice", "life", "freedom" and those "positives" - "clean" "green" etc.
There are the "negatives" -"Hitler, "taxes" - and words used negatively "elites" "bureaucrat", "government official" and "public servant ".
And as well, there are vague, really, almost meaningless words - that waffle, weaken, and obscure the argument- "may" "can" "could" "might" , "arguably".