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response to recent trends rule

here are some hyper-polluting individuals:

  • the Rolling Stones’ Boeing 767 (5,046 tonnes of CO2)
  • Lawrence Stroll (1,512 flights)
  • Thirty-nine jets linked to 30 Russian oligarchs – (30,701 tonnes of CO2)

relevant quote:

But I will say this, a movement can't get along without a devil, and across the whole political spectrum there is a misogynistic tendency to choose a female devil, whether it's Anita Bryant, Hillary Clinton, Marie Antoinette, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, or J.K. Rowling [or Taylor Swift]. And there's always gonna be people who seize on any opportunity to be misogynistic. So I would advise trans people and our allies [or environmentalists] to keep in mind, that J.K. Rowling [Taylor Swift] is not the final boss of transphobia [anti-environmentalism]. She's not our devil. The devil is the Republican Party, the Conservative Party.

—Natalie Wynn (emphasis and bracket text mine)

edit: if you can’t respond to this without using the c*nt expletive it is not helping your case lmao. mods are we okay with this? in any case, please don’t feed the trolls.

edit 2/FAQ: “but why did she threaten legal action against that college kid though?” still shitty, but refer to this comment for a good explanation of the context behind that decision.

She only threatened legal action since those memes started before when her flight movements got the attention of the right in an attempt to make her less credible of a voice speaking out against trump. And knowing how batshit insane trump cultists can be and how she’s basically the single most hated person of his base I’m not surprised that she feared for her security. Those records were public for years but the legal action only happened after someone created that meme and even fox news suddenly cared about plane emissions…

and another good comment

[…] For Swift, this is legitimate fear. I don't know if you've ever experienced actual fear for your life, but it's crippling, and it effects your psyche. To experience that on a daily basis because of an app? You bet your goddamn ass I'm going to talk to my lawyers about what my options are.

sources/timeline for the above:

boborhrongar ,
@boborhrongar@lemmy.world avatar

"yeah you're right but can you be right more quietly, there's other things to be right about"

Really bizarre honestly. This is just how meme culture is, kinda. It's whatever's culturally relevant, and Taylor Swift is culturally relevant.

t0fr ,
@t0fr@lemmy.ca avatar

We already did Elon Musk, now we're on Taylor Swift, the next one? Who knows

Roflmasterbigpimp ,
@Roflmasterbigpimp@lemmy.world avatar

Is it really that bad with the Memes?
It's not like people will see a Plane Meme and go "Time to vote for fascists!".

There are so many of them now because they are new and easy to make, I guess. Sure it's never nice If someone you like I getting memed about for a bad thing he/she did. But just wait some Time and they will turn down and then stop.

spujb OP ,

in my view, it’s about directing the attack in the right direction. as we speak, there are dozens of oil and airline lobbyists, conservative scum, who are fully taking the benefit of Swift being the one in the limelight instead of them.

i don’t like giving those capital owners any more freebies than they already get just for existing.

Roflmasterbigpimp ,
@Roflmasterbigpimp@lemmy.world avatar

Okay that's true, tho. Someone should come up with an Meme format about these pricks. It needs to be easy to make and versatile to use 🤔

III ,

You really should read up on how people are recruited to the alt right. It literally starts with comments like you just made. It's not a quick jump to "yay fascism" but you have already taken the first step.

ILikeBoobies ,

Lol, they didn’t take the first step

They helped someone else take it

Roflmasterbigpimp ,
@Roflmasterbigpimp@lemmy.world avatar

You know what? I wrote an Comment why your Argument is BS. That I'm actively working to get Germanys far-right Party banned, that I'm a Party-Member and organise anti Fascists Rally's.

But I don't need to prove to a random Internet Person like you anything. I can just say:"You are wrong and you have no Clue about what you are talking." And then I just block you! Tadaaa! Much less trouble. :P

Fuctangle ,

Billionaires Aren't People

xenoclast ,

The best way to make it easy to commit crimes against other humans is to turn them into non people.

I however see no problem in this instance. Carry on.

absentbird ,

Corporations aren't people, billionaires literally are; that's the problem, no single human should have such an out sized share.

Flumpkin , (edited )

That Thank you for putting this so well. Now we're entering the next phase, progressives arguing and attacking each other while climate inaction continues uninterrupted :D

LemmyKnowsBest ,

That you?

Flumpkin ,

You have my deepeds thats for pointing thank out

LemmyKnowsBest ,

You're giving me a headache

tanja ,

Based take

Feminism goes brrrr, as it should ✨🚀

EvokerKing ,

No I'm pretty sure most of us just make the memes about her because her music sucks ass, not because she's a woman.

uriel238 ,
@uriel238@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

I assume the jet thing is just an excuse because Taylor Swift is the target du jour of the MAGA movement. They don't care about the jet use of anyone else but are actively making up shit about Swift.

This isn't about principles. It's just about othering.

Hawk ,

This is about Swift trying to take down the guy aggregating PUBLIC flight data because it inconveniences her.

Xanis ,

I'm going to point out something else that, unfortunately, will feel like an attack to some, though I hope my viewpoint is sound:

Taylor Swift is a product of an industry supported by us. Maybe not you, the reader, specifically, though by a couple billion around the world, across often only dozens of artists. That is entertainment. That is the industry. A byproduct and need of this career is travel and you certainly aren't taking a sailboat across the Atlantic to meet deadlines. Now, I am not blaming us. As always it is the industry and those expectations that should be blamed. We are a tiny part of a larger, global issue, though discriminated against and blamed due to our lack of individual authority. Gaslighting is a hell of a drug.

So while I can question Swift's initial amount of private flights, I will also point out that her hopping in a plane is likely akin to us driving a car, in the essence of usage of resources. We all use in excess to some degree and she did dial it back. That alone is important. Finally, I want to call out the bandwagoners and the envious.

I haven't knowingly listened to a single Taylor Swift song. Not sure I could name one tbh. Though for all the energy those of you who are envious put into criticism of what I can tell is one of the lesser evils amongst the many billionaires ruining this planet, you could be doing more and better. I'll admit, many of the memes were rather funny and dunking on someone with the wealth to afford a team of private therapists can be enjoyable, it has bothered me that we leaned so hard on seemingly (so far) the one wealth enjoyer with a bit of empathy.

Anyway, on the toilet at work. So if you need a reason for this there you go. lol I recognize that I probably don't have all the info. Plenty of people will likely come out with some nitpicked story or article or claim. On the scope of actual problems though? Taylor isn't one of them, I feel. At least not yet. Hopefully not ever.

Bleach7297 ,
@Bleach7297@lemmy.ca avatar

Seems to me it is when we are on the toilet that we are at our most reasonable.

I also know next to nothing about Taylor Swift, but if her "Swifties" want it, I wouldn't be surprised if she's one of the first jet-setting celebs with a hydrogen or electric aircraft.

I think it would be smart PR, as well as 'the right thing to do,' for her to invest in some companies to help herself (and the rest of us) get to that point.

JJROKCZ ,

Let’s not forget that at least 50 of Lawrence’s flights are F1 races scattered around the globe in a horrible order for environmental concerns and are increasingly hosted in oil barren countries because F1 loves blood/oil money more than anything

jaybone ,

Is this Reddit?

Gtfo I can’t downvote this shit enough.

kattenluik ,

Ah yes, a text post with informative links... This must be Reddit!

What could possibly even be your problem with this post?

ArmokGoB ,

It's not a text post. It's an image post that should be a text post.

kattenluik , (edited )

It's a cute graphic for a post like this, who cares about nitpicking things like this. It's also in 196 which revolves around images.

spujb OP ,

thanks i thought it was cute too :3

Neon ,

This Post is trying to hide the fact that she sent out legal threats to shut down a completely legal account and instead tries to make it all about her being a woman.

That's my Problem with the Post.

Musk tried it and got shit for it. Why should she be any different?

Donjuanme ,

Seems to be covered in the edit... Yet your comment isn't....

spujb OP ,

hi, OP here, not trying to hide this fact at all. in fact i think it’s a very important part of the story to know. :)

here it is: Taylor Swift sends cease-and-desist letter to student tracking her private jets, says she's in 'constant state of fear'

wildginger ,

Insane to defend a multimillionaire just because shes a woman. Especially when she isnt even the first person the internet criticized for airplane waste.

Youre the person being mocked by eric andres "girl power" bit

kattenluik ,

I don't see any defending especially just because she's a woman, I see a post trying to point out that there's bigger better targets than the current popular one.

Choosing the most popular person there is right now seems counterintuitive to me either way.

wildginger ,

Shes a target because she sent legal threats to a person posting public flight details about private flights.

For the same reason musk was a target, after he did the exact same thing for the exact same reason.

kattenluik ,

I mean that's stupid, but I don't feel like that'd be the only reason nor does it actually matter in the full context of this post.

janabuggs ,

Spujb is good people. I appreciate all the content you post.

So in all honesty, I have been adamantly anti Taylor Swift since the moment I learned there was a new pop star, but this is only because I hate all pop stars and anything corporate. I appreciate the reminder to check yourself on misogyny though. That really does slip into our subconscious so easily.

You know what hate brigade I am praying for? Dave fucking Grohl. I cannot think of a more neutral ass corporate shill.

spujb OP ,

holy shit homie this means a lot thank you 🫶

TimewornTraveler ,

Yeah, criticizing the Rolling Stones in 2024 is totally equivalent to criticizing Taylor Swift, yeah let's pivot right to that. Ignore the fact that she's arguably the most popular musician on earth right now, just played a major cultural event, and all recent events.... no, let's go back to a washed up classic rock band and meme on them instead. Yeah, that'll work.

Fucking Swifties dude.....

spujb OP ,

honestly, for me personally? the fact a “washed up classic rock band,” as you put it, is outputting more CO2 than an actually-relevant Swift? that’s a huge difference and reason to be all the more critical of The Rolling Stones. like what are they even doing all that for lol.

i criticize both and defend neither.

kernelle ,

Yeah it sucks they seem to get a free pass, there certainly is an element of truth in this post. However, I still think the post is fighting the wrong battle. Memes will pass and Swift has certainly caused this shitstorm herself by threatening to sue a regular joe over public accessible information.

It's a general accepted truth rich people and companies have been spewing the majority of CO2 emissions, and this post is just a whole load of "whataboutisms".

I genuinely can't believe I'm the first one to actively press the downvote button on this post, what a load of bullshit.

spujb OP ,

this instance has downvotes disabled which is why you are seeing as though you are the first to downvote.

i hear and understand your position, and fear not you are not alone in your opinion :)

kernelle ,

Oh that didn't occur to me, I retract the last part of my comment!

barsoap ,

I only know Taylor Swift from Americans talking about her. Presumably she's "the biggest in the world" just like the Superbowl is the biggest TV or sports event in the world, which it isn't.

TimewornTraveler ,

I'm just speaking to how she recently set a world record

wrekone ,

The Rolling Stones have become the first act to reach the top 10 in the United States with new albums in every decade since the 1960s.

They may be decrepit, but they're still massively popular. Just not so much among young people.

https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67283429

TeenieBopper ,

I just... I can't bring myself to give a shit about Taylor Swift's airplanes when BP and Shell still exist and capitalism is still the dominant economic system.

spujb OP ,

based

DarthFrodo ,

BP and Shell only have that much power exacly because people buy fossil fuels from them. If demand would drop, their profits and political power would drop accordingly. As long as we don't even hold the biggest financiers of these companies responsible, how can anything change? Demand drives supply.

It's like saying "As long as hitmans exist, I won't give a shit about the people who pay hitmans, all consumption under capitalism is unethical anyways so anything goes." As long as we ignore those who actually fund the problem, we won't be able to fix anything.

pup_atlas ,

No they have so much power because decades of lobbying have made it impossible to get anywhere without traveling on a road in a car— Which uses gas. This is not a problem citizens can feasibly solve, this sort if problem can only be fixed with government intervention.

dumpsterlid ,

Maybe this time we can solve our problems by simply just hating a powerful, successful woman though.

SphereofWreckening ,

*By simply hating a billionaire.

Some of the criticism levied against Taylor Swift is definitely rooted in sexism, misogyny, and political bias: but not all of it.

To lump everyone criticizing Taylor Swift into the same group as the misogynists and sexists is disingenuous. She deserves criticism and is not free of it just because she's a woman.

She's also one of the most famous people in the world. So of course she's going to get more flack from her visibility alone.

Thus the following can be true: Taylor Swift isn't the only one that deserves criticism from her private jet usage. And there are those that would criticize her in bad faith because of her political alignments/because she's a woman. But even then the criticism she has received is still completely valid.

No billionaire deserves or needs special treatment.

dumpsterlid ,

I mean yeah definitely fair, i don’t disagree billionaires shouldn’t exist.

SphereofWreckening ,

I appreciate the reply. I feel like a lot of people in this thread are failing to articulate themselves properly. Though there are clearly some commenters that have (very) misogynistic views that need to be checked.

pup_atlas ,

My comment has nothing to do with Taylor Swift. In fact, I’m a fan of hers. I’m entirely talking about the companies, BP and Shell.

capital ,

Call me weird but when I condemn an action, I do it equally without regard for what’s between the person’s legs.

DarthFrodo ,

I agree that many urban areas need a lot more and better public transport, which is a systemic solution.

In rural regions it's not practical to build enough infrastructure to replace private transport though. Electric cars are a good solution there and will also get more affordable in the next years (over the lifetime they are already roughly as cheap as gas cars).

Deceptichum ,
@Deceptichum@sh.itjust.works avatar

I can give a shit about both and more.

Imagine if we could only give a shit about one threat to our existence at a time. We’d be ignoring a billion others.

Bleach7297 ,
@Bleach7297@lemmy.ca avatar

Imagine replying to a comment that is clearly about relative impacts, and twisting it so that it sounds like the person you are replying to has some sort of fundamental deficiency in how they perceive the world.

How wonderfully ironic!

TeenieBopper ,

I mean, kudos to you for having the energy to get so far down the list of things that actually matter about climate change that you reach the one person and a few private jets section of the list, but I'd rather use that brain space to play a board game or something.

Deceptichum ,
@Deceptichum@sh.itjust.works avatar

Yet you have the energy to complain about me doing it.

Psychodelic ,

All energy use is equal! Also, nuance does not exist, and actually, it never did!

absentbird ,

Taylor Swift isn't a threat to our existence, her plane emits 8000 tons of CO2 a year, roughly equivalent to the emissions of two thousand cows. At least she pays for carbon offsets.

SpunkyMcGoo ,

why am i supposed to care about this person? why do people keep talking about her? i don't care!!!!!!!

Ultragramps , (edited )
@Ultragramps@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

She has caused Republican thinktanks to panic by not supporting their candidate for president. She is the new Hillary Clinton, and if that name doesn't ring a bell, I am not trained to help you.

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