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Astroturfing is a term that has been experiencing an uprising in social conscience that can be easily simplified as the practice of a company, political group or otherwise powerful entity disguising themselves as grassroots organizations and "everyday" participants. This allows the elite to push their agenda while remaining anonymous or hiding their true ties to the average American. I personally see astroturfing as an incredibly unethical, untrustworthy way of creating false support for something, but that is only the beginning of the issue that astroturfing brings to the table. The focus of this post is going to be on the undeniable way in which astroturfing is used to exploit the lower class, and turn them against themselves.
Money Talks
And it talks very loudly for those who struggle to stay afloat in the lower class. One way in which astroturfing is achieved is through gathering people to demonstrate or speak publicly for, or against, something, usually a bill, law or other legal decision. As should be obvious, there is one foolproof way to gather people together inorganically, but in a way that seems organic - you pay them money and make them sign documents stating that they would lose that money if they told anyone about it. This is exactly what happened when the PR company working for the company Entergy hired people from a company called Crowds on Demand to speak in favor of a power plant. On paper, this might not seem like a huge issue. After all, the company needed this done, and these people needed money right? The issue arrives when astroturfing exploits their paid activists - those who are likely struggling to afford rent, raise their child, or just looking for a big breakthrough - to act against themselves and each other in exchange for what is, to the elite, at least, absolute chump change.
People are Profit, and Profit Resides Above People
America, much like most countries in the world, exists where a small minority of people both own most of the money and hold most of the power. As the top 1% own almost as much wealth as the entire middle class, and as the elite are not the personal majority, they must take extra, precise steps to protect their wealth without exposing themselves. Wealth inequality is a big problem in America, and the elite know this just as much as the rest of us - although, they know this in much more of a business scope. Think of the elite's use of paid demonstrators as they do - nothing more than a cheap business expense. Let's look at a hypothetical. A grocery store corporation earning millions, perhaps even billions a year, is one public hearing away from closing a deal that will allow them to expand their business into new ventures - gardening. The corporation sees that they will need some public support to make this happen, so they find some people willing to support them - for a price. 50 local citizens show up to the hearing, and 15 of them speak in favor of the business move - mostly reiterating one another. They were each paid $100, with the speakers earning an additional $50. While those in the middle class may be fortunate enough to have a job paying them this much for a day of work, this is simply not a reality for the lower class. $100 could be the difference between eviction for a struggling single mother, or it could be the chance for that poor family to finally, finally afford to eat out together - just once.
Source: The Lens New Orleans
This small boost of financial gain is wonderful in the short term for these citizens, and the corporation only had to shell out less than $6000 to make it happen. Unfortunately, though, this move ultimately destroys the community. After the store expands into gardening, offering cheaper prices, locally owned and operated greenhouses, gardening stores and flower shops are forced to close up shop as they no longer make enough money to sustain. As these small businesses close, so do the jobs of all the local residents they employed. Suddenly, the community sees a strong upswing in unemployment, and as unemployment rises, so does illegal employment. More drugs appear on the streets, more youth turn to gang activity as they have no other direction in life - the consequences go on. It is a long, slow, methodical process in which there truly is only one winner - the corporation who used astroturfing to achieve their own corporate success. Some may say this is simply just intelligent business. I say it is complete exploitation of those who are desperate, those who truly have no other choice. Astroturfing is, seemingly, simply another cog in the wheel which serves to line the pockets of the top, and deplete those of the bottom.
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