An unexpected (and arguably unwelcome) fashion crossover between Crocs and luxury brand Balenciaga prompted a capitalism-bashing tweet from taxpayer-funded National Public Radio.
It’s no surprise that a rubber clog/slipper with a heel probably isn’t the most important invention of our time (or any other time for that matter), but using one example to mock all of capitalism probably didn’t have the effect that NPR was expecting. Posting their article on the shoe titled “And Now, Crocs With Stilletto Heels,” the outlet captioned the tweet, “CaPitAliSm bReEds InNovAtiOn.”
This didn’t sit well with people who correctly noted that they are a taxpayer-funded organization that receives the fruits of capitalist endeavors.
Of course, as with all poorly-received attempts at snark, NPR quickly backtracked by saying it was supposed to be a “joke.”
CaPitAliSm bReEds InNovAtiOnhttps://t.co/nQVknVo1ms
— NPR (@NPR) June 10, 2021
“Not people in the mentions fighting over a joke about foam stilettos,” the outlet followed up, adding a crying emoji for effect.
not people in the mentions fighting over a joke about foam stilettos 😭
— NPR (@NPR) June 11, 2021
Twitter users took exception to the “joke” and let their opinions be known, even calling to defund the organization.
The irony of using this caption on a piece of publicly-funded free advertising for this product.
— Noam Blum (@neontaster) June 11, 2021
Defund NPR
— Cernovich (@Cernovich) June 11, 2021
You’re NPR, you really don’t have a leg to stand on here.
— Libertarian Party of Texas (@LPTexas) June 11, 2021
Man oh man do you need a good budget cut.
— Gerry (@GerryDales) June 11, 2021
I like NPR, but this is cringeworthy. Capitalism literally and demonstrably does breed innovation, even if there are warts to it and necessary guardrails.
— minnesorta (@minnesorta) June 11, 2021
It’s still a hell of a lot better than communism at breeding innovation, even if some of the products are silly. 🤷🏻♀️
— Amanda Beres (@ARC91681) June 11, 2021
Coming from npr, this is objectively the funniest tweet that has ever existed. Im reading is in terry gross’ voice.
— Turtle Honda (@GodDammitMike) June 11, 2021
Others noticed that these tweets seem out of place for a “mature” outlet such as NPR.
Is this really the twitter account of one of the most allegedly most grown-up news sources in the United States?
— Jacob T. Levy (@jtlevy) June 11, 2021
This is our tax dollars at work, apparently
— AJ (@realajoster) June 11, 2021
Kinda edgy text copy for NPR. Guess the interns are posting tonight?
— Caryn Coln (@CarynColn) June 10, 2021
Pretty safe to assume this was tweeted by a young intern, not like… Mara Liasson
— Drueisms (@Drueisms) June 11, 2021
Even Sen. Ted Cruz’s national security advisor got involved just to call young people “insufferable.” With this being his example, he may have a point.
Children are insufferable. https://t.co/4RZ4Bn4IUB
— Omri Ceren (@omriceren) June 11, 2021
The hits just keep coming for NPR this year. Earlier in May national correspondent Sarah McCammon issued a tweet suggesting that journalists now need to wear bulletproof vests in order to do their jobs on American streets.
It was quickly deleted after people reminded her that journalists do not, in fact, have the most dangerous job on the planet.
“My bulletproof vest that I may need to be a journalist in America arrived and they sent me a Small and I had to adjust it to make it a little smaller and for a moment I was happy that I was too small for my bulletproof vest that I need to do journalism in America,” she said.
It looks like the outlet’s penchant for exaggeration wasn’t dampened by the backlash to McCammon’s tweet.
No sympathy for NPR correspondent whining about bulletproof vest she ‘needs’ to do journalism in America https://t.co/OptjQUVUC8 pic.twitter.com/7E2sbhxxOf
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) May 6, 2021
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Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to BizPac Review.
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