BlackRock CEO Larry Fink Calls “Woke Era” A “Failed Experiment”, Here’s 5 ESG Stocks Making U-Turns

When asked a leading political question on the famously unbiased FOX News, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink did his best to dodge and answer diplomatically but still got slapped with some misleading, clickbaity headlines (see above).

In the clip, journalist William Bret Baier asks the co-founder of the largest money-management firm in the world, “Do you believe the woke era a failed experiment? The ESG, the DEI, the kind of push for that. When you talk about things you talk in a practical sense, what we can do, what we can get done. Looking back at that, how do you see it?”

You see the slight of hand there? Yeah, because it’s not very slight. Baier’s leading the topic to FOX’s agenda, putting words in Fink’s mouth and in the question equates not being woke as being practical.

Note that the quotes in this headline (and all the other clickbait headlines that reported on this) all quote Baier and not Fink. So whilst Baier might not have physically put words in Fink’s mouth, this publication certainly has.

I Fink He Fell Into A Trap

Because what Fink actually responded was way less incendiary, clearly trying to appease all camps and not end up as a headline, here’s his full response:

“Society moves, the pendulum moves all the time. In BlackRock’s case we are responsible for managing money for everybody. And even today, as you said, these, you know, renewables are less talked about. I could tell you right now we have many investors world wide investing in renewables trying to emphasise solar and other things like that. We’re working with occidental petroleum right now trying to build the best carbon capture factories in Texas right now. So do I believe the pendulum five years ago was too far? Yes.”

Then Baier’s ears prick up because he heard what he wants to hear, “You do?” he says.

“Do I believe we’re more pragmatic? And I’m personally more pragmatic and I believe…”

Baier jumps in again, “Do you believe BlackRock pushed some companies a little bit further left than you thought?”

“It was never our intention because our job is to be… I gotta be a fiduciary to everybody who gives us money…”

Omg, sorry, I’m transcribing this by hand and I’m only half way through, cba, this is taking ages. We’ll call it there, you get the point.

But you see what I mean? He kind of agrees, but idk, I just don’t like the leading question and then the internet running with the out of context quotes. Me included.

Oh, crap, I never got round to the five ESG Stocks Making U-Turns right now! Ahhhh!! My journalistic integrity! It’s melting! MELTING!! AHHHHHHHHH!!!!