New York Times takes shot at capitalism in daily crossword puzzle as 'vice encouraged by capitalism'

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Media top headlines February 22

In media news today, Chris Rufo thanks John Oliver for ‘unintentional favor’ following critical race theory monologue, The Washington Post editorial board voices support for federal no-fly list for passengers who disobey mask mandates, and NBC’s Beijing Olympics ratings are called a ‘disaster’ for the network.

The New York Times is being mocked by critics for taking a shot at capitalism in its daily crossword puzzle, referring to the system driving America's economy as an encourager of greed. 

In Tuesday's "The Crossword," the liberal paper left a clue describing column "49 DOWN" as a "Vice encouraged by capitalism," to which "Greed" was the answer. 

Critics quickly took to social media to mock The Times, with one joking that no one living in socialist countries were ever greedy for anything, and another suggesting "The Crossword" was becoming as "ridiculous" as the paper's opinion pages. 

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"Wow. Years ago, when I worked there, it was a great newspaper. If it stays on the current trajectory it won't be a newspaper at all. Just another propaganda outlet," wrote Clifford May, a former New York Times reporter and founder of The Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 

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The Times' take on capitalism as a vice of greed appeared to continue its trend of pieces critical of the economic system. 

One piece published in 2019 as part of the paper's controversial 1619 Project declared that to understand the "brutality" of capitalism in America, one needed "to start on the plantation," referring to slavery in America. 

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Another piece published in late 2020 claimed the coronavirus pandemic showed capitalism was "inadequate," albeit "amazing." 

Alongside the criticism of capitalism by some in the liberal media, socialism's popularity has continued to increase with those on the political left across the U.S. 

A Fox News poll taken last year found that a majority of Democrats favored socialism over capitalism with 59% having a positive view of the former, and 49% a positive view of the latter.