I think green shirt’s statement is a dogwhistle. I don’t think someone advocating degrowth would have used the same words. As a supporter of degrowth myself, I don’t think degrowth means the same thing as “reducing living standards”. For example I don’t own a car, and I’m happier riding a bike every day. Less growth increased my standard of living. I’m also vegan, and I rarely miss meat. I prefer the lack of guilt over the taste of meat. So I don’t think my standard of living is any lower for having abandoned my reliance on animal subjugation and excessive land and water use. I don’t think degrowth has to mean giving up the internet, or clean drinking water, or medicine, or many of the actual benefits of living in a developed nation.