On the final episode of Reality Asserts Itself with Paul Jay, Chris Hedges answers questions like: "Do you believe the US or Israel will attack Iran?" and "Is there any hope for Bradley Manning?" watch full episode: therealnews.com...
I watched all seven of these interviews and I'm blown away, have heard of Hedges but had no idea he was this much of a straight shooter. He's the only person I've seen give voice to some disturbing conclusions I've arrived at too. I think he speaks the truth. No one is speaking the truth like this guy, in clear, concise language. This is what a real American hero looks like folks!
I use to think most of my fellow Americans were just ignorant of the horrific things we were doing but after seeing a poll where 51% of Americans thought torture was justified, I have to wonder if America has not lost it's soul.
This man gets it. He really understands our situation and what we must do to save ourselves. Chris may despise being called a savior, but if we somehow manage to follow his advice and actually pull ourselves back from the brink, he will be worthy of our worship so long as humanity walks this earth.
I could listen to Chris Hedes for a thousand light years. I feel that today we suffer from such myopia that we would risk irreversibly harming our planet and what sustained us for all these ages, for all that glitters.
I really enjoyed this series. Chris Hedges is very well spoken and concise in his views. I agree with what he says 100% and look forward to seeing more of his works.
"In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, it was planned that way." -- Teddy Roosevelt "America is like a healthy body and its resistance is threefold: its patriotism, its morality and its spiritual life. If we can undermine these three areas, America will collapse from within." -- Joseph Stalin, dictator of the Soviet Union
Good to see all the comments appreciating Chris Hedges, his learning and views. I wish I had the fortitude to read all of Chris' work; I find it very depressing - contemplating where we are all headed. A side point, the interviewer quotes Socrates early on, about keeping our distance from unsuitable people (villains). All idols have feet of clay, and it is interesting to note that Socrates had very close friendship with Alcibiades. The latter is widely known as one of the real sleazy people around that time, e.g. in Thucydides' History of the Pelopennesian War.
There's a British author called Mark Curtis who writes books about Britain's role in the world and being junior partner to the United States since the end of WW2. I've read one of the books: "Web of Deceit". Very detailed and well researched. Bit difficult to read but very revealing. There are a couple of videos of him on youtube.
We don't understand what is done in our name. We see ourselves as a righteous and good people. As Hedges says, "Josef Conrad was right, (in the 'Heart of Darkness'or 'Apocalypse Now') "The horror. The horror."
I live in the USA, I am absolutely aware of the situation. What's more the whole world is invested in our problems financially, pray we can sort this hellish mess out, if we can't everyone will feel the pain, that's globalism for you I never was in favor of it.
I understand your quick dismissal of the thought of running for politics ..BUT... Great leaders are not those who seek great power, but rather, those who have great power thrust upon them.. Have a good day and Thanks again for speaking my thoughts far better than I ever could have....
So is this Part 7 of 7? The thing to do would be to place these seven segments into a youtube playlist. The channel's playlists are a total mess. All of the usual segments -- The Wilderson Report, William Black, etc. should be put into their own individual play lists.
"...They started vaccinating and within four months had an outbreak of over 350 cases of polio." -- Viera Schiebner Ph.D. citing stats from “Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal,” 1991 concerning polio vaccine campaign in several South American countries
EVERYTHING requires management? Mutual agreement and collaboration is needed yes. But no one has to oversee it all. There's no grand manager picks exactly how many crops will be harvested. Nor one who therefore counts exactly how many trucks are needed to transport. Or employees needed to wash and prepare the food, or ones that decide what you are going to eat. And it happened far before any gov agencies to oversee them. So yes the market does work. You use it every day.
He's exactly right and mr. Hedges also has the right attitude saying it should all be non-violent! I would vote for him in a heartbeat instead of voting for those only working for bribes. All the bragging in world about how nice of a person Jimmy Carter is for example has destroyed people's ability to understand why you shouldn't take up with someone taking care of other countries but not this one! To understand what I'm talking about some people need to research (U.S. deaths during nuclear bomb testing). That a half million / 5,000,000 people were killed with nuclear bomb testing and no telling how many made sick this countries never held anyone accountable! Typical of corruption that has run the country. And that set it up where people like Ronald Reagan got elected that was a fascist and a tyrant! I really like your new show thank you for the hard work.
I'm a Hedges fan, but I really wish he would learn what Black Bloc actually is. There are no "members". It is a set of tactics that can be adopted by anyone as much or as little as they want. I think there's a legitimate argument, and tend to agree that property destruction is "a gift to the security state", but we also need to remember that property destruction is not always violence. The Boston Tea Party teaches us that it can be an act of civil disobedience.
Chris hedges is the man! Real recognizes real brother! Peaceful non compliance all the way. Tax revolts and bank runs starve the beast. Real talk thanks real news and chris hedges
"The criminals are protected and those who expose the criminals are persecuted." There is 1 idea which needs to be addressed. It is simply that there is no clearly defined line that segregates the population into (1) the elite (2) everyone else. Many persons who are, by any reasonable definition, part of the elite do not view themselves that way. They view themselves as just "trying to get by" and protecting their family and their possessions. Hence they have little or no guilt.
A good soldier is a blind one, heartless, soulless, murderous machine. He is not a man. He is not even a brute/warrior, for brutes/warriors only kill in self-defense. All that is human in him, all that is divine in him, all that constitutes the man, has been sworn away when he took the enlistment oath. His mind, conscience, eye, his very soul, are in the keeping of his officer. No man can fall lower than a soldier -- it is a depth beneath which we cannot go.
Chris Hedges is right. The environmental situation is dire. It is easy for me to imagine the human race getting its comeuppance simply for refusing to take care of the planet as a first priority. Clearly the priorities of our way of life as a culture do not involve keeping the earth as a viable ecosystem. When you look at the decisions the leaders make that is the conclusion you must reach. A life sustaining environment is not on the top of the list of decision maker priorities.
It will a leader with a revolutionary ideology with a long term vision; negated from, devoid of and subscribing to greed, manipulation, lobbying, corruption, corporated controlled Central Banks, MIC running the Government, and above all not craving to be a global hegemony that could save America.
I would have asked "what is a good contingency plan if peaceful mass protests fail"? The social programming that is in place is intense too say the least and what if our own people continue to serve the elite threat with further blind devotion...? One can only be so peaceful while being physically oppressed and dominated. Sooner or later you must pick up the rod.
As some one who has participated in civil disobedience, I can tell you getting arrested is not something that brings numbers to the street. People want to feel secure, that they can come out, resist, and go home to fight another day. Pacifism is not only a luxury of the wealthy, it goes against peoples basic instinct of self preservation. If your prerequisite for protests is financial and personal martyrdom you will NEVER grow a popular movement.
Interesting watching this during the Ukranian war. The posturing, the finger pointing, the lack of self reflection of Americans of our own empire right now. We "see" everything going on with the Russian empire, but not our own. It's a collective shadow, that is perpetuated by the media. I cannot watch the constant news (which working in health care, is always on.)
Unlike you, I read quite a bit. I'm interested in the text where Hedges said he hated America. He has four children. You think he wants America to fail?
You do realize in countries like Sweden, where they've been privatizing for the last decade. The same decade you point to and say "look how much stuff improves under socialism". You may want to check out how AWESOME Sweden was before it started privatizing in the 1990's, where the most stuff was owned and run by the government.
Responded to an article from Linkedin, written by Stefan Tengblad, Professor i/in Human Resource Management. About a book that won't really change anything, but that Mr. Tengblad believes in. --------- Good day Mr. Tengblad Thought further about our communication. I claim to know that we already live under a symbiosis of fascist rule. I never explained how it came about. Can find it strange that you didn't ask that question, how do I know that and how did it come about? Or what do you think Stefan? So I thought I'd give the simple explanation for the cause, what pattern, what behavior changed? Which gave the hideous consequence, that the politicians have handed over power to the economic elite globally, the West in particular. The incident concretely means that all countries on the planet simply have to follow this created overall system in order not to end up in the "deportation booth". It's about mistakes on the part of the politicians that at least I have a hard time understanding? How can someone who is supposed to be a leader and intellectual act like complete idiots? It's all about economics. Whoever has the power over the global economy, has also been given the power over how things are managed/managed, two ways, 1. with consideration for the people. 2. Or at the elite level where ruthlessness prevails for all people and other life that does not belong to the "divine elite" will be hit very hard. Can be compared to the Nazis' view; "The Aryan race" In the long run, the so-called Elite will meet the same fate. That is the paradox of anything that is abused. Through changes in patterns like this we can understand why the situation has become and is very serious today and the reckless snowball rolls on, as if on autopilot. Which it actually does. When you have created a new system, completely ruthless as in this case, then it is the basic driving force that drives the system towards worse and worse ruthlessness. In systems theory, this is called self-regulation. The driving force is created, and depending on the driving force, it will drive the system into chaos or balance, it is only a matter of time. If you do not reverse this driving force, but unfortunately it has probably gone too far, the autopilot is very difficult to stop. Severe consequences are coming, probably faster than we can think, it is highly probable. How could this happen? Very easy to explain. The politicians had an incredibly stupid (purely psychotic) flash of genius. We are selling off some of our assets, and at the same time opening up for competition against those we currently have left. (most areas) then we get money in quickly and can be decent to our finances at all levels. Today it is basically sold out, and the income is not forthcoming. This started in earnest about 6 decades ago. They simply went into this completely blind to the consequences. Which then developed into a dependency of the market players (Elite) Can be equated with any addiction or addiction. Always the same principle, the short-term kick or feeling that now things will be good. But what happens when you get stuck in an addiction/addiction? As always, one continues with the same “drug or behavior that gives the short-term but long-term lethal kick. So now they have "sucked hard for a long time" so the market players have power over basically everything. Market players don't care at all that people suffer or die. There is only one thing in this diabolical addiction, more money and market forces can never have enough. The very serious consequence of these changed patterns naturally means that more and more people are being kicked out. More and more people are just being used as cheap "robots" as possible to bring more money to the Elite, children as well as adults, the Elite sucks, frankly. Everything that is for man and life goes down, because power has only one overall goal, we must have more and more money. So healthcare, social care, schools etc etc get less and less funds to be able to function. It's already really bad. Differs a bit between countries, the market will fix that, no one escapes in the end. It will spell disaster. People will turn against this fascist system of death. War, famine, etc. are increasing rapidly. The environment will not improve and all other life on the planet will suffer as well, of course. Stefan, you wrote something about how you can't just blame companies etc for this. Unfortunately Stefan, that is the reality. The politicians misused their income for the "devil's advocate" So the development continues to be quite frankly - Go to hell. I hope you understand what I'm describing, basically no one seems to grasp this. We are fed fairy tales about a false reality by the lackeys of the market today, the politicians without any real power. Yet basically everyone is firmly in the belief that this is some kind of natural law. We are deceived by two gangs of addicts, the worst form of a global addiction is now a fact. Concluding with one of my many aphorisms: "I do not believe in any gods, I don't believe in science either, as something absolute. When we decide to believe - then we lose the ability to see the false - and a possible development" Tedestrand Talks #politics #psychologi #religion #systems #beliefsystem #paradigm #lifeissues #marketeconomy #fascism Anders Tedestrand Guide and expert on complex problems in different systems, relationships and situations.
I hope that Chris Hedges sticks by his decision to NOT run for elected office as a member of the Green Party. His voice is too important to be compromised by narrow partisan politics. He's a journalist, as he states quite humbly, a writer who must remain outside of the "system" in order to better serve his calling as a truthful messenger to all of us.
So you think unfettered and unregulated capitalism is a good thing? Marx himself said that the aforementioned is a revolutionary force. I would consider the disaster of multinational corporate capitalism against a little social justice as an unjust comparison.
Chris is gloomy! But he's also dead on accurate. The forces arrayed against We the People are vast, entrenched and control the resources. We the People have the numbers and we are the labor of capital. We must down tools, make mass protest and demand an end to the inhumanity perpetrated against us by those who own the State. Our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico have shown us the way; it is time to follow in their footsteps!
"Depopulation should be the highest priority of the U.S. foreign policy towards the Third World." - Henry Kissinger, National Security Memo 200, 4/24/74
you do realize that sweden nor the scandic countries aren't exactly socialist nor have they ever been. we have certain social programs like education and healthcare, which we believe to be the cornerstones of a healthy nation. and americans just like to scream socialism and communism because of those two things...
Wow! Christ Hedges pretty much sums up his analysis on the general situation in regards to state power and revolution. Theory is not praxis, that is why it is theory. We must analyze on a global level on these matters. The whole of the world is involved in the outcome of it all. Strive for Peaceful Revolution as we sincerely exhaust legal and peaceful methods of struggle, but do not lead people into bloodbaths unarmed. The key has been, is and will remain mass consciousness! @Peta_de_Aztlan
AGW? I don't know what that is. But that's good man...if you and yours have a feeling of obligation to the public or common good...the social contract as it were...you are in the classic model of libertarianism...which is great. Nothing at all wrong with that. But most in this nation embrace the Ayn Rand philosophy....the complete HANDS OFF and let the market take care of everybody. Well.we have seen where that leaves us. Good talking to you sir.
You are labeling me , a card carrying American Libertarian as "extreme right wing" . I would suggest some of the first of my Logic of Liberty columns I wrote for the Manhattan Libertarian's Serf City tabloid on the Liberty page of my CoSy com to why that label is off target .
Hedges needs to dig in to the destructiveness of the statist delusion that the anabolic half of the respiratory cycle of life is to be suppressed and taxed . It is as deadly as the state's armies . Libertarian Gary Johnson was by far the best candidate in 2012 . Next cycle , he'll have competition .
I agree; he's brilliant at make excuses for, and carrying water for, theocratic fascism. Hedges is of the staggeringly simple and massively devious mind that the cause of terrorism is the resistance to it.
"And advanced forms of biological warfare that can 'target' specific genotypes may transform biological warfare from the realm of terror into a politically useful tool." - Project for a New American Century (P.N.A.C.), Rebuilding America's Defenses, (Dick Cheney, Doanld Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Jeb Bush, Elliot Abrams, Libby Lewis) September 2000
Well..if you are a libertarian with a social conscience..good for you. But that makes you separate from the mainstream libertarian movement here in the US today.
