Paperback, 432 pages
Published Oct. 2, 2003 by Vintage.
"A major new collection from "arguably the most important intellectual alive" (The New York Times). Noam Chomsky is universally accepted as one of the preeminent public intellectuals of the modern era. Over the past thirty years, broadly diverse audiences have gathered to attend his sold-out lectures. Now, in Understanding Power, Peter Mitchell and John Schoeffel have assembled the best of Chomsky's recent talks on the past, present, and future of the politics of power. In a series of enlightening and wide-ranging discussions, all published here for the first time, Chomsky radically reinterprets the events of the past three decades, covering topics from foreign policy during Vietnam to the decline of welfare under the Clinton administration. And as he elucidates the connection between America's imperialistic foreign policy and the decline of domestic social services, Chomsky also discerns the necessary steps to take toward social change. With an eye to political activism …
"A major new collection from "arguably the most important intellectual alive" (The New York Times). Noam Chomsky is universally accepted as one of the preeminent public intellectuals of the modern era. Over the past thirty years, broadly diverse audiences have gathered to attend his sold-out lectures. Now, in Understanding Power, Peter Mitchell and John Schoeffel have assembled the best of Chomsky's recent talks on the past, present, and future of the politics of power. In a series of enlightening and wide-ranging discussions, all published here for the first time, Chomsky radically reinterprets the events of the past three decades, covering topics from foreign policy during Vietnam to the decline of welfare under the Clinton administration. And as he elucidates the connection between America's imperialistic foreign policy and the decline of domestic social services, Chomsky also discerns the necessary steps to take toward social change. With an eye to political activism and the media's role in popular struggle, as well as U.S. foreign and domestic policy, Understanding Power offers a sweeping critique of the world around us and is definitive Chomsky. Characterized by Chomsky's accessible and informative style, this is the ideal book for those new to his work as well as for those who have been listening for years."
Chomsky talking on all his favorite subjects - edited, transcribed, and heavily footnoted (in a separate PDF !?) mostly from discussions and Q&A periods throughout the 90s, so his clear straightforward language comes through very personably.
This is the first time I read Chomsky. The book is a collection of his talks, given in several locations and dates around the U.S. It presents a pretty comprehensive and down to earth overview of his ideas: political, social, economical and philosophical.
I agree with lots of his thoughts, and feel inspired to look for more of his work to deepen my understanding of his ideas. He spouses a left wing libertarian view, sometimes characterised as anarcho-syndicalism, which nI find myself instinctively agreeing with very often.
This book has provided me with a lot of ideas and questions to focus my work and future endeavours on. Mainly the idea that we should strive to empower regular people over their lives and work. Resisting the dehumanising and profit driven monster that threatens the destruction of our environment.
I also found it pretty uncanny how he almost predicted the current political …
This is the first time I read Chomsky. The book is a collection of his talks, given in several locations and dates around the U.S. It presents a pretty comprehensive and down to earth overview of his ideas: political, social, economical and philosophical.
I agree with lots of his thoughts, and feel inspired to look for more of his work to deepen my understanding of his ideas. He spouses a left wing libertarian view, sometimes characterised as anarcho-syndicalism, which nI find myself instinctively agreeing with very often.
This book has provided me with a lot of ideas and questions to focus my work and future endeavours on. Mainly the idea that we should strive to empower regular people over their lives and work. Resisting the dehumanising and profit driven monster that threatens the destruction of our environment.
I also found it pretty uncanny how he almost predicted the current political catastrophe unfolding in the United States. He saw the disenchantment and the anti intellectualism that provided fertile ground for the rise of this neo fascist political scenario.
