Understanding Power
The Indispensable Chomsky
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Narrated by:
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Robin Bloodworth
About this listen
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.
©2002 Noam Chomsky, Peter Rounds Mitchell, and John Schoeffel (P)2014 Audible, Inc.You may also enjoy...
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Consequences of Capitalism
- Manufacturing Discontent and Resistance
- Written by: Noam Chomsky, Marv Waterstone
- Narrated by: Donald Corren
- Length: 14 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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How do politics shape our world, our lives, and our perceptions? How much of “common sense” is actually driven by the ruling class’ needs and interests? And how are we to challenge the capitalist structures that now threaten all life on the planet? Consequences of Capitalism exposes the deep, often unseen, connections between neoliberal “common sense” and structural power. In making these linkages, we see how the current hegemony keeps social justice movements divided and marginalized. And, most importantly, we see how we can fight to overcome these divisions.
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Disconnected Fear Mongering
- By AdamGoodwin on 2022-05-30
Written by: Noam Chomsky, and others
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Manufacturing Consent
- The Political Economy of the Mass Media
- Written by: Edward S. Herman, Noam Chomsky
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 15 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In this pathbreaking work, now with a new introduction, Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky show that, contrary to the usual image of the news media as cantankerous, obstinate, and ubiquitous in their search for truth and defense of justice, in their actual practice they defend the economic, social, and political agendas of the privileged groups that dominate domestic society, the state, and the global order.
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Chomsky is a genius.
- By Martha Parada on 2018-04-16
Written by: Edward S. Herman, and others
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Who Rules the World?
- Written by: Noam Chomsky
- Narrated by: Brian Jones
- Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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In an incisive, thorough analysis of the current international situation, Noam Chomsky argues that the United States, through its military-first policies and its unstinting devotion to maintaining a world-spanning empire, is both risking catastrophe and wrecking the global commons.
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A must read
- By Anonymous User on 2021-04-22
Written by: Noam Chomsky
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Fateful Triangle
- The United States, Israel, and the Palestinians (Updated Edition)
- Written by: Noam Chomsky
- Narrated by: Brian Jones
- Length: 30 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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From its establishment to the present day, Israel has enjoyed a special position in the American roster of international friends. In Fateful Triangle, Noam Chomsky explores the character and historical development of this special relationship.
Written by: Noam Chomsky
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The Wealth of Nations
- Written by: Adam Smith
- Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
- Length: 36 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The foundation for all modern economic thought and political economy, The Wealth of Nations is the magnum opus of Scottish economist Adam Smith, who introduces the world to the very idea of economics and capitalism in the modern sense of the words.
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a must!
- By Bean on 2022-02-17
Written by: Adam Smith
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The Precipice
- Neoliberalism, the Pandemic and the Urgent Need for Social Change
- Written by: Noam Chomsky, C.J. Polychroniou
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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In The Precipice, Noam Chomsky sheds light into the phenomenon of Trumpism, exposes the catastrophic nature and impact of Trump's policies on people, the environment, and the planet as a whole, and captures the dynamics of the brutal class warfare launched by the masters of capital to maintain and even enhance the features of a dog-eat-dog society to the unprecedented mobilization of millions of people against neoliberal capitalism, racism, and police violence.
Written by: Noam Chomsky, and others
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Consequences of Capitalism
- Manufacturing Discontent and Resistance
- Written by: Noam Chomsky, Marv Waterstone
- Narrated by: Donald Corren
- Length: 14 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
How do politics shape our world, our lives, and our perceptions? How much of “common sense” is actually driven by the ruling class’ needs and interests? And how are we to challenge the capitalist structures that now threaten all life on the planet? Consequences of Capitalism exposes the deep, often unseen, connections between neoliberal “common sense” and structural power. In making these linkages, we see how the current hegemony keeps social justice movements divided and marginalized. And, most importantly, we see how we can fight to overcome these divisions.
-
-
Disconnected Fear Mongering
- By AdamGoodwin on 2022-05-30
Written by: Noam Chomsky, and others
-
Manufacturing Consent
- The Political Economy of the Mass Media
- Written by: Edward S. Herman, Noam Chomsky
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 15 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this pathbreaking work, now with a new introduction, Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky show that, contrary to the usual image of the news media as cantankerous, obstinate, and ubiquitous in their search for truth and defense of justice, in their actual practice they defend the economic, social, and political agendas of the privileged groups that dominate domestic society, the state, and the global order.
-
-
Chomsky is a genius.
- By Martha Parada on 2018-04-16
Written by: Edward S. Herman, and others
-
Who Rules the World?
- Written by: Noam Chomsky
- Narrated by: Brian Jones
- Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In an incisive, thorough analysis of the current international situation, Noam Chomsky argues that the United States, through its military-first policies and its unstinting devotion to maintaining a world-spanning empire, is both risking catastrophe and wrecking the global commons.
-
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A must read
- By Anonymous User on 2021-04-22
Written by: Noam Chomsky
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Fateful Triangle
- The United States, Israel, and the Palestinians (Updated Edition)
- Written by: Noam Chomsky
- Narrated by: Brian Jones
- Length: 30 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
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Performance
-
Story
From its establishment to the present day, Israel has enjoyed a special position in the American roster of international friends. In Fateful Triangle, Noam Chomsky explores the character and historical development of this special relationship.
Written by: Noam Chomsky
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The Wealth of Nations
- Written by: Adam Smith
- Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
- Length: 36 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
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Performance
-
Story
The foundation for all modern economic thought and political economy, The Wealth of Nations is the magnum opus of Scottish economist Adam Smith, who introduces the world to the very idea of economics and capitalism in the modern sense of the words.
-
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a must!
- By Bean on 2022-02-17
Written by: Adam Smith
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The Precipice
- Neoliberalism, the Pandemic and the Urgent Need for Social Change
- Written by: Noam Chomsky, C.J. Polychroniou
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 13 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In The Precipice, Noam Chomsky sheds light into the phenomenon of Trumpism, exposes the catastrophic nature and impact of Trump's policies on people, the environment, and the planet as a whole, and captures the dynamics of the brutal class warfare launched by the masters of capital to maintain and even enhance the features of a dog-eat-dog society to the unprecedented mobilization of millions of people against neoliberal capitalism, racism, and police violence.
Written by: Noam Chomsky, and others
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On Palestine
- Written by: Noam Chomsky, Ilan Pappe
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Operation Protective Edge, Israel's 2014 assault on Gaza, left thousands of Palestinians dead and cleared the way for another Israeli land grab. The need to stand in solidarity with Palestinians has never been greater. Ilan Pappe and Noam Chomsky, two leading voices in the struggle to liberate Palestine, discuss the road ahead for Palestinians and how the international community can pressure Israel to end its human rights abuses against the people of Palestine.
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Conversations with Chomsky are always clear and concise.
- By Dwayne on 2024-11-28
Written by: Noam Chomsky, and others
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The Essential Chomsky
- Written by: Noam Chomsky, Anthony Arnove - editor
- Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
- Length: 22 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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In a single volume, the seminal writings of the world's leading philosopher, linguist, and critic, published to coincide with his 80th birthday. For the past 40 years Noam Chomsky's writings on politics and language have established him as a preeminent public intellectual and as one of the most original and wide-ranging political and social critics of our time. Among the seminal figures in linguistic theory over the past century, since the 1960s Chomsky has also secured a place as perhaps the leading dissident voice in the United States.
Written by: Noam Chomsky, and others
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Capital: All Volumes & The Communist Manifesto
- Written by: Karl Marx, Frederich Engels
- Narrated by: Malk Williams
- Length: 109 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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This audiobook contains all 3 volumes of Capital, as well as Marx and Engel's most renowned work, The Communist Manifesto. One of the most notorious and influential works of modern times, Capital is an incisive critique of private property and the social relations it generates. It rapidly acquired readership throughout the world when published, to become a work described by Marx's collaborator Friedrich Engels as 'the Bible of the working class'.
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Excellent read and performance!
- By Art Life on 2024-09-26
Written by: Karl Marx, and others
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On Anarchism
- Written by: Noam Chomsky, Nathan Schneider - introduction
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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On Anarchism provides the reasoning behind Noam Chomsky's fearless lifelong questioning of the legitimacy of entrenched power. In these essays, Chomsky redeems one of the most maligned ideologies, anarchism, and places it at the foundation of his political thinking. Chomsky's anarchism is distinctly optimistic and egalitarian. Moreover, it is a living, evolving tradition that is situated in a historical lineage; Chomsky's anarchism emphasizes the power of collective, rather than individualist, action.
Written by: Noam Chomsky, and others
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A Brief History of Japan
- Samurai, Shogun and Zen: The Extraordinary Story of the Land of the Rising Sun
- Written by: Jonathan Clements
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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With intelligence and wit, author Jonathan Clements blends documentary and storytelling styles to connect the past, present, and future of Japan, and in broad yet detailed strokes reveals a country of paradoxes: a modern nation steeped in ancient traditions; a democracy with an emperor as head of state; a famously safe society built on 108 volcanoes resting on the world's most active earthquake zone; a fast-paced urban and technologically advanced country whose land consists predominantly of mountains and forests.
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History need not be dry.
- By Amazon Customer on 2020-04-03
Written by: Jonathan Clements
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Europe
- A History
- Written by: Norman Davies
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 61 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Norman Davies captures it all - the rise and fall of Rome, the sweeping invasions of Alaric and Atilla, the Norman Conquests, the Papal struggles for power, the Renaissance and the Reformation, the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, Europe's rise to become the powerhouse of the world, and its eclipse in our own century, following two devastating World Wars.
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Generally good...
- By Amazon Customer on 2021-02-06
Written by: Norman Davies
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The Democracy Project
- A History, a Crisis, a Movement
- Written by: David Graeber
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Democracy has been the American religion since before the Revolution - from New England town halls to the multicultural democracy of Atlantic pirate ships. But can our current political system, one that seems responsive only to the wealthiest among us and leaves most Americans feeling disengaged, voiceless, and disenfranchised, really be called democratic? And if the tools of our democracy are not working to solve the rising crises we face, how can we - average citizens - make change happen? David Graeber, one of the most influential scholars and activists of his generation, takes listeners on a journey through the idea of democracy.
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Enlightening and to the point
- By R on 2023-04-08
Written by: David Graeber
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Babylon
- Mesopotamia and the Birth of Civilization
- Written by: Paul Kriwaczek
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 12 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Civilization was born 8,000 years ago, between the floodplains of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, when migrants from the surrounding mountains and deserts began to create increasingly sophisticated urban societies. In the cities that they built, half of human history took place. In Babylon, Paul Kriwaczek tells the story of Mesopotamia from the earliest settlements seven thousand years ago to the eclipse of Babylon in the sixth century BCE. Bringing the people of this land to life in vibrant detail, the author chronicles the rise and fall of power during this period.
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A good introduction to the history of Mesopotamia
- By Mauro on 2019-09-19
Written by: Paul Kriwaczek
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The History of the Ancient World
- From the Earliest Accounts to the Fall of Rome
- Written by: Susan Wise Bauer
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 26 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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This is the first volume in a bold new series that tells the stories of all peoples, connecting historical events from Europe to the Middle East to the far coast of China, while still giving weight to the characteristics of each country. Susan Wise Bauer provides both sweeping scope and vivid attention to the individual lives that give flesh to abstract assertions about human history. This narrative history employs the methods of "history from beneath" - literature, epic traditions, private letters, and accounts - to connect kings and leaders with the lives of those they ruled.
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Iffy narration, abrupt ending
- By Micah Clark on 2020-09-07
Written by: Susan Wise Bauer
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The Autobiography of Malcolm X
- As Told to Alex Haley
- Written by: Malcolm X, Alex Haley
- Narrated by: Laurence Fishburne
- Length: 16 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Experience a bold take on this classic autobiography as it’s performed by Oscar-nominated Laurence Fishburne. In this searing classic autobiography, originally published in 1965, Malcolm X, the Muslim leader, firebrand, and Black empowerment activist, tells the extraordinary story of his life and the growth of the Human Rights movement. His fascinating perspective on the lies and limitations of the American dream and the inherent racism in a society that denies its non-White citizens the opportunity to dream, gives extraordinary insight into the most urgent issues of our own time.
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how could they leave off the epilogue?
- By Amazon Customer on 2021-02-21
Written by: Malcolm X, and others
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The Future of Geography
- How the Competition in Space Will Change Our World (Politics of Place)
- Written by: Tim Marshall
- Narrated by: Tim Marshall
- Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Humans are venturing up and out, and we’re taking our competitive spirit with us. Soon, what happens in space will shape human history as much the mountains, rivers, and seas have impacted civilizations around the world. It’s no coincidence that Russia, China, and the USA are leading the way. The next fifty years will change the face of global politics and the world order as we know it. In this must-listen work, bestselling author Tim Marshall navigates the new astropolitical reality to show how we got here and where we’re heading.
Written by: Tim Marshall
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How Europe Underdeveloped Africa
- Written by: Walter Rodney, Angela Y. Davis - foreword
- Narrated by: Mirron Willis
- Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Guyanese intellectual Walter Rodney emerged as one of the leading thinkers and activists of the anticolonial revolution. In 1980, shortly after founding of the Working People's Alliance in Guyana, the 38-year-old Rodney would be assassinated. In his magnum opus, Rodney incisively argues that grasping "the great divergence" between the West and the rest can only be explained as the exploitation of the latter by the former. This meticulously researched analysis of the repercussions of European colonialism in Africa remains an indispensable study for grasping global inequality today.
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Essential
- By L. Kelman on 2021-06-12
Written by: Walter Rodney, and others
What listeners say about Understanding Power
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- RandomAccount007
- 2023-08-12
Incisive
Incisive analysis by Chomsky, as always. Old issues but commentary that is still relevant to America’s present-day indiscretion
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- mike mainland
- 2018-09-12
great book with fantastic narration
highly informative content. high quality narration. a very interesting and informative listening experience. highly recommended
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- heptaskelion
- 2020-01-09
Good compilation. Not good narration.
This is a good lightly edited collection of Chomsky’s political thought. A good entry point.
The narrator doesn’t know how to pronounce a lot of the names though, which is a little distracting: from rather frequently occurring ones (pronouncing ‘Noam’ to rhyme with ‘Tom’), to rather less frequent but still surprising ones (for instance putting stress on the ‘e’ in ‘Kaynesian’).
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1 person found this helpful
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- humza
- 2021-08-20
gr8 narrator! gr8 content!
First off, the narrator simply SLAYS IT. His performance is beyond wicked, it is downright killer. Great job, honestly, truly great job.
As for the content, this book should be required reading for all school kids aged 12 to 18. It should be mandatory reading for all university students as well. This is one of the greatest collection of words, ideas, sentiments that I have yet come across.
Just for the record, during the global pandemic when millions died and billions were effected, Jeff Bezos who owns Audible flew to space on a joy ride. I hope his family line extinguishes for this. This book exposes exactly what 'people' like Bezos are all about.
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- Hmackdad
- 2020-01-08
Absolutely Relevant
Engaging and educational. this is something you can listen to in 2020 and its every bit as true and motivating as it was in 2002 or 2014. Piercing and brutally honest.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Charlie
- 2022-07-28
Essential
An intellectual everyone can understand, with arguments you can understand and spread. This book would be good if you want to sway a right-leaning working class person
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- HotTubMan
- 2024-09-06
Chomsky is brilliant but
in thia book, he presents some confusing contradictions. For example, at one point he discusses how destructive "conspiracy theories" are and that they should be ignored. At this point in the book, he sights the JFK conspiracy theories as irrelevant and with out any obvious motive.
Later, a chapter or two later he discusses how capital reacts to the presentation of facts that make the economy or capitalists look bad, in reaction capital, through the media will dismiss this facts and observations as "conspiracy theory"
Not only is this a glaring contradiction but Chomsky some how misses the actual origin of the term. It was in the wake of the JFK assassination, where several explanations were floating around that did not support the official explanation....the CIA directed the media to reports these explanations but to dismiss them as "conspiracy theories" JFK was the origin of the term in popular culture. by CD Digg
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- Dustin Lawtey
- 2018-09-14
Truly essential Chomsky
If you've ever come across a Noam Chomsky quote that seemed to speak to you on some level, this book is a must-read. You will establish an understanding of Noam's life experience being a deliberate part of a shunned intellectual culture in one of the more ideologically regressive countries of our time. That may not make much sense to you now, but trust me, it will once you've finished this title. He's often regarded as "one of the most important thinkers of our time", he's well deserving of the title. Be awed at the veracity and breadth of this mans knowledge of the happenings of the 20th and 21st century. He has been alive for all of America's time as a world superpower, and has watched the growth and development of the current political, intellectual and sociological climate we live in. He's never afraid to say what he thinks, despite that content limiting his audience and appeal to the media. He's someone to truly look up to, for all the right reasons, and this book will help audiences interested see the world through his brilliant mind. #Audible1
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4 people found this helpful
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- Cristiano Godinho
- 2023-06-02
Hauntingly Accurate
The last three chapters are pretty much a description of the way things are today - except they came from talks that were given almost thirty years ago. Really essential reading.
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- nascenta
- 2020-05-04
thoroughly enjoyed it.
when though it is dated (70's - 99), he points out a mindset and method of governance that can be more easily identity what is happened today, twenty years later. it is truly indispensable.
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