Empire of Illusion

The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle

De: Chris Hedges

Narrado por: Jonathan Yen

We now live in two Americas. One - now the minority - functions in a print-based, literate world that can cope with complexity and can separate illusion from truth. The other - the majority - is retreating from a reality-based world into one of false certainty and magic. To this majority - which crosses social class lines, though the poor are overwhelmingly affected-presidential debate and political rhetoric is pitched at a sixth-grade level.

In this "other America", serious film and theater, as well as newspapers and books, are being pushed to the margins of society. In the tradition of Christopher Lasch's The Culture of Narcissism and Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death, Pulitzer Prize winner Chris Hedges navigates this culture - attending WWF contests, the Adult Video News Awards in Las Vegas, and Ivy League graduation ceremonies - to expose an age of terrifying decline and heightened self-delusion.

©2009 Chris Hedges (P)2018 Tantor

Honest

Sounds like the previous reviewer was upset this book wasn’t what he wanted it to be. The author honestly lays out dire the situation we, as Americans, are in. I’m sorry they didn’t find the hope they were looking for.

Amazing

While depressing this book is a must read given the current state of affairs. Must purchase

Great listen, but not when the kids are in the car

interesting insight and almost crystal balling life in 2021. Went a bit overboard with the porn stories, but was still a great listen.

Breathtaking Reality of a Country

This book is a great immersion into our society and what is causing our division. The rising of authoritarian figures that focus on corporate greed and push us against each other. Knowledge is power and it enable us to become a better world.

Prophetic in its understanding of America’s Future

Early in the book its examination in minute detail of our garish culture made me feel like a dog whose master shoves its nose in its shit while saying, “No! Bad!” It emphasized the very shallowness of our culture and then carries this over into the shallowness of our politics, our scholarship, and our religion. Written in 2010, it nonetheless anticipated the rise of a shallow, right wing populism that would feel safer under a dictatorship than under the failing structures of our existing order.

Chris Hedges

Hedges consistently brings sharp analysis to U.S. society, the corporate state and imperialism. Excellent book!

Excellent and rare exposure of the Truth

Few books I have read that are as erudite and convincing if the absolute collapse of the American empire.

I think if more people read Chris Hedges..

The world would be a better place. No author has impacted me more than he has. This is my favorite book of his. I just finished it and I think it just changed my life. It's so powerful. His ability to diagnose society is impeccable

Graphic language describing violence & pornography

The premise that Americans are distracted by illusion, celebrity status, and trivia is correct. The information could have been delivered without the repeated detailed graphic depictions & statements from porn stars and the descriptive violence regarding wrestling. I wanted the information but it was a painful & disturbing listen. The narrator did not convey that he was disturbed by the graphic reading.

Excellent

A great look at modern society. I was surprised it didn’t touch on Guy Debord and ‘Society of the Spectacle’, but it still covered a lot. This book proved to be very prescient. Starts out hilarious, then becomes shocking, then revelatory, then depressing, and finally finishes hopeful. It was very entertaining, and had an abundance of substance and style.