Understanding Power

The Indispensable Chomsky

De: Noam Chomsky, John Schoeffel - editor, Peter R. Mitchell - editor

Narrado por: Robin Bloodworth

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.

There are good reads and must read, THIS IS A MUST READ

This is what they failed to teach in PolSci 101. The ultimate fill in the blank for the Republic, The Wealth of Nations and My Struggle.

Good intro

Though I don't agree with all of Noam's points I think he does a great job of getting us to understand power and how it functions in society.

One of the most critical insights to modern issues

Now, mid 2016, more and more of what is talked about in this book is becoming relevant. With presidential candidates like Donald Trump, an obvious demagogue, stirring up hatred like Hitler did in his rise to power, and the general state of the U.S. population, it hits the nail on the head. A must read for anyone.

Great book on how to approach life.

This is a great book to help understand our crazy world. It explains how to approach our worlds concerns with power being so concentrated. We need to see where we've been in our struggle for truth and righteousness. Noam is a great man to learn from. I'm looking forward to listening a second time.

Infinitely Enlightening

This collection has changed my life. There is in-depth discussion where incredibly complex questions are answered thoroughly and thoughtfully. After over 150 books from Audible, this one was the best - by far.

This kind of content is a bit different than your typical non-fiction fare. This empowers individuals to think for themselves, to analyze critically, and to use skepticism and inquiry to solve difficult problems. While Chomsky doesn't offer solutions for everything, his role in describing the systems that perpetuate power, corruption, violence, and tyranny are invaluable.

Excellent. this is a must read/listen for anyone.

this was both infuriating and illuminating. It is incredible to think these are answers to live questions... Chomsky handles them with such eloquence and profundity that it seems like they're prepared speeches. Truly enlightening.

best Chomsky book

this book was incredibly easy to read, spaced out throughout the day. great background on a huge range of ideas. Hugely, motivational.

Perspectives from 90s that are as relevant as ever

In 2021 our choice remains the same. Continue to watch as power continues to destroy our rights, our planet, our workplaces and our children's future. Or, we find CONSTRUCTIVE means of changing our course.

Clear and straightforward

I’ve learned a lot with this book, both politics and history.
The reader was good except for when he does different voices for the questions of participants. He makes them sound as if they were complete idiots (way too ridiculous for women cases). Please, read the audience questions with a normal voice next time. The content of the book was properly read, I must say. That’s why I’m giving him all the stars.

A Book by Shnoam

This book is very interesting, but not for a reason most would suspect.

My contention is that the authorship of this book is misattributed, possibly in an attempt to misattribute it's content to Chomsky. Not only are we told at the beginning of the book that Chomsky didn't write it, but instead simply consented to, but are also told that whatever content that might have been verbatim has been edited for "readability." In the same preamble we are told that the text of the book is littered with footnotes, whose content is "conveniently" found online, supporting Chomsky's claims. Many of these, we are warned, come directly from the media which he so doggedly opposes; in anticipation of this critique the preamble consoles us that an argument for their inclusion is available online as well. A useful intuition pump is imagining how the book would seem without the inclusion of this preamble. How would we feel if a book written by an author who has shown himself to be so careful about citing the lowest level sources available in his works allowed the publication of a book under his name which relied on the highest level accounts of human activity (news) whose content was an anecdotal summary of desperate dialogues he had had. Without the preamble no one should have any confidence in the faithfulness of this book.

If we accept the preamble at face value then we are treated with a healthy critical modern American ideology nested in a healthy rational discourse, whose factual bases are healthily high level. *Shnoam* is the healthy American Socrates we need, saved from the hemlock by contemporary modern values. *Shnoam* sees it as it is, and how it is is ugly. There's nothing the US government has done which hasn't been in service of its hidden aims, he never has a good word to say for anything its done. His views are "sobering", "refreshing", "intelectual", everything the American skeptic could hope for.

But no true skeptic would mistake the mask for the face. I hope that whoever's reading this will get the hint of what the true content of this book is; what it's really for. Chomsky wasn't spared the hemlock.