Wages of Rebellion

By: Chris Hedges

Narrated by: David deVries

Revolutions come in waves and cycles. We are again riding the crest of a revolutionary epic, much like 1848 or 1917, from the Arab Spring to movements against austerity in Greece to the Occupy movement. In Wages of Rebellion, Chris Hedges - who has chronicled the malaise and sickness of a society in terminal moral decline in his books Empire of Illusion and Death of the Liberal Class - investigates what social and psychological factors cause revolution, rebellion, and resistance. Drawing on an ambitious overview of prominent philosophers, historians, and literary figures he shows not only the harbingers of a coming crisis but also the nascent seeds of rebellion. Hedges' message is clear: popular uprisings in the United States and around the world are inevitable in the face of environmental destruction and wealth polarization.

Focusing on the stories of rebels from around the world and throughout history, Hedges investigates what it takes to be a rebel in modern times. Utilizing the work of Reinhold Niebuhr, Hedges describes the motivation that guides the actions of rebels as "sublime madness" - the state of passion that causes the rebel to engage in an unavailing fight against overwhelmingly powerful and oppressive forces. For Hedges, resistance is carried out not for its success, but as a moral imperative that affirms life. Those who rise up against the odds will be those endowed with this "sublime madness."

From South African activists who dedicated their lives to ending apartheid, to contemporary anti-fracking protests in Alberta, Canada, to whistleblowers in pursuit of transparency, Wages of Rebellion shows the cost of a life committed to speaking the truth and demanding justice. Hedges has penned an indispensable guide to rebellion.

©2015 Chris Hedges (P)2015 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved

Excellent, important book

I liked this book very much. I had heard Chris Hedges in fairly long interviews but had not realized the breadth of his scholarship. Shakespeare, Melville, Plato, Faulkner, and others are all invoked to weave a rich tapestry of what it means to be a rebel, what makes some people become rebels, and how certain social or cultural contexts call for rebellion. Much of the book also consists in an exposition of how economic, cultural and institutional arrangements in the United States in particular, call for (non-violent) resistance/revolt/rebellion. In Hedges' telling, the United States is not a democracy at all: corporations in effect run the government. Through the government and also through private firms sometimes (often?) hired by corporations, Americans are being spied upon and vigorously brought into line if they take serious actions (eg Wikipeaks, Snowden) to threaten the corporate agenda. Hedges also describes how the U.S. has been a violent society from its inception and how this violence is still strongly directed towards blacks (viz the corporate prison system) at home. While the need for revolt is clearly documented for the U.S., it is clear that to some degree it extends as well to other countries, such as my own, Canada. Hedges is very clear at the same time that only non-violent action is ever likely to bear fruit for good in the long term.
Finally the reading is clear and engaging.

Very eye-opening and shock!

This is a must read book, there are so many things I never knew brought to light by Chris hedges, I love how hebrought us information that is very current and information from history and quotes from many different authors to prove his point. Very very well that

timely and powerful

tells stories of inspiring individuals that go against the grain. references those who have forged this path before. talks about "sublime madness", prisons, persecution of rebellion, and the rite of passage of all rebels.

Should be more than just Audio

Like all of my other reviews, this was great content, but lacks the ability to review specific portions. I guess that's a part of the business model huh? 'Literacy' is under assault, but let's leverage people's dedication to substance so we can sell them the paper back and the digital kindle version... If that's the case, then I think you have a short-term & short-sighted business model. We need the images and text (0s & 1s) to go along with the Audio otherwise, the Audiobook is just someone reading me a story so I can go to bed more easily. Come on Amazon crew. Advocate for a customer.

Seminal Work!

Chris Hedges is a truth telling prophet. For me this book laid the foundation for my pursuit of Sublime Madness!