Understanding Power: The Indispensable Chomsky

Noam Chomsky

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political activism

foreign policy critique

imperialism analysis

social services decline

social change steps

political discourse

late 20th century context

insightful discussions

accessible writing style

knowledgeable critic

informal and engaging prose

lively discussion pacing

critique of power structures

approachable figure

Understanding Power by Noam Chomsky is a compilation of his talks and interviews on various topics such as foreign policy, imperialism, social services, and political activism. The book is presented in a question and answer format, allowing readers to choose the topics they want to delve into. Chomsky reinterprets events of the past three decades, connecting America's foreign policy with the decline of domestic social services and offering insights into steps towards social change.

Writing/Prose:

The prose is straightforward, informal, and engaging, designed to be easily understood by a general audience.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative covers diverse discussions reflecting Chomsky's critiques on political power and media influence.

Setting:

Set within diverse American venues, the book explores political discourse relevant to the late 20th century.

Pacing:

The pacing mimics a lively discussion, balancing information with moments for reflection.

WOMAN: Noam, I think the reason we’ve all come out here to spend the weekend talking with you is to get some of your perspectives on the state of the world, and what we can do to change it. I’m wonder...

Genres:

Topics:

intellectual discourse

activism

critique of power structures

Notes:

Noam Chomsky makes complex ideas understandable for everyone, not just scientists.

He covers a wide range of topics beyond foreign policy, including economics and social issues.

Chomsky compares the social contract in Canada to the U.S., highlighting its humane aspects like national health care.

He points out that U.S. foreign policy is intertwined with domestic social services' decline.

Chomsky emphasizes that a new international corporate ruling class is emerging with its own form of governance.

He believes protests are allowed as long as they don't truly threaten power structures.

Chomsky suggests that many societal advances previously seen as impossible have occurred, like the end of slavery and women's rights progress.

Understanding Power is a compilation of Chomsky's talks and discussions held between 1989 and 1999.

The book is accessible, consisting of questions and answers, which makes it easier to follow than his academic writings.

Chomsky's discussions often reveal how media manipulates public perception and consent.

From The Publisher:

The perfect introduction to the wide-ranging thought of "the most widely read voice on foreign policy on the planet" (The New York Times Book Review)

"Chomsky ranks with Marx, Shakespeare and the Bible as one of the ten most quoted sources in the humanities." -The Guardian

Noam Chomsky remains one of our preeminent public intellectuals, a thinker whose works on international politics and the media are read worldwide. In Understanding Power, Peter Mitchell and John Schoeffel have assembled the best of Chomsky's talks on the politics of power.

In a series of enlightening and wide-ranging discussions, all published here for the first time, Chomsky radically interprets the events of the late twentieth century, covering topics from foreign policy during Vietnam to the attacks on welfare under the Clinton administration. And as he elucidates the connection between America's imperialistic foreign policy and the decline of domestic standards of living, Chomsky also establishes a theory of social change. Featuring his classic criticisms of media in capitalist society, as well as U.S. foreign and domestic policy, Understanding Power offers a sweeping critique of the world around us and is the 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 reading for years.

Click here to download a PDF of the explanatory footnotes compiled by the editors.

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