The Blame Game

Unless one lives in a bubble, it's very difficult to argue with C.H. assessment that America is trending down for the bottom 95%. He spends time with people on the street at various parts to prove this point well. Where he begins to diverge, is the reasoning behind all this. Chris can argue all day about economic systems, tax rates, exporting manufacturing so corporations can make a few more cent on the final product, laws etc, but perhaps most niave of all, is to blame stupidity - the experts in charge simply don't understand, if only they spent a few hours reading this book they'd know. To address this Chris had to make a choice, by accident, or by design. He chooses accident they're either all stupid (let's face it, a popular opinion that does well) and corrupt in some selfish way (the corporate types bribe - er lobby, those in charge for a way through legislative process that benefits corporations). There seems to be no room spared to examine the other possibility - that all this is by design somehow. Sadly this places the book with many others, that seem to do well simply because they reflect normal everyday people's experiences "finally someone saying it how it is" but it does nothing to help find out why. The bus run on the foot hurts, it's really bad, we all agree, bus on foot not good, but the real question, at some point has got to be, why does the bus keep running over people's feet?

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A book not even Rachrl Maddow and team can present

In its overarching view of the cancers within the US social system it presents the solutions no American will find acceptable....the impasse will not stand the vast expense of climate chamge, notr the ever growing rage within the pressure cooker called "democracy".

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brilliant and depressing,

an truly depressing account, role on the revolution, the ruling classes have had their time..

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Relentless attack on the American facade.

A polemical but very persuasive indictment of capitalism in the form of an expose of individual aspects of American society..Prisons, the military, the political establishment, corporate greed, casinos ... and so on... and so forth!! ....
No turn left unstoned.
A fantastic book.

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1 person found this helpful

I have seen the present and there is no future

This exposure of the real world within America reinforced my understanding of why the US is so flawed. The detail within the chapters brings to life the reality of life hidden by glossy facade provided through various mediums. On the performance front I, personally, would have preferred a less husky voice. Still it is a must listen, especially for the home audience

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A devastating critique of America and those who would emulate her

Hedges deploys a brutal combination of individual case studies and broader statistical and other data over a range of topics designed to illustrate his argument. The prose is powerful and often very difficult to handle because the case being made is very disheartening. But in the end there is a call to resistance anchored in a spiritual quest to become more fully human that is inspiring.

The narrator is excellent and I highly recommend this book.

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2 people found this helpful

An excellent book

A book about modern America. A sad book about a sad country. The book is well narrated and gives a picture of how much of America lives.

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2 people found this helpful

perfect description of reality we live in

its such an accurate description of our way of life and how this failed system called capitalism exploits the weak part of our soul and turns and prevents us from achieving the goal of our species, to reach the stars and to unite for the greater good... too bad we lived for more then 2000 years in this state, to have rockets and computers doesn't mean anything, we didn't change at all... to achieve real progress is to ascend to another level of conciseness at a collective stage, as long as capitalism will be around we ll never change or improve beyond this primitive state, no matter what technology we posses

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Superb

Fabulous insight to US society. A must read for budding historians or anyone who is objective about the deeds, misdeeds & decline of greedy & corrupt corporate and political leaders. Congratulations Chris Hedges and beautifully read by Fred Sanders.

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The dirty side of our modern World.

The second most powerful book I’ve come across. (The Prince) being the first.
Dark, subversive,and definitely disturbing. An eye opener to what is done in our name.
Never though a Marxist could teach me so much, not just about society, but about my own misguided views.
One of those you can't handle the truth types of books. One I certainly I would highly recommend to all, but the naive.
Some day, some one, will imprison this guy, his crime, revealing the truth in all it's grubby details.

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5 people found this helpful