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      [ Central Ideas... Noam Chomsky & Jerry Mander ] [ By Eric Chaet ]


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CENTRAL IDEAS IN BOOKS BY NOAM CHOMSKY AND JERRY MANDER (+ a note)
by Eric Chaet


Central idea of Noam Chomsky's PROFIT OVER PEOPLE (1999):

That the U.S. government[*], at home and abroad, consistently works in
favor of the interests of the wealthiest capitalist (corporate) enterprises
- against the interests of competing enterprises and the poor - and, so,
against both free trade and democracy - in the name of free trade and
democracy.

[* The U.S. government is administered by politicians whose campaigns are
funded by private contributions. Bureaucrats are under the control of these
politicians. To the extent that this is so with the governments of other
"developed" nations, the same situation is bound to prevail. Also, those
who seek political power are, I'd guess, inclined to seek allies among
those with other kinds of power - financial or, say, religious. Chief
executive officers and the greatest share-holders of giant corporations -
and popular prophets and those who administer the affairs of the most
populous organized religions, are likely, therefore, to become their allies
- or adversaries. - E.C.]


Central ideas of Jerry Mander's IN THE ABSENCE OF THE SACRED (1991):

That stone age peoples, for at least tens of thousands of years (and
currently), have lived in more successful relationship with the earth and
universe and their own needs than the technologically adept and driven
people who now dominate them and are turning the world into an artificial,
polluted place, far less desirable - in spite of the claims of each new
group intent on getting people to buy its new technology.

Long-term, detrimental effects are inevitably unmentioned when the new
technology is unveiled - the first act of the sales campaign. (Consider
nuclear power, pesticides such as DDT.)

Tens of thousands of commercials in our lives teach us to seek satisfaction
by BUYING (this or that - it hardly matters).

Each new technology is PART of the inter-locking system of technologies.
(We watch "smart" bombs blow up targets in Iraq or Serbia on television.)

Corporations "spit out" anyone who puts people ahead of profits, REQUIRING
their executives to sacrifice anything and everything and everyone, for the
profit of the share-holders.


A note:

A friend, a philosopher and writer and a person I greatly value, has
objected, on reading the above brief reviews, that I am doing Chomsky a
disservice (and mis-leading people, maybe), introducing him in over-
simplified fashion.

So: Chomsky is an extraordinary person, who has written dozens of books,
saying true things that needed saying that others weren't saying, at least
publicly. That's why I thought to call him to your attention.

I don't mean to say that he is less important than he is; or that my brief
reporting of the main idea in this one book - which is, I believe, accurate
reporting - is anything other or more than it is.

I have always believed in the value of saying no more than needs saying
(except for occasional fun with words) - so that we don't get bogged down
all our lives in words, without having to sacrifice the great value of
words. I have also always appreciated being introduced to the work of
important thinkers. I was attempting to do for others, as I wish they would
do for me, more frequently.

For a greater development of the ideas of Chomsky, read Chomsky. Likewise,
Manders.


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