The author is very prescient. You’d think he was a fortune teller if you didn’t know the power of understanding history. He quotes people like Arendt The author is very prescient. You’d think he was a fortune teller if you didn’t know the power of understanding history. He quotes people like Arendt a lot, so he obviously knows his history. I wonder how the low reviewers might feel 15 years out from when this was written. Probably the same, since polarization and willful ignorance often go hand in hand.
My only complaint is that the author thinks there’s hope in the system. He just wants a better government, where I’d argue anarchistically that this end results with all governments because all power over is parasitic.
**Just a warning - the chapter on exploitation and pornography is really rough. I’d skip that one next time if I read it. It’s insightful into how terrible the industry is and it’s terrifying that so many people consume that, but I don’t need to hear that again. ...more
The beginning started a bit slow for me but then picked up. I particularly appreciated the chapter discussing Shakespeare and Dickens and how the authThe beginning started a bit slow for me but then picked up. I particularly appreciated the chapter discussing Shakespeare and Dickens and how the author had his Palestinian students identifying with the Jewish “villains” in their works, because they could recognize that their actions were precipitated by injustice. So much of this book helps at uncovering the circumstances and lives of the “villains” that the Zionists propagandize you not to see as human. ...more
Kinder writes very great, honest stuff. I even agree with him that the Dulles brothers represent US. However, I don’t know why kinzer thinks that meanKinder writes very great, honest stuff. I even agree with him that the Dulles brothers represent US. However, I don’t know why kinzer thinks that means we should embrace them. They were terrible people ands it should be a sobering reflection to gaze upon. ...more
This era is a pivotal one for understanding the century that followed and where we are now. This helped to solidify a lot of trends I’ve seen through This era is a pivotal one for understanding the century that followed and where we are now. This helped to solidify a lot of trends I’ve seen through studying history.
- Pacifists and anarchists usually get the ideology right, though some get the methodology wrong. How much better off would the world have been if they would have listened to those groups? -it’s amazing how pacifists are always blamed for being so-nothing cowards, yet everyone always declares them dangerous and influential. -ACAB May be a broad generalization that doesn’t apply to all individuals, but it sure applies to the system. And as we saw in Nazi Germany, good individuals are corrupted by bad systems and prop them up. It’s amazing how the police suppressed rights, murdered social justice advocates, and propagated injustice. -social unrest has been a longstanding theme. It’s interesting that this unrest seemed to abate with US warmongering and the following economic boon that being the world’s arms dealer was. I wonder how much that influx shut us up? It’s interesting to see this flare up again back to normal now that things aren’t as easy and inequity has risen substantially. -Land of the free? Yeah right. This is a great era to study if you want to see how tenuous our “rights” and values are.
There’s a lot more here. Great piece of work. ...more
I appreciated this unique angle of wwi. I didn’t realize the anti-war movement was as big as it was. This story shows how important propaganda is to eI appreciated this unique angle of wwi. I didn’t realize the anti-war movement was as big as it was. This story shows how important propaganda is to empire and how indifferent empires are to life. ...more
This book was all over the place. It was interesting in some places but really weird in others. I particularly liked the first 1/2, and chapters 6-8 dThis book was all over the place. It was interesting in some places but really weird in others. I particularly liked the first 1/2, and chapters 6-8 discussing propaganda were good. ...more
The book is dated in terms of examples, but provides a great historical look at how the west and the US in particular has exploited others. It pairs wThe book is dated in terms of examples, but provides a great historical look at how the west and the US in particular has exploited others. It pairs well with “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa.” When you become familiar with how aid is given, how privatization works, how nationalization is stymied, and how “free” trade actually functions, you begin to see how arrogant and propagandized the west is in thinking that most of what we have is earned or was obtained through superiority. It’s Pure power, domination, and exploitation. ...more
This is a great, accessible read/summary of some big ideas. I like how the author exposes democracies as a rule by a minority. He also touches on variThis is a great, accessible read/summary of some big ideas. I like how the author exposes democracies as a rule by a minority. He also touches on various forms of power that are similar to Graeber’s assessment. ...more
The first part of the book was great. Not what I expected, but very thought provoking. I struggled in the second half. The book gets at what it is thaThe first part of the book was great. Not what I expected, but very thought provoking. I struggled in the second half. The book gets at what it is that pain/ torture actually does to givers and receivers. ...more
A great compilation of how the U.S. brings democracy to the world. The book is very accessible but also pretty thorough. I’ve read a lot on this topicA great compilation of how the U.S. brings democracy to the world. The book is very accessible but also pretty thorough. I’ve read a lot on this topic and still found this book worthwhile. I recommend reading “Still Life with Bones” after this. It’s such a powerful book that will put stories onto the atrocities the U.S. caused. ...more
This was an extremely moving, thoughtful, and somber book. The stories were tragic, yet the author weaved them together with humanity, politics, religThis was an extremely moving, thoughtful, and somber book. The stories were tragic, yet the author weaved them together with humanity, politics, religion, and science. There is so much to chew on here. My only disappointment is that the author doesn’t have any more works for me to read. But I’m excited that she’s pursuing the topic of state surveillance. She has a great quote from someone towards the beginning that I need to look up about the power of the state stemming from the ability to archive.
I felt like this was very informative without being too dry or impassioned. Lumumba wasn’t painted as a completely noble revolutionary, and honestly, I felt like this was very informative without being too dry or impassioned. Lumumba wasn’t painted as a completely noble revolutionary, and honestly, as anti-imperial as I am, I wasn’t a fan of him after this. But the story is a great insider picture of the true nature of empire, and specifically the U.S....more
I definitely understand why someone would not enjoy this book. It can be dry. But I found the content fascinating because it connects so many relevantI definitely understand why someone would not enjoy this book. It can be dry. But I found the content fascinating because it connects so many relevant topics - empire, slavery, capitalism, foreign relations, big business, government propaganda, global poverty, etc. Sugar has had, and still has a HUGE influence on the world. ...more
Very accessible and down to earth. I knew about the land interests of the colonists as well as some aspects of the slave trade teetering on collapse uVery accessible and down to earth. I knew about the land interests of the colonists as well as some aspects of the slave trade teetering on collapse under GB, but this book really puts it all together very well. When you start to see the reality behind the American Revolution, our whole propaganda campaign about freedom and all that balogna gets harder to stand. ...more
This was a little harder to get into than Kleptopia, but a very important book. One point that stuck out as interesting was that there is no representThis was a little harder to get into than Kleptopia, but a very important book. One point that stuck out as interesting was that there is no representation without taxation. There’s no government incentive to listen to the people when they don’t need them.
This book pairs well with “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa.”...more
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