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Optimism over Despair: On Capitalism, Empire, and Social Change Kindle Edition

by Noam Chomsky (Author), C. J. Polychroniou (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 454 ratings
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“From meditations on human nature to strategic advice for the Trump era, Chomsky remains the thinker who shaped a generation, a beacon of hope” (Sarah Jaffe, host of Belabored)
 
This volume offers readers a concise and accessible introduction to the ideas of Noam Chomsky, described by the New York Time  as “arguably the most important intellectual alive.”
 
In these recent, wide-ranging interviews, conducted for Truthout by C. J. Polychroniou, Chomsky discusses his views on the “war on terror” and the rise of neoliberalism, the refugee crisis and cracks in the European Union, prospects for a just peace in Israel/Palestine, the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, the dysfunctional US electoral system, the grave danger posed to humanity by the climate crisis, and the hopes, prospects, and challenges of building a movement for radical change.
 
“A must read in these troubling times . . . This is an excellent collection of interviews that highlights Chomsky’s encyclopedic knowledge of the key issues of our day and his unwavering criticism of the regime of the global 1%.” —Deepa Kumar, author of Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire
 
“In this brilliant series of recent and wide-ranging interviews, Noam Chomsky combines an astounding breadth of knowledge, great depth of insight, clarity in explaining his ideas, and a relentless commitment to social and economic justice. The full package is simply exhilarating, especially in our current dismal era of Donald Trump. Optimism over Despair is a book to devour.” —Robert Pollin, distinguished professor of Economics and codirector of the Political Economy Research Institute
 
“Especially valuable in helping us navigate the dreadful challenges of the Trumpian era.” —Michael Klare, defense correspondent for The Nation
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Editorial Reviews

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"The elder statesman of a resurgent left offers clear-eyed assessments of the US, past and present, and its role in the world. From meditations on human nature to strategic advice for the Trump era, Chomsky remains the thinker who shaped a generation, a beacon of hope in the darkest of times." ―Sarah Jaffe, Necessary Trouble: Americans in Revolt


This book of interviews with Noam Chomsky is a must read in these troubling times. Divided into three parts, it begins with Chomsky’s razor sharp analysis of neoliberalism, imperialism, the EU, the role of religion in politics, and class polarization. In the second, it focuses on the Trump presidency and lays out the long history of US foreign policy, as well as other topics such as health care, global warming and education policy. Finally, it looks at various alternatives—anarchism, communism and socialism. This is an excellent collection of interviews that highlights Chomsky’s encyclopedic knowledge of the key issues of our day and his unwavering criticism of the regime of the global 1%." —Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire.

“In this brilliant series of recent and wide-ranging interviews, Noam Chomsky combines an astounding breadth of knowledge, great depth of insight, clarity in explaining his ideas, and a relentless commitment to social and economic justice. The full package is simply exhilarating, especially in our current dismal era of Donald Trump. Optimism over Despair is a book to devour.”—Robert Pollin, Distinguished Professor of Economics and Co-Director, Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts-Amherst


“…Chomsky argues that the choice between optimism and despair is really no choice at all. I have a great admiration for Chomsky’s combination of consistent critical moral perspective and sharp eye for the details of world politics…”—Heikki Patomäki, professor of world politics at the University of Helsinki, and a civic and political activist


"In this series of highly informative conversations deftly organized by CJ Polychroniou, Noam Chomsky teaches us - yet again - so much on a huge range of issues - from economic globalisation through international politics to the linguistic foundations of humanity. If you haven't read Chomsky before, this book will open your eyes. Even if you have, reading this book will make you realize that you still have more eyes to be opened. This book is a beacon - or, rather a GPS - in this turbulent and darkening world."—Ha-Joon Chang, University of Cambridge, author of Bad Samaritans, 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism and Economics: The User's Guide

"For all those of us who have always dreamed of spending a day with Noam Chomsky and getting his answers to all our questions and concerns about the (sorry) state of the world, here's the next best thing: a collection of interviews with our greatest living intellectual on capitalism, empire, and social change, fielded by C. J. Polychroniou of Truthout. Especially valuable in helping us navigate the dreadful challenges of the Trumpian era."—Michael Klare, Professor of Peace & World Security Studies, Hampshire College and Defense Correspondent, The Nation


“This fascinating series of interviews convincingly covers an astonishing range of fundamental and urgent issues of societal concern, demonstrating anew that Noam Chomsky is the world’s most humane, philosophically sophisticated, and knowledgeable public intellectual. I cannot imagine a better primer for anyone seeking a better, safer, fairer future.” —Richard Falk, Professor of International Law Emeritus, Princeton University

About the Author

Noam Chomsky is widely regarded to be one of the foremost critics of US foreign policy. Chomsky is Institute Professor (emeritus) in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Laureate Professor of Linguistics and Agnese Nelms Haury Chair in the Program in Environment and Social Justice at the University of Arizona. He has published numerous groundbreaking books, articles, and essays on global politics, history, and linguistics. His recent books include Masters of Mankind and Hopes and Prospects. Haymarket Books recently released updated editions of twelve of his classic books.

C.J. Polychroniou is a political economist/political scientist who has taught and worked in universities and research centers in Europe and the United States. His main research interests are in European economic integration, globalization, the political economy of the United States and the deconstruction of neoliberalism's politico-economic project. He is a regular contributor to Truthout as well as a member of Truthout's Public Intellectual Project. He has published several books and his articles have appeared in a variety of journals, magazines, newspapers and popular news websites. Many of his publications have been translated into several foreign languages, including Croatian, French, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Turkish.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B06XPC9MFW
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Haymarket Books (July 3, 2017)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 3, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3214 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 225 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 454 ratings

About the author

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Noam Chomsky

Noam Chomsky

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Avram Noam Chomsky (/ˈnoʊm ˈtʃɒmski/; born December 7, 1928) is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, logician, social critic, and political activist. Sometimes described as "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky is also a major figure in analytic philosophy, and one of the founders of the field of cognitive science. He has spent more than half a century at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he is Institute Professor Emeritus, and is the author of over 100 books on topics such as linguistics, war, politics, and mass media. Ideologically, he aligns with anarcho-syndicalism and libertarian socialism.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by https://www.flickr.com/photos/culturaargentina [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
454 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Derrick McCauley
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2024
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Thought provoking analysis on the state of our world. I’ve read Noam Chomsky for years, this is a quick overview of some of his philosophies.
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Sharon B
5.0 out of 5 stars Wish we had presidents like Noam!,
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2020
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What else can I say about one of the finest most intelligent writers of our time who clearly sees things as they are rather than interpretation.
2 people found this helpful
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R.Matsn
4.0 out of 5 stars Highly informative - no one else could provide this much ...
Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2017
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Highly informative - no one else could provide this much information - informative / reliable - 4 stars, at least.
7 people found this helpful
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5.0 out of 5 stars What can you say...it's Noam Chomsky
Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2017
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I've read quite a bit of Noam Chomsky through the years, and always find Mr. Chomsky's writing to be fascinating. I believe he is 92 years old now. What a mind, I.Q.192. Amazing human being.
9 people found this helpful
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Freja
3.0 out of 5 stars Disjointed point of view
Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2017
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I have not finished reading this book yet. I was a little disappointed because I was looking forward to reading Noam Chomsky's point of view, but the book is basically transcribed interviews between the author and Noam Chomsky which makes it disjointed. The questions go from one topic to another so I do not think I am getting a coherent impression of Mr. Chomsky's thoughts. Still, it's a good read. I do not discount it entirely
6 people found this helpful
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Jay McLaughlin
5.0 out of 5 stars I just loved it - I'm smarter since I read it
Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2017
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I liked that Mr. Chomsky broke challenging, dense concepts down to bite-sized, manageable chunks.
I recommend it to anyone who is compelled to understand capitalism, empire & social change - in crisp, concise terms.
I chose this rating because I learned so much without feeling like I was wading through sludge.
20 people found this helpful
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Alex
5.0 out of 5 stars Noam Chomsky does it again, as always...
Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2017
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A great book produced by a great man. My husband is a die-hard fan and said it was well-worth the read.
3 people found this helpful
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Samuel Mao
5.0 out of 5 stars and I enjoyed reading it because I am getting a different perspective ...
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2017
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It is my first time reading Noam's book, and his viewpoints are contrary to the mainstream. The book is very reflective, and I enjoyed reading it because I am getting a different perspective of our current political situation.
9 people found this helpful
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Bobby Jim Bob
5.0 out of 5 stars Chomping on Chomsky
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 12, 2020
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I live in a world of despair with no optimism, if only there was....oh, there’s a book on this dilemma!

Good stuff from Chomsky as per!
2 people found this helpful
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Devesh Shah
5.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening.
Reviewed in India on May 24, 2020
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How can one not like this book of Chomsky's! Insightful.
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Benedictu
5.0 out of 5 stars Interviews als Einstiegslektüre zum Voltaire der Vereinigten Staaten
Reviewed in Germany on August 5, 2018
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Der weltweit bekannteste Intellektuelle ist in Deutschland eher ein Unbekannter. Wer Sprachen studiert und Vorlesungen über Linguistik hört, wird natürlich mit Noam Chomskys Sprachtheorie aus seiner aktiven Zeit als Linguistikprofessor am renommierten Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston bekannt gemacht. Chomskys Rolle als politischer Aktivist ist hierzulande jedoch weithin unbekannt.

FEINDSCHAFT
Grund für den niedrigen Bekanntheitsgrad Chomskys sind die politischen Positionen des US-Sprachwissenschaftlers und Kapitalismuskritikers zu Frieden, Gewerkschaften, Demokratie, Pressefreiheit etc. Sie stehen im Gegensatz - und z.T. in scharfem Gegensatz - zum deutschen Mainstream und zur Haltung der meisten deutschen Parteien und der mit ihnen verbundenen Leitmedien.

Die deutschen Leitmedien (FAZ, WELT, ZDF, ARD, DLF, etc. ) verfolgen dabei folgende Strategie:
1. Ignorieren. Den Mann einfach nicht erwähnen.
2. Verspotten oder kleinreden, wenn die 1. Option (z.B. wegen eines runden Geburtstags des Wissenschaftlers) partout nicht geht.
Wer's nicht selber gelesen hat, könnte es glatt für eine Variante des Lügenpressevorwurfs halten. Es ist aber wahr:
• In der WELT, dem Flaggschiff der Springer-Presse, wurde er als "Laberhannes" verspottet (2008).
• Im DLF wurde er als "Auslaufmodell" für die Verbitterten des Epochenbruchs von '89 bezeichnet (2014)

GEGENSÄTZE
Was trifft die deutschen Leitmedien am meisten?
□ Nun, unsere großen Zeitungen behaupten, die USA sei eine Demokratie, Chomsky sagt sie, sei eine Art Plutokratie. Der ehemalige US-Präsident Jimmy Carter hält die USA für eine »Oligarchie mit unbegrenzter politischer Korruption«.
□ Sie loben die sog. humanitären Kriege, Chomsky bezeichnet sie fast ausnahmslos als illegal und völkerrechtswidrig.
□ Sie bejubelten Obama, weil er schwarze Haut hat, Chomsky zeigt, daß dieser 44. Präsident nicht einmal minimale Schritte unternahm, die Demontage der US-Gewerkschaften zu stoppen oder umzukehren.
□ Besonders schmerzhaft für die freie westliche Presse ist schließlich Chomskys Vorwurf, daß in den westlichen Leitmedien, obwohl sie keiner direkten Zensur unterliegen, durch Auswahl und Verpackung von Nachrichten stets die politisch erwünschten Positionen dominieren.

FAZIT
Man findet die Interviews mit Noam Chomsky zwar auch unter truth.org, dieses Büchlein ist aber ein kompakter Einstieg in seine politischen Positionen, der sich auch als kleines Geschenk eignet.

Gibt es angesichts des Gesagten überhaupt Grund für Optimismus? Vielleicht. Immerhin hat ein Redakteur des Deutschlandfunks Chomsky letztes Jahr im Hinblick auf  Requiem für den amerikanischen Traum: Die 10 Prinzipien der Konzentration von Reichtum und Macht  als "einen echten Aufklärer" bezeichnet. Tatsächlich ist Chomsky der Voltaire unserer Tage.
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read for people broadening their knowledge of politics
Reviewed in Australia on February 2, 2022
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It does repeat itself alot since the interviewer asks a lot of questions but if you're green to political discussions or are looking to have a light start on your political reading. This one's worth considering.
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SWJapan
2.0 out of 5 stars Tiny font
Reviewed in Japan on October 31, 2017
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The font was very small in this edition, making it difficult to read. As for the actual content--if you love Chomsky, no doubt you will love this. I kept falling asleep while reading--perhaps the font was to blame.
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