reality trumps fiction

Home » Chris Hedges Interview – Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle

Chris Hedges Interview – Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle

by Pier Marton | Aug 26, 2012 | Death, Health, History, Human Rights, Ideas, Media, Politics, Spectacle, Wars

You may also want to check out his latest book, Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt, with a public presentation.

On CBC radio, the web page where for an hour writer Chris Hedges argues that North American culture is dying because it has become transfixed by illusions about literacy/academia, love, wisdom, happiness and democracy (as an mp3-podcast).

A much lighter version:

http://youtu.be/dHle_turjes

News & Olds

BREAK THE SURFACE
_______________________________

To ride the unbalance* between:
1. excellence and a kind, singular and porous identity that contains some of the scruples, humor, humility, musicality & the beauty of a harsh and confusing, yet benign and rich reality – away from distractions.
2. the stupidity and blindness of complacency, violence, injustice, pretense, egos, short-term… wishful… and group “thinking,” and empty talk – in all of their surprising embodiments. And the false sense of fullness all of this provides.
_______________________________
An appeal for a world NOT so caught up in anthropo/ego/euro/ethno/oculo/esthetico -CENTRISM.
_______________________________
1. Beware of those who claim to be strong – they are often dangerous.
2. Unmask the hoax of “centrality” – ask an “EX-centric” for assistance?
3. Perceive the arrogance of normalcy: everybody, in one way or another, is handicapped… which brings us back to 1.
_______________________________
*Not unrelated to “There is beauty and there are the humiliated. Whatever difficulties the enterprise may present, I should like never to be unfaithful either to the second or the first.” — Albert Camus