Requiem for the American dream
In his first major book on the subject of income inequality, Noam Chomsky skewers the fundamental tenets of neoliberalism and casts a clear, cold, patient eye on the economic facts of life. What are the ten principles of concentration of wealth and power at work in America today? They're simple enough: reduce democracy, shape ideology, redesign the economy, shift the burden onto the poor and middle classes, attack the solidarity of the people, let special interests run the regulators, engineer election results, use fear and the power of the state to keep the rabble in line, manufacture consent, marginalize the population. In Requiem for the American Dream, Chomsky devotes a chapter to each of these ten principles, and adds readings from some of the core texts that have influenced his thinking to bolster his argument. To create Requiem for the American Dream, Chomsky and his editors, the filmmakers Peter Hutchison, Kelly Nyks, and Jared P. Scott, spent countless hours together over the course of five years, from 2011 to 2016. After the release of the film version, Chomsky and the editors returned to the many hours of tape and transcript and created a document that included three times as much text as was used in the film.
Stats for nerds
2recommend
8mentions
7people
2018–2023years
25% recommend75% neutral
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- I can only assume you're being sarcastic, but this kind of attitude only benefits these corporations. It is a common tactic by the rich oligarchies to defund and delegitimize government institutions so that they are scorned by the population and eventually privatized -- a move that only benefits them in the end. I would suggest Noam Chomsky's "Requiem for the American Dream: The 10 Principles of Concentration of Wealth & Power."
- Best-selling authors seem to be aware of this trend, because I keep coming across excellent but very, very short non-fiction books. Among those I can remember reading and would recommend, these are published in the past <5 years and are <150 pages (or <5 hour audiobook):
- Discrimination and Disparities By: Thomas Sowell
- A Colony in a Nation: Chris Hayes
- Between the World and Me: Ta-Nehisi Coates
(three very different takes on race relations in America)
- Astrophysics for People in a Hurry: Neil deGrasse Tyson
- Seven Brief Lessons on Physics: Carlo Rovelli
- When Breath Becomes Air: Paul Kalanithi
- On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century: Timothy Snyder
- Requiem for the American Dream: The Principles of Concentrated Wealth and Power: Noam Chomsky
- Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now: Jaron Lanier
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- I know “Requiem for the American Dream” talks about it. Just keep in mind it’s written from a very us centric perspective
- I ran this thread through GPT-4 to extract mentions and summarize them in markdown. Sharing if it's helpful for others too.
* "Manufacturing Consent" by Chomsky and Herman (2 mentions) * Summary: This book investigates and criticizes the media's role in promoting and sustaining powerful interests. Chomsky frames the media as a system that safeguards the power of the elite by shaping public opinion.
* "On Palestine" by Chomsky (1 mention) * Summary: This book offers an insightful view of one of the most enduring and intractable conflicts of our time. Chomsky explores the historical origins, developments, and politics surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict.
* "Requiem for the American Dream" by Noam Chomsky (1 mention) * Summary: This book discusses the concentration of wealth in the hands of the few and its effects on democracy in America. It highlights the decline of the middle class and the widening wealth gap.
* "The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman (2 mentions) * Summary: The book details the science behind our interaction with everyday items. It scrutinizes the design process and explores the relationship between users and the products they use, urging designers to think deeply about how their designs influence user behavior.
* "The Better Angels of Our Nature" by Steven Pinker (1 mention) * Summary: This book challenges the belief that society is becoming increasingly violent, arguing instead that violence has declined over historical time periods. It explores the psychological and societal mechanisms that have led to this decrease.
* "Factfulness" by Hans Rosling (1 mention) * Summary: Factfulness emphasizes a more optimistic view of global human progress. It challenges the notion that the world is worse off today than it was in the past by providing facts and statistics that argue the contrary.
* "Phenomenology of Spirit" by Hegel (1 mention) * Summary: This is a central work of German philosophy in which Hegel explores the concept of 'spirit'. He examines the relationship between consciousness and its objects, eventually leading to a discussion about the nature of freedom and the unfolding of history.
* "The Righteous Mind" by Jonathan Haidt (2 mentions) * Summary: The book delves into the world of moral psychology and its impact on politics and religion. Haidt proposes that morality is not a product of rational thought but is driven by intuitive reactions, challenging conventional understandings of morality.
* "How To Build A Car" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: The book offers a captivating analysis of Formula 1 car design and the precision engineering involved in creating these high-performance vehicles. It provides insights into the processes followed by a renowned designer.
* "Factfulness" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: Factfulness emphasizes a more optimistic view of global human progress. It challenges notions that the world is getting worse by presenting an array of facts that argue the contrary.
* "Strunk and White The Elements of Style" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: A guide to English language usage and writing style that covers topics such as conciseness, clarity, and simplicity of expression. It is considered a seminal work on English composition and is widely used in American English writing.
* "Gödel, Escher, Bach" (1 mention, author not specified) * Summary: This book explores the concept of how symbols, patterns and loops manifest in the fields of mathematics, art and music. It also discusses aspects of cognition and consciousness and how our minds perceive and understand the world.
- * "Amusing Ourselves to Death" by Neil Postman (1 mention) * Summary: Postman contrasts the dystopian visions of George Orwell's "1984" and Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" to argue that western society is becoming a shallow, entertainment-driven culture shaped by television and other media. He discusses the profound effects of television on politics, education, and other aspects of society.
* "Howard Zinn: A People's History of the US" by Howard Zinn (1 mention) * Summary: This book offers an alternative exploration of American history from the perspective of ordinary people and marginalized groups rather than from political leaders, emphasizing class struggles and systemic injustices.
* "The Intelligent Man's Guide to Science" by Isaac Asimov (1 mention) * Summary: A comprehensive outline of scientific knowledge, covering fields like physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, and earth science. It communicates complex scientific concepts in a way that is accessible to non-specialist readers.
* "Das Kapital" by Karl Marx (1 mention) * Summary: A comprehensive critique of capitalism highlighting its inherent contradictions and imbalances. Marx diagnoses the capitalist system as one in which the rich get richer at the expense of the working class. The book has been influential in shaping socialist and communist thought.
* "Handbook of Electronic Circuits" (1 mention, authors not specified) * Summary: An extensive reference guide that provides information on basic electronic circuits and components. It delves into the world of electronics with detailed illustrations and designs, making it a valuable resource for both beginners and professionals in the field.
* "Simulacra and Simulation" by Jean Baudrillard (1 mention) * Summary: This philosophical work explores the nature and cultural implications of signs and images in contemporary society. Baudrillard posits that symbols and signs have replaced reality and meaning, creating a hyperreal world where simulations of reality have become more real than reality itself.
* "LSD: My Problem Child" by Albert Hofmann (1 mention) * Summary: This autobiographical work by Albert Hofmann, the Swiss chemist who first synthesized LSD, discusses his discovery and personal experiences with the drug, exploring both the positive and negative effects of LSD, its influence on society, and its potential therapeutic uses.
* "Requiem for the American Dream: The 10 Principles of Concentration of Wealth & Power" by Noam Chomsky (1 mention) * Summary: Chomsky provides an extensive critique of inequality in America, arguing that the concentration of wealth and power among a small elite is undermining democracy. He lays out 10 principles of concentration of wealth and power that have led to this situation.
* "Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage" by Alfred Lansing (1 mention) * Summary: This true account of Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton's 1914-1916 expedition turned survival story. When his ship, the Endurance, was crushed by ice and left Shackleton and his crew stranded, they embarked on a harrowing and miraculous voyage to safety.
* "Hacker's Handbook" by Hugo Cornwall (1 mention) * Summary: A guidebook for computer enthusiasts that provides a look at the world of hacking. It covers a range of topics, including telephone and computer hacking, as well as legal implications.
* "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan (1 mention) * Summary: This widely-admired book introduces the universe beyond the Earth. Sagan explores our place in the universe, the history of scientific discovery, and the crucial role of critical thinking in grasping our world and the vast cosmos we are part of.
* "Six Pillars of Self-Esteem" by Nathaniel Branden (1 mention) * Summary: This book provides a comprehensive exploration of self-esteem, its importance, its sources, and how to cultivate it. It offers concrete strategies to enhance self-esteem, which Branden argues is a key component of psychological health and personal fulfillment.
* "Future Shock" by Alvin Toffler (1 mention) * Summary: Future Shock examines the psychological and sociological impact of accelerating technological and social change. Toffler introduces the concept of "future shock" as a form of psychological disorientation caused by a rapid change in society and advocates for a more measured and conscious approach to future planning.
* "The Metropolis and Mental Life" by Georg Simmel (1 mention) * Summary: This seminal essay analyzes the effects of the urban environment on the individual's mind and social relationships. Simmel argues that the impersonality and money-centered economy of the metropolis lead to individuals feeling more alienated and adopting a defensive, blase attitude towards life.
* "The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power" by Shoshana Zuboff (1 mention) * Summary: This book provides an extensive critique of the commodification of personal data by corporations in the digital age. Zuboff explores the rise of surveillance capitalism, where businesses harvest and analyze customer data to predict and influence behaviors.
* "Permanent Record" by Edward Snowden (1 mention) * Summary: In this powerful memoir, whistle-blower Edward Snowden tells his story on why he decided to expose the mass surveillance practices of the U.S. government. Permanent Record opens a broader conversation about free societies, privacy, surveillance, and what makes a country strong.
- You can add Trump to that list as well, though it isn't a genetic inheritance. Chomsky's Requiem for the American Dream lays out in detail how intertwined the Trump family has been in conservative national politics for ages
