Image by Stephen Melkisethian via Flickr
with Chris Hedges
Chris Hedges: Building Different Relationships Before It’s Too Late
ontheearthproduction on Sep 29, 2014
Journalist, author and activist Chris Hedges took time during his September 13, 2014 appearance at Fighting Bob Fest in Baraboo, Wisconsin, to talk about the human race’s sustainability or potential collapse in the age of unstoppable climate change, corporate domination, and perpetual war.
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Chris Hedges TruthDig Radio ‘Climate March’ 9-25-14
Chris hedges Talks about the Climate March & other important subjects
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4bzcsz
from the archives:
Chris Hedges at Flood Wall Street: The System Itself Is Dead + NYPD Arrest Protesting Polar Bear
Chris Hedges Calls Van Jones a Whore + Capitalism Exploits Humans + Mass Arrests (#FloodWallSt)
Chris Hedges: The Disease of Imperialism + Transcript (speech at Fighting Bob Fest 2014)
Dandelion Salad 
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What comes to mind with our political leaders, is a almost or is a institutional schizophrenic disease, here in Australia, we have Julian Bishop, pontificating on Australia’s track record of environmental excellence, speaking at over seas recent forums, at present Australia, is making plans to create a port for increased coal production called ironically enough, Port Abbott, this is considered a grave threat to the Barrier Reef, a delicate balanced coral reef, on a so called world protection list, the dredging was to be dumped on this reef, the fact that Australia has no more of a industrial sector, other than a fledgling marginalized operation, so you would have less pollution, but, in terms of this population as a ratio is one of the most polluting countries world wide.
Abbott, is promoting , Australia is open for business, the fact that as more stuff is made for us to become more busy, is contributing to ecological damage and global heating, as everything becomes faster, the speed creates more heat, Australia, is shopping abroad for submarines, possible from Japan, and jets from America, all this manufactured stuff is creating more heat.
I suggest, if we had no third world or to be up to date, developing countries? if the money spent on the destruction of cultures, people, and infrastructure, and the money spent on developing hospitals, roads, and worthy pursuits, this outcome would create a social structure of state support, such as pensions, unemployment payments and so forth, the population of the world would start to stabilize, the boat people would no longer be, and the ability to reduce harmful energy process would develop solar panels and eco damage would be reduced, besides a more stabilized world.
The problem with education is what is education? most of the elite who run our lives however in a covert way, their overall IQ, I have no doubt is high, what is the problem with this type of education is the missing link of this system is its linear interpretation of reality, such as empathy, or the connection we have or do not have with the Universe? I have mentioned one type of lacking but their are many others, such as the speed of what we are expected to participate in? the problem with speed is the idea of fighting time? as the social system speeds up their is less time for contemplation of consequence? the damage is, we live in ideas in the head, and the disconnection with the planet, becomes apparent.
Such ideas that leave me disturbed is as example, two hundred and fifty thousand dollars for a trip into space? the impact of this thrill, is heat generated, the use of finite materials of energy used for this questionable activity, and on and on, I am sure David has thought all this through before, we sometimes need to be reminded of these simple formulas, that can be said in a variety of ways, such as I Have a Dream, or Just Imagine, what I am saying is neither a dream nor let us imagine?
Interesting you should draw attention to speed and (industrialised) heat effects, as I was listening to an episode of the Life Scientific this morning on BBC Radio 4 all about explosives and the sophisticated physics and chemistry involved.
It strikes me that this is an apt metaphor for the eruptive social and environmental effects we are witnessing world wide as “progress driven” humanity careens toward oblivion.
Bertrand Russell once noted this tendency with characteristic irony, when he characterised the C20th as only being primarily distinguishable from former times, by the reckless acceleration of everything due to our juvenile obsession with speed. This is what most people are expected to accept as advanced “development.”
In my estimation, once this manic disorder reaches maximum (“escape”) velocity, the whole apparatus will shake itself to bits.
Enlightening indeed….the balance of power so-called, is a process of continual adjustment and mutating social consciousness.
US violence is monstrous, disproportionate and pathological. There is little time nor capacity displayed by these corporate capitalist elites for the art of government, let alone any real expertise or willingness to study the ancient Chinese “arts of war.”
Whenever I listen to Chris Hedges, I am reminded of the extent to which our Western institutions are so obviously indebted to the philosophical roots of the Hellenic/Hellenistic world, and the (post-Islamic) European enlightenment. So little has changed down the centuries ~ only our reckless capacity for folly and destruction apparently, that is now unprecedented.
What transpires in Hong Kong ought to be a salient indicator of things to come, on the wider geopolitical front. As for the Middle-east, it is a barbaric zionist killing field, and “muslim” slaughter house ~ an extermination zone ruled by psychotic lunatic interests and agendas.
If humans are so sick, are viruses more intelligent? Do volcanoes have intention? Does the ocean think? What is a “forest?”
Human beings may indeed be the intelligible agents of change ~ articulate vehicles of sentient destiny; but the inscrutable, ecological forces of cosmic necessity will prove to be our final nemesis.
The Greeks had a word for just about everything; and Arab culture absorbed all of that antique Mediterranean heritage. Many self-appointed American divines seem to have overlooked this evolutionary philosophical fact; but the Chinese (& their Asian brethren) it would seem, however politically myopic, are still mindful of the capacious origins of such wisdom.
Laozi must be bemused.
David, Very, very good! Political/philosophical/ethical poetry of the highest order, or at least to my way of thinking.
We are living in the “modern version” of the Dark Ages of Ignorance and still, after all that transpired since the stolen election of 2000, the people are as easily manipulated as ever, in their stagnant and set minds.
It’s extremely difficult not to have a pessimistic attitude pertaining to world events in this day and age, after one understands the general game plan of, to use a mystical term – the “black magicians” who have been ransacking Mother Earth and holding human beings and the animal kingdom hostage – to be exploited and used for “their selfish and destructive purposes.
And in the US, the majority still take turns voting for the one main party with two branches (Democrats and Republicans) to give the illusion of difference.
Mr. Ed Ciaccio nailed it in his article yesterday. And of course, we know Chris Hedges knows the score as well and is just as disgusted as the rest of us.
Best to you!
Your generosity of spirit shows, Frank!
I agree, Ed’s story encapsulates the whole sad cautionary tale of latter day “Western” hubris, denial and misanthropy.
Your own description is perfectly accurate in my opinion, a new Dark Age of Ignorance indeed.
The Russian mystic HP Blavatsky who created the Theosophical Society in New York with Colonel Olcott (WQ Judge and others…) back in 1875, even then, somewhere in her copious writings, boldly characterized the late C19th arms business as the worst type of black magic.
It is entirely apt ~ and what we are witnessing today is simply the exponential development of this despicable depravity, over yet another even more savage century & beyond…
So I don’t think we should ever be shy of what the philosophers refer to as ontology, nor ever diminish or impoverish the purely mystical outlook.
I’ve always felt it was the authentic core of everything, and moreover that the corruption of metaphysics is the most profoundly damaging of all errors.
David, I’ll reply later on. Good news to tell you, and more …
Now it’s off to the “salt mines.” Later……………
Now for the good news, David:
I forwarded The Chomsky/Hedges interview to several friends and relatives which they appreciated, and were impressed with the comments above, “especially” yours! My wife enjoyed reading your comments and was also “energized” by your eloquent and intelligent style of writing in getting the message out to other readers. Having heard Chomsky speak on many occasions over the past two decades, she was “chair-bound” in front of the computer, listening to him on the Hedges interview, which, enlightened her even more.
Then, she read Ed Cioccio’s article, which, word for word, literally lifted her off her feet and into the realm of “seventh heaven” in regards to the truths of the matter which Ciaccio described so well.
I then briefed her on the definition of “black magicians,”
She agrees with you (as I also do) about Ed’s story in your comment above.
Glad you mentioned Madam Blavatsky. One of the great Teachers of all time! She was so right about the arms business back then, which, compared to now, was still in it’s infancy.Watching RT (Russia Today) news last night, a caption read: U.S. is sending 300 soldiers to the Baltic states along with tanks. Hmmm? “Gotta stop that Russian aggression.” Meanwhile, Imperial America invades and destroys one country after another, toppling pro-worker, pro-progressive governments. At least John Perkins came clean.
I agree with you on the ontology statement, and definitely “that the corruption of metaphysics is the most profoundly damaging of all errors.”
Sort of goes back to the Third Century, A.D. when Pope Gregory had the world’s largest library, in Alexandria ransacked and burned, but not before stealing many of the metaphysical and occult books of old (an accumulation of various writings know as the “Wisdom Religion”) which are probably stored in the Vatican vaults. The “Church Fathers,” (the later Protestant clergy were almost as corrupt) didn’t want the common people to learn the truth of being which would set them free, (from ignorance), all in the name of Christ, who’s teachings have been distorted on purpose. It is highly unlikely Emmanuel (The Christ) would have imprisoned Galileo or had Giordano Bruno burned at the stake for “heresy.”
Until next time, I’m waiting for Godot …he’ll save us — from ourselves!
Thank for those kind remarks and I’m delighted that anything I have written may have struck a resonant chord.
Apologies for the delay in responding, trying to do as much as I can here before the weather takes a seasonal turn.
Yes, from what little I know it seems probable Bruno was way ahead of his time, and has been extremely influential…..in fact you’ve whetted my appetite to investigate this more thoroughly, so I’m going to dig deeper…!