Hopes and Prospects

Noam Chomsky is considered to be the father of modern linguistics as well as one of the greatest intellectuals of our time. He has been a radical political activist and dissident his entire life. In his latest book, Hopes and Prospects, the grand master of intellectual self-defense calmly goes for the throat of every major issue facing the world today, starting with a summary of 500 years of globalization, beginning in 1492 when Columbus set foot on “American” soil. He then goes on to address the rise of functioning democracy in Latin America, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Israel-Palestine, the financial crisis and bail-outs, elections, torture, and so on. About the lack of functional democracy in America, he asserts: “The goal of sophisticated business propaganda is to engender fear and hatred of government among the population, so that they are not seduced by subversive notions of democracy and social welfare, while maintaining support for the powerful nanny state for the rich—a difficult course, but one that has been maneuvered with considerable skill.” If you’re looking for some thought-provoking source material, Hopes and Prospects will open your eyes to the unpleasant truths and a few glimmering lights of the world in which we live.