Necessary
Illusions: Thought Control in Democratic Societies
by Noam Chomsky
Customer Comments
A reader from U.S., July
9, 1999
Read this book! The truth will disturb
and challenge you.
Chomsky's integrity, his outrage will radicalize
you.
A reader from Bakersfield,
CA, July 5, 1999
Chomsky Proves, a great read
To put it briefly, the stunning efficiency
of Chomsky's logic is matched only by his attention to providing ample
evidence for his claims as he examines such dark patches of US foreign
policy as Nicaragua, Israel, and El Salvador.
Dr. Michael Forstner (forstner1@llnl.gov)
from Livermore, CA, February 24, 1999
A book to make you think twice about
media
If you ever wondered where the news go that
don't make it into the headlines - read this book! I found the facts presented
in some passages hard to believe, but Chomsky (as usual) has included a
very comprehensive list of references that makes it rather easy to see
that the claims made are well substantiated - an important fact if you
are faced with critics who themselves spill unsubstantiable vitriol. As
usual: five stars for Chomsky.
gmsmith@wolf.co.net (Geoff
Smith) from Minnesota, July 26, 1998
Thoughtful and eye-opening! A master
work!
The author systematically dismantles the
illusions around the American "Liberal" media. Explaining the filters in
place that through no "conspiracy" or "plot" work naturally in a for-profit
media environment. Not content just to explain these filters the authors
give detailed examples of them in action and copious footnotes.
tochi111@aol.com from NewYork,
March 20, 1998
Orwell's 1984
is HERE; deeply rewarding and challenging
Noam Chomsky's political works analyzing
the media and power in the twentieth century continually wipes away the
bloody political lies commonly accepted and distributed by the mainstream
news media outlets (perhaps by all of the outlets, but the most egregious
one of all being the paper of record the; New York Times) to reveal the
startling truth of the corruption, hypocrisy inherent in a highly industrialized
society (like the U.S.). He argues, as in most of his works, that propaganda
is very much alive and extremely sophisticated. It's terrifying to learn
of all the terrorist and unconstitutional acts that the manufacturers of
the official agenda don't want revealed . All of the reasons why one should
think twice about the concept and existence of "democracy and freedom"
in America are summoned such as: drastically low presidential election
turnouts, the concept of polls (to gauge the public's level of unrest),
what deserves media attention (personal tragedies, concentration on the
individual's point of view). After finishing the book I felt strangely
isolated and at the same time empowered. This book will really have one
asking about the very nature of what America REALLY stands for - big business
interests. This book demonstrates in blunt and certain terms that the present
political/social crisis that has existed since the founding of the public
relations machine during Truman's administration can not be ignored any
longer. The style is easy to follow given the high level of scholarship
involved in the book, although the reality of the situations that Chomsky
describes can seem surreal and certainly nightmarish at times.
A reader, October 3, 1996
Chomsky does it again
This time Chomsky takes on the mass media,
showing how in even democratic societies, newspapers and magazines are
just propagandist tools for the big business advertisers that support them.
As always, biting, backed up by end notes to hell and back, and most importantly,
truthful.
|
