November 2007 Books
The 2007 Shift Report; Failed States
The 2007 Shift Report:
Evidence of a World TransformingThoughts about politics, the environment, and the questionable future of humanity getting you down? Think SHIFT. Take a couple of hours to read this report, and you'll feel better.
The noetic approach to accessing knowledge honors nonlinear processes such as intuition and inspiration, processes that can open doors to creative solutions to the immense array of problems we see in our world.
The combined research of numerous noetic scientists suggests that we need not despair, for “the convergence of noetic and analytic sources of knowledge about both the physical and nonphysical worlds is leading to important shifts in the dominant worldview.”
So—instead of looking ahead to a hopeless scenario of death and destruction, this report presents ample evidence that “the twenty-first century has the potential to become the Age of Transformation.”
This report breaks new ground in documenting the shift in consciousness taking place in a variety of arenas worldwide as local, grassroots efforts take the initiative for positive change and begin to come together to maximize their impact for the greater good.
It's an ambitious project, this attempt'“to outline the contours of humanity's evolutionary learning curve… with discernment and credibility.” In a world in which most of the available fosters an atmosphere of fear and despondency, this SHIFT report is a breath of fresh air. Breathe it in deeply, and consider that humanity may indeed be getting a little smarter in a vein that promises a brighter future.
—Chiwah
Failed States
The Abuse of Power and the Assault on DemocracyThe title Failed States rings off-key with irony as Chomsky turns it back on the world's greatest powers. Ordinarily applied to governments that appear to pose a threat to our security ( Iraq , for example) or to the safety of their own people (as in the case of Haiti ), the term has defied rigorous definition. Yet Chomsky identifies certain primary characteristics: an “inability or unwillingness to protect their citizens…” a “tendency to regard themselves as beyond the reach of diplomatic or international law,” and a “serious ‘democratic deficit' that deprives [any] formal democratic institutions of real substance.” Turning the mirror on America , it doesn't take a genius to see that the shoe fits the US under the current administration all too well.
But Chomsky is a genius. And after turning the field of linguistics on its head in the sixties, he turned his talent to shining a light through the doorway of successive emperors' dressing rooms. Hmmm , no clothes here….
The first half of the book is devoted primarily to the many aspects of the increasing threat of planetary destruction, which he attributes in large part to the irresponsibility of the current American government. Exposing detail after disgusting detail, decrying wave after wave of impressive but meaningless government rhetoric, Chomsky bids us pay close attention to what our leaders do and don't say about international terrorism and nuclear arms development.
For those who believe our government considers the “war on terror” a serious priority, even a cursory reading of Failed States will lay that illusion to rest. Those who still believe our government is concerned for our safety will find irrefutable evidence to the contrary as Chomsky documents how corporate advantage has prevailed at every turn, even when it plays directly into the hands of the terrorists we're supposed to be fighting.
The second half centers around the lip service paid by ruling powers to promoting democracy here and abroad. Detailing governmental deception and decoys like the ‘war on poverty,' the ‘war on drugs,' the “war on crime,' and, more recently, the ‘war on terrorism,' he makes it clear that the real objective is to frighten the domestic populace into obedience to outrageous federal policies that limit our freedoms and enhance corporate profits.
Looking at historical issues, Chomsky sheds light on the motivation behind US policies and offers disturbing arguments that make it obvious that our government is wary of democracy even in our homeland. “The real enemy of the United States has long been independent nationalism,” he asserts.
And is this country safe for democracy? Chomsky raises some serious questions. He warns of cynical manipulation through fear of terrorist attack, the use of religious institutions to focus our attention on pseudo-issues like abortion and gay marriage, the maintenance of tax cuts for the wealthy at the expense of the populace as a whole, and the institutionalization of state and corporate control.
An original thinker and a force to be reckoned with, Noam Chomsky has penned numerous books on foreign policy and may well be the world's most widely read author on this subject. Indexed and complete with source information, Failed States is a history and political science overview jam-packed with information and insight. If you haven't read it, you may want to get your hands on it. If you've already come to your own conclusions, whether or not they are in accord with those put forth in Failed States , it could be helpful to explore in detail the arguments for and against your point of view.
—Chiwah
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