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More Defeatist Rhetoric from Chris Hedges
by sean Monday, May 20 2013, 12:39pm
international /
prose /
post
The subliminal message and sub-textual delivery in Hedges’ latest offering is plain as day to anyone with an analytical mind, a background in semiotics or that possesses simple insight. However, for those persons for which these terms or abilities are ‘Greek,’ do not despair as clarity is readily available.
Chris Hedges - Defeatist
Readers familiar with this site’s references to Hedges are aware that they are not flattering in the least, in fact, they are downright accusative and reproachful. Why? Simply because Hedges is a DEFEATIST and subliminally preaches DEFEATISM and dejection -- I have never read more negative texts in my life and I have read a ‘few.’
So let us have a squiz at his latest diatribe and defeatist drivel.
It has a challenging, positive and attractive title, “ Rise Up or Die,” a message with which I agree in the political and philosophical sense, BUT unfortunately (and predictably) Hedges then plummets into DEFEATIST rhetoric. In the very first paragraph Hedges introduces the reader to a term he coined which HE uses to describe certain social spaces under attack by the Plutocrats -- Hedges names these spaces “SACRIFICE ZONES" and then follows with HIS qualifier, “the first areas forced to kneel before the dictates of the marketplace.” Need I continue to prove my point -- we didn’t miss the terms ‘sacrifice, forced, kneel and dictates, utilised by Hedges as fait accompli, or did we?
The above terms are not only inaccurate they are devoid of all hope or any tendency to active resistance, which more accurately describes the REALITY of those social spaces -- if one little old lady is fighting back then that offers hope and describes a positive attitude of active resistance, NOT the exaggerated defeatism, which characterises Hedges’ diatribes. My historical reference of only a few decades past is the “Weather Underground," a notorious small but highly mobile group responsible for major political ACTIONS against the ruling elite, which included bombing (with prior notice so as to avoid human casualties) symbolic centres of institutional control.
This group of highly educated, highly motivated and dedicated STUDENTS successfully resisted the nefarious powers that had LIED America into an illegal Indo-Chinese war and that also sustained the deep racial and social injustices prevailing at the time. These students also published manifestos and political news bulletins all of which were saturated in positive descriptions and terms of RESISTANCE, SURVIVAL AND VICTORY from all over the USA and WORLD -- research it yourself and get a whiff of VICTORY not the defeatist crap that issues from Hedges.
Am I being harsh or taking things out of context? Not likely, read his piece and arrive at your own conclusions BUT read with an analytical eye and never take any text at face value; well crafted texts may contain the dominant message in the SUBLIMINAL or secondary discourse layer which bypasses the critical faculty. So let’s cite more examples only a paragraph or two from the first example.
“Corporations write our legislation. They control our systems of information. They manage the political theater of electoral politics and impose our educational curriculum. They have turned the judiciary into one of their wholly owned subsidiaries. They have decimated labor unions and other independent mass organizations, as well as having bought off the Democratic Party, which once defended the rights of workers. With the evisceration of piecemeal and incremental reform—the primary role of liberal, democratic institutions—we are left defenseless against corporate power.”
Note how the above paragraph contains accuracies but then finishes with “we are left defenceless", which is rubbish any force could engage in any type of guerrilla activity from discourse to armed rebellion -- the FACT REMAINS, WE (the OVERWHELMING majority) ARE NOT DEFENCELESS -- Hedges’ defeatist negativity is devastating as it is not neutralised by successful examples of active resistance; indeed the ONLY reason the powers have been able to succeed to this point is because the population has been convinced (by commentators like Hedges and Chomsky) that it is powerless and ‘resistance is futile’, to quote a popular sci-fi series. And again the message is delivered as fait accompli, not as a situation that could change overnight, as NOTHING political is permanent, suck on that REALITY for a while! Did we omit to mention that the common PEOPLE (not regulatory or military bodies) remain the most powerful social/political force on the planet, but why allow reality to interfere with negative propaganda, Mr Hedges?
Hedges then peppers the largely negative piece with a little positivity but then adds “It means refusing to surrender, even if you find yourself, like Manning and Abu-Jamal, caged like an animal.” So if you resist you will be caged like an animal, is that what you’re saying, Mr Hedges because you are WRONG?
Hedges could have easily given examples of VICTORIOUS American rebels, dissenters and liberators like Washington, Jackson etc, the history books are full of examples. Furthermore, I have studied Bradley Manning in detail and can assure everyone that Manning certainly does not view himself as defeated or a ‘caged animal.’ Manning is tactically detained in order to present a heroic example against monumental odds, including nine months of sustained psychological and physical TORTURE -- make no mistake, Manning is a HERO and a MAN of exceptional mettle and character, he definitely is NOT a caged animal, Mr Hedges, you transparent agent for the ruling elite.
Now consider just one group of new dissenters, the digital elite, these groups are capable of subverting entire nations armed only with genius and keyboards -- the nation of Estonia was recently paralysed by a hack attack. It was a demonstration for the world to appreciate. No, Mr Hedges, the situation today is far from “decimated” nor are the PEOPLE defeated, it could change in less time than it takes you to write another defeatist, negative diatribe for your masters.
[I would add that I emerged from the ‘slums,’ not a “sacrifice zone” and was educated in state schools and universities. It was in the slums I learned to fight and never surrender or say die and I am not alone, my comrades are all placed in sensitive positions in various government departments and agencies (doing their 'job') suck on that you reprehensible lackey. You are educated and know exactly what you are doing -- no excuses -- your efforts will no doubt attract a just reward. Another thing I learned in the slums is that no-one gets out without settling their 'account'.]
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