Keeping the Rabble in Line: Interviews with David Barsamian

by Noam Chomsky and David Barsamian

Book Overview

recent interviews (1992-1994) w/David Barsamian This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1567510329
• ISBN13: 9781567510324
• Release Date: July 2002
• Publisher: Common Courage Press
• Length: 317 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.0" x 7.6"

Customer Reviews

Quite A Lot Published Elsewhere

I thought I should mention that about 66% of the material in this book is also contained in the smaller volumes SECRETS, LIES, AND DEMOCRACY and THE PROSPEROUS FEW AND THE RESTLESS MANY. I'm giving RABBLE here 4 stars since that's what I would give the two micro-volumes.Chomsky has published an impressive quantity of political material, so if you have already read those two micro-books (which I think are easier to find), you might want to skip this one in favor of another.

Good Chomsky starting point

Ok, so I read the longish review a couple down from this, and although it seemed to be well laid out, there is one point of reference missing. Noam Chomsky takes no "political" stance against "conservatives", "liberals", "communists", "libertarians" or any other names one can come up with. He seems only to be interested in defending human beings not their ideas, whatever they may be; capitalism, communism or any other faction (I am using "faction" here deliberatly, as all political thought seems to stem from a faction of the larger thought of "control"). Which, if your studying foreign policy, can be very confusing at first, because those classes work under a set of assumptions which includes pitting one abstraction against another. That thought process has one conclusion; death of individuals. Chomsky is patiently repeating this idea to us; giving us example after example of atrocities committed all over the world. This book is a great introduction to understanding how the world works. Chomsky is an observer, and gives no real answers as to what to do except for this: Individuals need to find out what is wrong and try to fix it. Work on a grassroots level in your community for whatever injustice you witness; and don't give up.Now, late-capitalism has bloated itself to covering most areas of the earth, either by economic control (i.e. controlling dictatorships with our purse-strings) or out right absorption of every aspect of an individual culture, so I can understand how one may assume that Chomsky aligns himself with an "other." If you read his stuff, and listen to him talk his only alliance (that with humanity) becomes self evident. Find out for yourself.

Outstanding insight on a variety of topics

This book was a refreshing alternative to mainstream media coverage of world issues. If your tired of reading the same old "rabble" in the newspaper or watching it on the nightly news, you'll enjoy certainly enjoy this. One can't help but wonder just how out of touch the average citizen is with the true motives behind the decisions made within the corridors of power throughout the world. Mr. Chomsky brings up some good points regarding the economy which just cannot be overlooked. If corporate profits are reaching record levels, wages are stagnant, and social programs are non-existent, then where is all of the money going? Read the book and find out.

excellent primer on chomsky

a very good book. In it contains chomskys thoughts on virtually every subject. and excellent introduction to his thoughts