In the immortal words of Howard Beale, the TV anchor played by Peter Finch, in the classic film Network, “Things are bad, they’re worse than bad. I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore. Things have got to change.” If you are feeling that way you’re not alone. In facing adversity some choose to do nothing and sit on their hands, others rise to the moment and resist. A long-time activist advises: “Get off of Facebook and into the faces of the powerful.” Social media is good for getting people out to demonstrations but it is no substitute for solidarity and movement organizing. There are plenty of opportunities. Perhaps we can take inspiration from poor and tiny Armenia. It just toppled its corrupt government in a massive display of non-violent citizen power.
Noam Chomsky, by any measure, has led a most extraordinary life. In one index he is ranked as the eighth most cited person in history, right up there with Aristotle, Shakespeare, Marx, Plato and Freud. The legendary MIT professor practically invented modern linguistics. In addition to his pioneering work in that field he has been a leading voice for peace and social justice for many decades. Chris Hedges says he is “America’s greatest intellectual” who “makes the powerful, as well as their liberal apologists, deeply uncomfortable.” He is Institute Professor (emeritus) in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT and Laureate Professor of Linguistics and Haury Chair in the Program in Environment and Social Justice at the University of Arizona. At 89, he still gives lectures all over the world. He is the author of scores of books, including Propaganda & the Public Mind, How the World Works, Power Systems and Global Discontents with David Barsamian.