War is a Force that Gives us Meaning with Chris Hedges

Veteran New York Times correspondent Chris Hedges has covered conflicts in Bosnia, El Salvador and Israel. Tune in for this thought-provoking lecture based on his best selling book that argues life is lived most intensely in times of war, often with tragic consequences. Series: "Voices" [11/2004] [Humanities] [Show ID: 9109]

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Chris
• Hedges
• Bosnia
• El
• Salvador
• Israel
• war
• conflict

[bapyou]

"(Hedges) rants for chapter after chapter while never offering a reference or a footnote"

What references does Hedges need? Hedges has seen the wars he writes about; he has first-hand experience. In that sense his writings are primary journalistic documents.

[JamesEPowell]

Chris Hedges is taking on a very tough job. He is telling the truth to people who absolutely do not want to hear it. Even the people who feel that they agree with him will most likely do nothing to change their lives or their country.

[TomsFriendKake]

Since the American people are once again rejecting the only anti-war / anti-establishment candidate Ron Paul, I will say this, American's deserve what they ask for. When the GOP primary ends and America votes for 4 more years of Obama, I will not have any sympathy for the poor and homeless, the unemployed/under-employed, the people that lose their homes, or cannot feed their children. I have shifted my donating from human causes to disabled vets and lottery tickets. I have given up on people.

[Aiden057]

See the animated version of The War Prayer, posted on youtube.

[bassammaelborno]

(2) .....voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of their leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for their lack of patriotism and say that they are exposing the country to danger.

It works the same in any country."

[bassammaelborno]

(1) Nazi Hermann Goering is quoted;

"Why of course the common people don't want war..... not even for that matter in Germany.

But, it is the leaders of the country, after all, who determine the policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, a parliament, or a communist dictatorship......

[Wolfovicz]

@bapyou Exactly. It's a beautifully composed book.

[androydnyc]

the man has become our National Conscience-- thank you Mr Hedges.

[taggline]

@demarcos69 ... sad...but, predictable, given the status quo in the Western common psyche

[noobler9]

@noobler9 if you think hedge has a pathos, it's this, war is exciting, when you think of war as a one sided event where you're going to hurt someone who damaged your ego, sure, then you can completely get behind it but in reality, no one lies down to die simply, they will fight back, and you will be dead just as easily as they die, and if not then you will be harmed one way or another veterans abound saying killing someone is the worst feeling, generals reel at the thought of war, carnage

[noobler9]

@noobler9

you have einstein, who's contempt for soldiers is that they have been given a brain when a spine is all they need

Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. We know more about war that we know about peace, more about killing that we know about living.

Omar N. Bradley

The scenes on this field would have cured anybody of war.

William Tecumseh Sherman

There was never a good war, or a bad peace.

Benjamin Franklin it's the height of stupidity to tell history's heroes cowards

[noobler9]

another thing to recall is that iraq war veterans are possibly committing suicide faster than the insurgents are killing them, or were killing them anyone who thinks chris hedges doesn't understand the concept will have to contend with eisenhower, who claimed he hates war as only a soldier can, or sun tzu, who proclaimed no nation has *ever* benefited from a prolonged war

or WW1 not being called the great war after "it is a good thing war is so terrible lest we grow to enjoy it" -general Lee