Chris Hedges' Empire of Illusion | The New School

Chris Hedges lectures at The New School, a university in New York City offering distinguished degree, certificate, and continuing education programs in art and design, liberal arts, management and policy, and the performing arts. THE NEW SCHOOL | www.newschool.edu
Journalist Chris Hedges discusses his recent book Empire of Illusion: the End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle. In it, he charts the dramatic rise of a post-literate society that craves fantasy, ecstasy, and illusion. Hedges argues we now live in two societies: one, the minority, functions in a print-based, literate world and can cope with complexity and can separate illusion from truth; the other, a growing majority, is retreating from a reality-based world into one of false certainty and magic where serious film and theater, as well as newspapers and books, are being pushed to the margins.
Chris Hedges, author of War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, is currently a senior fellow at The Nation Institute and the Anschutz Distinguished Fellow at Princeton University. He writes for many publications, including Foreign Affairs, Harpers, The New York Review of Books, Granta, and Mother Jones. He is also a columnist for Truthdig.com.
Co-sponsored by the Writing Program | www.newschool.edu/writing
Department of Media Studies and Film | www.newschool.edu/mediastudies
and the Vera List Center for Art and Politics | www.newschool.edu/vlc and www.veralistcenter.org
* Location: Theresa Lang Community and Student Center, Arnhold Hall.
12/08/2009 7:00 p.m.

[@LunaLu-00]

"sober reading of reality is the best possibility for survival and hope and if we continue within the state if illusion hope becomes impossible because all the decisions we make are not reality-based" CH

[@MrGHucker]

I'm posting from The 'United' 'Kingdom'. My son was born toward the close of '1999'. We're hundreds of miles north of London but the closing of the Church doors at St Pauls finally made me REALLY wonder. I revisited Paul Grignon's 'Money As Debt'. 'Money' could and should be a means of enabling us to commerce and prosper; possibly thrive. Instead we are enslaved by those who are 'rich' enough to purchase control. 'Left', 'Right', 'Religious', 'Atheistic', 'Agnostic'... We need to talk.

[@KandyGTV]

Chris Hedges oratory is electrifying, God bless him for the willingness and bravery to speak absolute truth in a world of lies.

[@JorgeIniestraUrrutia]

You know when someone is telling the truth when both liberals and conservatives are enraged by it. Thank you Mr. Hedges!

[@MrDuffy81]

EXACTLY!

[@polanco187]

Now, in 2019 Hedges' speech is seen as prophetic.

[@digitaltango]

We are in a collective apocalyptic transformational crisis. What a brilliant and brave man to courageously stand up and voice the terrifying reality of corporate power and our collective soul starvation.

[@lodproductions90]

Last 10 minutes is the best, when he explains why, as a war journalist with first hand experiences, he cannot even talk to university professors about war any more.

[@robertglass1698]

Almost 10 years later and this is still on point.

[@rocioaguilera3613]

Sooner or later, the empire applies in its territory the same tactics it did on its colonies. Bravo, Mr. Hedges

[@domingodeanda233]

Chris Hedges, you are loved by the millions including me. Thanks for all your hard work.

[@slyhorse1]

Chris is a genius. He saw the terror and destruction, came back to warn us. 7 years down the road, and oligarchy is even more entrenched. Shit. #seeyouinphilly

[@fitrun41]

Amazing. I also don’t have a tv in my home

[@faith9chang]

What is happening in Detroit is being replicated in other cities through

[@dabbyj509]

I found in 2019 his mind understanding with great warnings from Chris Hedges I am so glad to have found his word and understanding... let truth and freedom ring

[@GuitarJimBourke]

Mr. Hedges is the best voice we have on the scene,giving us the best critical anylsis of what we really face in the 21st century..

[@SabbathSOG]

Chris Hedges, a credit to humanity.

[@poosta7]

as a child I had an ant farm I could see through the glass...I wondered why they never went to sleep at night...just work work work and there was this pile where they took their dead ants .... I didn't know that the ant farm was the model of the corporate state where I was to live my life... an insect society with no heart or soul.

[@LEFTYM0M65]

Thanks for posting this lecture. Hedges articulately expresses where "We The People" have lost touch with the core ideals that made us great and what we need to do to find our way back before it's too late to salvage our "Great Experiment." It is better to stand up and fight for liberty and justice than to quietly cower down to tyranny!

[@cosmicviewer477]

@SarniaLute Yes, he actually does. In other interviews and in his book, "Empire of Illusion" (I'm not sure if you've read it), he does offer some solutions that we could apply individually an collectively.

[@DiceBaseballDigest]

Love Hedges! Genius!

[@dianna487]

You are so right on and I am feeling hopeless about humanity.

[@rastaman39]

Hedges is on point !

[@rolynstone48]

In extreme times , there is the emergence of great men - Chris Hedges is a great man !

[@nerrawg]

Yes! exactly we have to come together to fight for liberty and the right of decency for Americans outside of the phony demarcations that the two party system attempts to enforce on us. This is about respect for people who work and not people who leech and exploit hard working honest citizens. It is about transparency of Govt. and upholding all of us to the same laws and principles of the Constitution. I'm with anyone who is willing to fight for this regardless of political tagging.

[@StephenDeagle]

Just a couple miles too deep past the bounds of reasonable pessimism, but the attitude and picture it paints is practically refreshing amidst a media environment hell bent on flat-out denial.

[@striveandreceive]

Exceptionally profound and very well-versed!

[@caveman369]

Goddamn you, Chris Hedges, for your cultural acuity. You presented us for who we are at least a decade in advance, and now our chickens are coming home to roost. I graduated from law school in 1987, and I wonder now who I served for 27 years. Coincidentally, it was the year Michael Jackson released the music video, "Man in the Mirror." In this Trumpian era, we are the man in the mirror. And, as you alluded, Jackson was the canary in the coal mine.

[@pamelahall857]

Thanks Chris for stepping up to fight for us all! I admire your humanity & your intellect. Yes indeed Franklin warned of the need to regulate big bsns. and Dwight warned of the military ind . Complex after all he was a Gen. Who saw war up front & knew how it could very likely become an addiction.

[@nerrawg]

I think you miss his point entirely. He is not purporting that the celebrity of Michael Jackson is important in-and-of-itself, but that the popularity, the public and media frenzy surrounding it is an important and dire indicator of the state of our society. He uses it to express this, but spends most of his speech on much more serious matters and not on commentating celebrities. His factual examples and analysis clearly demonstrate he is far above the common media in terms of discourse.

[@squirelpizza]

This is an amazing speech!

[@zentura88]

Someone gets it. I have alot of respect for Hedges even I'm not a Democrat or a liberal. Much like I respect Kucinich because they tell it like it is.

[@TyroneTasty]

I really needed this. Thanks for posting.

[@JoelApplegate]

Amazing! Ten years on, and his faultless prescience is chilling.

[@silverlithomes]

Wow. I feel great after listening to this speech. Just kidding, but seriously, this guy's bang on.

[@lodproductions90]

The internet is not about education, it is pure entertainment.

[@RockyBalboa211]

@Sleepyfist: From your most recent comment, I agree with it totally. I actually saw that interview a couple of years ago. I used that interview in my overall understanding of the young Michael Jackson. He didn't list any family members as friends, which I found interesting. Also, by looking at the parties hosted by Michael Jackson in the early 80s, most of the invitations went out to celebrities/entertainers. To me, it seemed that he was only comfortable with just entertainers at that time.

[@Sagittarius-81]

Hedges starts at 3:46

[@rebel7332]

Fantastic! my new hero

[@YoknapatawphaKid]

I think that anyone who watches this brilliant speech and walks away offended by Hedges' treatment of Michael Jackson needs to give a second look. Hedges is not so much critical of Jackson as he is of the society that manipulated, abused, and spat him out, exploiting his precious talents and mocking his eccentricities. If anything, Hedges describes Jackson's tragedy with sympathy for the man and anger for the system that created him.

[@PersonalSpaceInvdr]

be careful! this speech may change the way you think and hence change your life

[@fishzebra]

excellent talk, thank you, i'm glad there is some good on the internet

[@lodproductions90]

Wow, this was a great lecture! Very enlightened. Jackson, Spears, Woods... so true so true.

[@RogerTThomes]

Workers of the world unite! R.T. Thomes (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

[@pierrebouchard4289]

Do not eat the Soylent green ...

[@thebp9999]

"war is like getting into a car wreck and your best friend dying" (paraphrased) well if you don't have any friends then you don't have to worry about it.

[@Pravda_Z]

Chris Hedges has done me a great service. He has shaken me out of my middle class Liberal ideology. He has taught me to always do WHAT IS RIGHT no matter the consequence. He has taught me to abandon my illusions/delusions of the Democratic party. He convinced me to cast my vote for Jill Stein in 2012. He taught me that ultimately the only way to create the future we want is by active, peaceful, civil disobedience. Namaste Chris Hedges and thank you from the bottom of my heart.

[@anarchosolar]

coroner said Jackson had only pills no food in his stomach. All those celebs at the funeral crying how much they loved Michael. Not one of them enough to see that he had a sandwich.

[@MRTEED]

When unemployment insurance runs out, the shits gonna hit the fan

[@MoorenaEl]

Very deep observation of Jackson

[@johnybalohny]

Chris says near the end that his son's generation is on their phones texting and listening to music and is putting people in hallucinatory states, removing us from reality, and "the lie of these images". But I just listened to Chris's great talk on my phone through KZbin, and probably would have never seen it otherwise, hehe. Anyway, thanks for this. Ok, a little later he says that the phone and internet are tools and we should be careful, which makes me think he doesn't completely dismiss them. Nevermind!

[@josebaburgo]

agree with squirepizza. we need more people like him to spread the word. In Europe the working still exists but you don´t listen much this type of tough discourses. A pity there are not many young people among the audience. the applause at the end of his speech should have been much stronger.

[@luizantoniodossantos770]

Simply keep up the very good JOB!!!!!!

[@lherre20]

He is so good.

[@diegomiranda7975]

I really can see a civil war coming... very, very, very sad :(

[@slyhorse1]

What, between the north and south again?!!! haha. California will have the last laugh. They are already laughing at the rest of us, they have th worlds 6th largest economy. fuggedaboutit.

[@RockyBalboa211]

Also, Jordan Chandler didn't accuse Michael of anything! It wasn't until his dentist father used a mind altering drug (as stated by the dental assistant) that he finally gave a accusation against Michael. I mean look at the World Music Awards (supposed molestation occurence), Jordan was having fun with Michael Jackson during that trip. Also, if Michael was guilty, well then why didn't Michael pay the 20 million extortion (brought on by the father) prior to the accusation being made public?

[@randy95023]

The old Soviet Union was run by the Communist Party, even though they had a President and the Politburo. The semblance of Representative Governing in the USSR was similar to what our current gov't has evolved into. In the USSR they had the Communist Party "behind the curtain" of the people's representatives and President. In the USA we have the "Capitalist Party" behind the curtain of our representative government and President. Politburo had lower % of incumbents than the USA's Congress...

[@IamKryptonite]

Amazing insight and vision of a comatose system of "democracy"

[@moiafro]

Wow, watching this now in 2016 with Trump and fascism on the rise in the U.S., making me think chris is clairvoyant

[@Xergecuz]

Watching it in 2019, I might start the church of Chris.

[@williammansfield2919]

*Trump was elected "to End the corporate owned fascist state that has controlled the USA for decades"....Watch the corporate owned outgoing totalitarian regime of Obama/Clinton attack Trump with a vengeance not seen before in American history. Trump has a monumental task ahead as he fights Big Tech, Wall Street and The Deep State government that continues in place in pockets of the Justice Dept and the CIA and the FBI. Trump is perhaps America's last chance to survive fascism. He is much like Moses leading the multitudes to a better place where they can be saved from the evils of this world.*

[@MrDuffy81]

FASCISM WAS ALIVE AND WELL WITH OBAMA. ARE YOU KIDDING YOURSELF?

[@MrDuffy81]

He is talking about brand Obama. It is all about CIA controlled candidates regardless of which party.

[@etiennealive]

Com. 2 > Watch the part from 27:00. Chris Hedges says something about energy autonomy, and the influence of the large coorporations. So energy autonomy is one stap we could take, in becoming more independant. Autonomy in thinking, autonomy in living, that's the casus. When your independant you can have a big mouth, and you don't have to say yes and amen all the time. And when you can acheave this be kind to others, as they were your own family. Treat a guest like you would like to be treated

[@TheRealDarthCosby]

What is moral Neilism(sp??) I've heard him say it a few times but can't find it anywhere on line (I'm sure I'm spelling it wrong too so...)

[@pa4331]

Wow....powerful.

[@skibumwilly1895]

In “Occupying Chairlifts” a simple rule tweak on inheritance ends up changing the direction and purpose of modern human life! Here’s a fair way to transition forward to where we’re rewarded for cooperating and creating instead of competing and conquering. It's something specific we can demand. If this isnt the best answer, at least we’re thinking about what might be. Are we really just this close to having it work right? Oh yeah, it's a Ski movie! “Occupying Chairlifts” on KZbin!

[@etiennealive]

From a rather pessimistic conclusion like Chris Hedges gives us, we CAN deriviate the possibily of a more positive aproach on the future. As a separate metaphysical postulence Solving the problems shapes the emergence of new opportunitys. Let's keep this in mind.

[@questionyoursciencereligon5657]

In we just had giant oppressive government that was making the correct decisions, then it would be utopia. Mr. Hedges see the problem well. His solutions have never come true. The world will always be flawed until each person is encouraged to find their better selves in [this day] filling a need of the helpless, and NEVER depend on government to be the moral battleship. Even then, it will not be a perfect world, but we will be trying to find our better selves. That is a shining city.

[@halneufmille]

Genius insight on propaganda! 1:02:47

[@Advocate4Humanity]

@etiennealive Thank you for your support :) I think you make a good point, power is corrupting, for any human, even chris hedges. Its the same as with money, both influence people to do bad things. But what is the basic cause? Profit, or the idea of gaining something. If in theory, you lived in a society which had no money, no central power system (government) and everything you needed was provided for you. Then there is no source and no need to feel greedy, selfish, or do bad things

[@Benjabola]

" sixth of our country is now effectively unemployed."

[@Advocate4Humanity]

@etiennealive , Reason Number 1: You are still getting a bridge and a faster way to get to work. The better design means its safer for you too. Reason 2 other people also benefit from the bridge and can now also get to the other side faster. This is just 1 example about how everyone with knowledge contributes and solves problems without money as a motivation.

[@joshfrench6426]

All part of the spectacle including the university system

[@dsmfishgal]

Chris Hedges is an amazing writer and orator and I'm so glad to have stumbled across this speech. Thanks for posting it! Very important stuff for us each to ponder. Having read most of his books, I HIGHLY recommend them all, in particular "War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning" and his latest, "Empire of Illusion." I just finished his "I Don't Believe in Atheists" and absolutely agree with his words. This man speaks the truth! We should heed his words and insight.

[@etiennealive]

And, Carl Gustav Jung (Psicologia Analítica) Entrevista Port (It's spoken in English)

[@MrDuffy81]

Hedges never talks about the secret societal control of this country. He is missing a HUGE PART of the problem.

[@crystalinian]

Awsome, thank you

[@tylero8595]

5 years left before it all falls apart.

[@amusinglover]

Spot on. It will start with a stock market crash that had its first leg down already.

[@Nolen87]

Great!

[@ChrisDutch]

@thatstheguy07 No this past year was the warmest ever and the earth has been on a steady warming pattern for the last fifteen years. There is now 10% more moisture in the atmosphere than there was thirty years ago and sea levels are 9 inches higher than they were. CO2 is up to 390 parts per million, the highest it has been in millions of years, 350 is considered to be the baseline for a functioning civilzation.

[@Orf]

1:45

[@butterflybeatles]

Who said I was judging anybody? Hedges remains the greatest mind we have on the continent today. He just looks way better when he wears a tie - thus he is more respectful towards his audience. It is not a central issue but it is just an observation on my part. Is is wrong to wish for a decent standard of dress?

[@bigollameo]

@veramann Don't stop now, man! If you're gonna look lose and become a tool, then don't settle for being the smallest tool in the shed - lose big. Don't be a screwdriver or a socket wrench when you can be a sledgehammer or a chainsaw. Keep it up - you'll get there!

[@rhrabar0004]

15:30

[@etiennealive]

Everything that has been given a certain status, will automaticly have power, even Chris Hedges. So with or without money, there will stay problems, caused by some of the ones who have the power over "something". Power is dangerous when mis-used. Or when people fell in love with their power or with others power. Than it becomes like a seizure. People are taken hostage in a way. The same thing happens to you when you fell in love, and the other one isn't. Than your in a dependant situation.

[@OrmondTheMagnificent]

@camreeno360 Exactly; those were my only hang-ups, too.

[@TheRealDarthCosby]

@MyobuUzumaki Ahh!! Thanks Myobu.. I've always pronounced it Nihilsm (nye-uhl-ism).. I must be using the Canadian pronunciation (lol)... Anyway, thanks!!

[@gilfishdad]

Read the book.

[@soccergeekinandout]

Although I am an atheist and I am not a republican, I agree with most of what Hedges is talking about. His political comment in the beginning was a little uncalled for, but other than that it was pretty good.

[@etiennealive]

You've got good arguments. I can understand from your point of view, a for me new insight. Ok from the standpoint of a biologist, I can understand, but does this conclussion also go for humans ? I shure hope so don't get me wrong. people are more versityle than animals, is this personality of ours to be understand by comparing it with the other biological life we see ? I'm open for it. It's like you also say, what we've learned. It's difficult matter. Your idea sounds good ! I must say.

[@jasperb12345]

@lamuziq Strive for the dream through the adversity, and your perseverance will be rewarded. "Be the change you want to see in the world, and you will see it."

[@wilfrid55]

@thatstheguy07 ok, you win, I believe you and Rush from now on....

[@lzlioba]

As I have lived in not one, but two socialist countries, have worked from the bottom up as cleaning maid/kitchen help and lived on skid row (Harrison st, Chicago), my husband as floor sweeper at a factory I tell you - appreciate the capitalist America! Socialism, communism, are founded on great ideals, that don't work because they're against human nature and only dictators (also perverted by power) can force people to follow their demands. And we can't return to subsistence farming...

[@biped19]

Wonderful. Mr. Hedges at times sounds like Gerald Celente. The new school should do itself a favor and ask Mr. Celente to come and speak.

[@larry1369]

Just an outstanding lecture which really whets your appetite for the book.

[@tbrucia]

"State socialism" is the term applicable to the (late) USSR.

[@etiennealive]

Maybe in this context it's interesting to watch, Carl Jung On The Psyche - Gnostic

[@lisamcandrews8594]

So can we talk about solutions can we talk about resolving issues

[@leeroynaggins]

Hedges: haters gonna hate...

[@dtwchu]

@VickyDPi - If you read Plato's Republic, it will give you a hint of what he is talking about. This assertion, however, is a bit harsh in my opinion, nevertheless it does have a ring of truth to it.

[@djtanner66]

and an intense read

[@etiennealive]

There you have something. indeed.

[@lamuziq]

I didn't have enough room to elaborate in my original post, but, I will now because it's clear that many of you don't understand the intentions of my post. Even going as far to call it an endorsement of the Republican party? I don't vote anymore, I should have stated that outright. I didn't vote against Obama. I was stating that my background was Christian / Republican in hopes of showing how far Mr. Hedges light is reaching, and, with my upbringing it's something to be noted, not mocked.

[@hanksteelbranch]

@IWOP1 I was proposing a way to establish a sustainable integrated ecosystem in the post Peak Oil period, when transportation costs may be prohibitively expensive. In the context of my proposal it doesn't matter which country produces a product, only the distance between the point of creation and the point of consumption. At some point in the not-too-distant future it will be vital for people to work together to enable survival. Inflammatory, childish name calling will hopefully be obsolete.