The Consequences of Capitalism with Noam Chomsky

Join Noam Chomsky and Marv Waterstone as they discuss their latest book, Consequences of Capitalism.
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Consequences of Capitalism, a new book by Noam Chomsky and Marv Waterstone, exposes the deep, often unseen connections between neoliberal 'common sense' and structural power. In making these linkages, the will show how the current hegemony keeps social justice movements divided and marginalized. And, most importantly, we see how we can fight to overcome these divisions. Is there an alternative to capitalism? Chomsky and Waterstone will chart a critical map for a more just and sustainable society.
Get the book, Consequences of Capitalism: www.haymarketbooks.org/books/...
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Noam Chomsky is Institute Professor (emeritus) in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Laureate Professor of Linguistics and Agnese Nelms Haury Chair in the Program in Environment and Social Justice at the University of Arizona. His work is widely credited with having revolutionized the field of modern linguistics. Chomsky is the author of numerous best-selling political works, which have been translated into scores of languages. Recent books include What Kind of Creatures Are We?, as well as Optimism Over Despair, and Internationalism of Extinction.
Marv Waterstone is Professor Emeritus in the School of Geography and Development at the University of Arizona, where he has been a faculty member for over 30 years. He is also the former director of the University of Arizona Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Comparative Cultural and Literary Studies. His research and teaching focus on the Gramscian notions of hegemony and common sense, and their connections to social justice and progressive social change. His most recent books are Wageless Life: A Manifesto for a Future beyond Capitalism (University of Minnesota Press; co-authored with Ian Shaw) and Geographic Thought: A Praxis Perspective (Routledge; co-edited with George Henderson).
Janine Jackson (host) is the program director at Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR) and producer/host of FAIR's syndicated weekly radio show CounterSpin. Her work has appeared in various publications, including Civil Rights Since 1787 (New York University Press) and Stop the Next War Now: Effective Responses to Violence and Terrorism (New World Library).
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[@LetsGoGetThem]

I have never heard Noam so dire with his analysis as he is now. I have listened to him for well over 2 decades at this point, and his older stuff. Noam has lived through it all, if he is raising alarm over our situation now the world ought to listen, but we know that none of the policy makers are listening to him. That scares me to no end.

[@choosecarefully408]

Well, The Main Problem with Chomsky is what happens to almost everyone: he still think of "policy-makers" as Elevated Beings whom we have to appeal to indirectly because they're so apart from us that we cannot approach them in direct manners. No adult I've ever met has fully shaken off this infantile view of politicians. No one. Everyone I know still accepts _both_ the contradictory stands of politicians on Climate Change: that industrial pollution drives it, but that we can't interfere with the ability of them to continue doing it "because" politicians tell us so. Everyone is a helpless child who Has To Follow Daddy's Commands. That being the case, *who* are you referring to when you say "policy-makers?" Elevated Beings who took jobs 'in Government' because 'Government' is a Living Person who only accepts Elevated Divinity within His Presence? Because this comment couldn't possibly be written by someone who sees them as the corrupt people keeping us down for crass cash that they openly are allaregreen.us/. When do you think Ted Cruz _is_ going to *voluntarily reject* those amounts of $?

[@jonnieinbangkok]

Same broken record for 60 years 😂😂😂

[@szuhairy1]

Waterstone had an amazingly simplified and clear way of dissecting certain accepted realities.

[@KymHammond]

1:58 talk starts. 4:22 Marv Waterstone 17:27 Noam Chomsky setup 19:07 Noam responds

[@HaymarketBooks]

Should be updated to start a few seconds in.

[@fartgal2]

"Capitalist realism". The knot. It's easier to imagine the end of the world than to imagine the end of capitalism..... Congratulations to Noam Chomsky, and thanks for sharing, Janine.

[@arnystieber732]

Excellent discussion. I was part of the capitalist system without really understanding the big picture. I’m slowly learning. Chomsky helps me formulate my thoughts.

[@vinceo2b]

My sentiments exactly. We run and push so hard there's little time to think, just to work.

[@5Gazto]

Nice to listen to highly educated people talk without deterrents and annoyances.

[@defenderofwisdom]

I personally want to hear them talk while traversing all sorts of deterrents and obstacles like: big rocks, a protest, freshly painted cement sidewalks, someone's loud and territorial Rottweiler, traffic jams and military checkpoints.

[@hitherkusum5149]

Thank you so much for sharing such a thought provoking discussion

[@kristinamelnichenko5775]

Noam Chomsky is a treasure and a pleasure. Everyone email him happy birthday Dec 7❣️

[@matt_cummins28]

Absolutely fantastic video; thanks so much for the upload. Thanks to all Marv, Noam and Janine and to Haymarket Books. Brilliant stuff. People forget that they have a common enemy and to (re)organize the population that enemy needs to be clearly understood, especially when it turns out that even the initial "designers" of the system understood its (catastrophic) flaws and the (extremely simple) ways in which those flaws can be exploited. The point about "essential workers" was an eye-opener, actually. In an odd way, the disorder that the pandemic has created and the way in which class relations suddenly altered is stark when its laid out. And now the task is to not let that new understanding just disappear as "normal" life resumes. Thanks again to everyone.

[@jessicafalstein]

so excellent! thanks for uploading.

[@bpatrickhoburg]

Thanks Janine, this is excellent!

[@kengilliland727]

Thanks for uploading this, it's so important to try to understand our predicament, anyway back around 2009, I had a Doctor's appointment with a Doctor that Social Security sent me to, and it turned out to be David Chomsky MD, so when I'm called back to his office, I think to myself, I should ask him if he's related to Noam Chomsky, anyway I get to his office and asked him, and he said, yeah Noam's my Brother, and we talked about Howard Zinn, and then he asked me, " Whatever happened to Common Sense ? ", anyway this is really a small world after all.

[@jonnymahony9402]

Chomsky has a brother??????

[@kengilliland727]

@@jonnymahony9402 ~ Yep, his name is David Chomsky MD, but he just died this year at 86.

[@kellymcghee5790]

Thank you 💜🙌

[@user-js9dq4we4j]

I've always said that looking for work is worse than working.

[@magedabuldahab7481]

Some people may say the opening spiel by Marv is redundant as it can be summarized into one line " don't take anything for granted" but the repetition is mandatory to break the shell that we are living in, isolating ourselves from the environment, each other & amazingly our real selves in particular......thanks for giving us a glimpse of how wisdom talks should be

[@tonyduncan9852]

(Came from Elizabeth Warren interrogating Wells Fargo executives. A perfect segue. . .) Thanks.

[@debralegorreta1375]

Do you like visiting the sheepdogs, Tony?

[@tonyduncan9852]

@@debralegorreta1375 ?

[@channelwarhorse3367]

Less than 5 minutes .. super important .. the Future must happen.

[@StrawmnMcPerson]

Then you're gonna have to actually do something about the noam ch*mskies of the world. The old whte cishet men in positions of power who y'all still allow to slipnslide through life lubed up with everyone else's blood and viscera and y'all still don't. even. flinch. about it. Unless it's to vehemently defend noam's right to dine off the backs of child s3gs slaves.

[@kylieisola4735]

Like Huxley said, people begin to love their enslavement. Drunk on the crumbs that give a little, short lived pleasure.

[@Whatintheworlt]

I'd rather live on capitalist crumbs than communist bullets. Move to Cuba or Venezuela. Oh wait you can't. They don't have food. You people are absolutely bat shit.

[@raginald7mars408]

as a German I experienced the wonders of Socialism Socialits from all over the world exiled to West German Capitalists who sponsor them for a FREE Life

[@mackenziedog1872]

Best ever intro! Stunned to see a Black woman with thick long Grey hair then she speaks and utterly wows me. Noam gets humbled himself. Utterly exciting start! I'll have to save this for tomorrow. I love this!

[@Bisquick]

Voltaire's Bastards is a great book that discusses everything Marv keeps hitting on. As he mentions at 1:08:00 ish - Hume's is/ought are _intentionally_ conflated to push any alternatives to the fringes as "unrealistic" or "irrational". It's very insidious and cynical and of course by default it "wins" since those with any morally imposed restrictions on their actions have those limitations of action, a tautology of course but an important one I think to clarify as Marv brilliantly does. To be blunt, it's quite frankly fucking bullshit lol...really appreciate this stuff thanks! I just hope we all actually take this in authentically, we only have the world to win. _“The ideas of the ruling class are in every epoch the ruling ideas, i.e. the class which is the ruling material force of society, is at the same time its ruling intellectual force. The class which has the means of material production at its disposal, has control at the same time over the means of mental production, so that thereby, generally speaking, the ideas of those who lack the means of mental production are subject to it. The ruling ideas are nothing more than the ideal expression of the dominant material relationships, the dominant material relationships grasped as ideas.”_ - some guy (Marx, to not be facetious lol)

[@stella3265]

In other words, to be subordinate, indoctrinated and obedient to the ruling class or the Capitalists. Mass financialization

[@StrawmnMcPerson]

Have you considered the thought of any other human demographic or...?

[@Bisquick]

@@StrawmnMcPerson What does this mean? Since the US has imposed it globally through direct/indirect economic/military coercion/force, continuing a long colonial tradition from the European powers - the creation of the US itself a manifestation of this colonialism (settler colonialism of the British) - capitalism is the foundational organization of _material_ reality, inherently and implicitly dividing society into two distinct classes based on one's external relationship to property in terms of ownership and control. Every other descriptive demographic therefore _necessarily_ falls under the umbrella categorization of _class_ which in being defined externally and materially (as opposed to subjectively and ideologically) objectively and universally describes populations undergirded by its material political-economic organization/state enforcement.

[@Dasein2005]

That was actually a great introduction - which is rare, as most are boring.

[@Mastervitro]

"There are no Negro problems, or Polish problems, or Jewish problems, or Greek problems, or Women's problems, there are Human problems." Jacque Fresco

[@fals_one]

Brilliant discussion

[@magedabuldahab7481]

23:00 Peter Thiel said it alot, there is no competition, if you want competition, go and open a restaurant in Chicago, but if you want to win make the business without competition .... Thiel didn't say monopoly because it carries bad connotation, but this is the idea of all capitalists since standard oil that monopolizes oil across the world not the USA only before oil rendered a strategic assest

[@kevinguyan522]

Whats needed is a transitional governance model built upon pre-colonial democratic processes like Indigenous consensus and Greek era Citizens Assembly, blended with new community management systems like Neighborocracy; the final cornerstone will be represented by a yet formed global council of watershed Grandmothers.

[@kevinguyan522]

Global Council of Watershed Grandmothers combined with the inclusion of youth within this blended system.

[@pinkuscrowther8734]

Participatory economics... Noams friend Michael Albert created...

[@StrawmnMcPerson]

Land Back. You don't need another coat of paint. You need to Land Back. There were already "governments" here since you need one so damn bad.

[@manuelmanuel9248]

This analysis is absolutely uncommon sense and entirely correct in its diagnosis. The frustrating part is that the treatment of the diagnosed disease is everything but clear. If the treatment is simply slow incremental improvements, the “masters of mankind” will have many more years in the driver’s seat. Perhaps, global warming will destroy civilization before we can change the plutocratic short-termism that is causing that threat to human society. Massive revolution is also unlikely given the weak links between people who populate the 99%. Thus, it appears that human civilization’s goose is cooked.

[@dariusnikbin1695]

What time is it? Michael Heseltime... DCN

[@jonnieinbangkok]

They always say Chomsky has dozens of books but most of them are just compilations of his speeches or re-issues of earlier works. He hasn't published anything noteworthy since Manufacturing Consent and that was waaaaay back in the 70s.

[@nunoa.fernandes6541]

❤️

[@samuelrosander1048]

40:00 or so, why we have people split into employer/employee is now ingrained into society to the point where people actually believe that it's natural and right, that we NEED to be ruled over, that businesses CAN'T operate democratically, that society CAN'T operate democratically (bottom-up). It doesn't matter if there are more successful models that prove them wrong, it doesn't matter how many examples of it in practice that you show them, they don't want to hear it. They'll come up with any excuse they can, including "well, my definition of capitalism accepts that as part of capitalism, so if people want to do it, let them" or "that's not REAL/PURE capitalism" or "the employers don't dictate everything. It's all negotiation, so it's the fault of the employee for not negotiating better conditions" or "that's a niche case. It can't happen on a larger scale." I've had far too many conversations go that way. You just can't convince zealots of cults that they are part of a cult, and if you can, they reject all evidence that their cult is "not good." It's extreme generational brainwashing.

[@vinceo2b]

They are the few we are the many when they many stop listening to the few...........

[@blackrebelradio9879]

Hello, Wes

[@dennisweisbrot3278]

Any chance of adding Spanish subtitles?

[@timtrewyn453]

People of conscience need to understand that about 4% of the population has no conscience. They have no remorse for self-centered behavior on their part. The challenge to people of conscience is to do their best to acquire knowledge that will open up a life of progress for themselves and those around them. I started out as a farm boy and dishwasher. Today I am a half partner in an engineering firm with employees we pay decently. I am sympathetic to those whose environment is hardly conducive to obtaining vocational knowledge. While controversial, recognize that works such as those of Ruby Payne touch on cultural issues that impede personal progress. I admire Chomsky and buy his books. His paradigm is consistent, but seems more limited to me as I experience life.

[@Chipper6397]

Common Sense is unfortunately not so common!

[@BeefT-Sq]

" What about the torrents of smears, misrepresentations, defamation, abuse poured by the intellectuals on any defender of capitalism ?" -Ayn Rand-

[@kylieisola4735]

It won’t happen until EVERYONE can see that the emperor has no clothes.

[@anticsbc]

Rooster it to the limit.

[@joeldwest]

Mothering is real work. We deserve to be paid. Pay Mothers like in some parts of N.Europe and better

[@alidavidson3229]

what the heck does forward leaning conversation mean?conversation is a noun

[@waindayoungthain2147]

🙏🏻if’s democratic is only on warriors and election , it’s the lasting of no one’s living on elite, who’s living without life threatening over weapons please 🙏🏻. There’s a lot of benefit management😺, please advise me , how’s to theirs living with mount of power struggle.

[@tiemiahu9947]

The interviewer's introduction and questions were two long winded, leaving only half of the video to cover the answers, and no time to ask more questions, what a shame, two great minds with so much knowledge....

[@garywarburton3180]

How can you formulate any ideas different from a corporate one when the media is a corporation itself? The truth is you can`t.

[@JeepCherokeeful]

Got it, everyone should be their own boss. I wonder how to get there. Use common sense! Like off shore all meaningless jobs?

[@anonymousanonymous7304]

Sound is off. Hard to listen to.

[@barbaralawrence1545]

T h e B e s t !

[@JeepCherokeeful]

The USA was the richest country in the 1950’s Noam and no you don’t die while filling out paperwork at the ER.

[@mikeoglen6848]

Which country is the richest now in 2022?

[@totonow6955]

Haibitus

[@patricksullivan6176]

Got wild animals living among the civilized, they need to learn how to live peacefully with others, maybe screen the population for the un-civilized ones and educate them not just throw them in jail! That’s where we should begin, there’s just too much bad behavior being tolerated.

[@BeefT-Sq]

" The academia-jet set coalition is attempting to tame the American character by the deliberate breeding of helplessness and resignation ---in those incubators of lethargy known as " Progressive " schools, which are dedicated to the task of crippling a child's mind by arresting his cognitive development ." -Ayn Rand-

[@richarddeacon9576]

It is nothing more than a hate crime

[@waindayoungthain2147]

If’s I don’t think it’s living with every day life in benefits and taxpayers😺🙏🏻please .

[@JeepCherokeeful]

Too bad most new car buyers only keep their cars a couple years Noam. And Not because they’re breaking

[@mikeoglen6848]

I know I'm late but why do new car buyers only keep their cars for a couple of years?

[@deadhardy]

Is she filming from a utility closet?

[@alamacos1106]

😂😂😂

[@paulspacey346]

does it matter?

[@HaymarketBooks]

Yes, actually. Turns out that the acoustics of the average closet are *spectacular.*

[@alamacos1106]

@@HaymarketBooks Great 👍(but it still looks and sounds funny 😁😂)

[@Cacowninja]

19:33 Once again Chompsky blames capitalism for what corporatism/government actually does. These people know nothing yet they a huge following which is disturbing. Look capitalism takes care of the environment due to consumer choice as well as business accountability corporatism is just the opposite. You want good stuff? Choose capitalism not corporatism.

[@megja1812]

Capatalism has destroyed the environment by normalising greed…..hence the state we are in. Look at Australia, they have mined the hell out of the land but they are seeing fires, floods and the mining is slowing up. Absolute greed at the expense of Mother Nature all under disguise of capatalism.

[@mikeoglen6848]

Hasn't Capitalism mutated into Corporatism? Is not Capitalism at the heart of Corporatism and is its logical endpoint?

[@Cacowninja]

@@mikeoglen6848 NO, that's what you get when you have government. Capitalism is no government in the the economy. Just voluntary trade. Corporatism is when government gets involved.

[@mikeoglen6848]

@@Cacowninja Utter Tosh.

[@nak5eno616]

@@Cacowninja Corporatism or the manipulation of whatever economic system has or will ever exist is not because of "governent" or "corporations" or whatever anyone wants to blame on why their preferred system isn't foolproof. It's just people. They will always find a way to cheat the system. “All for ourselves, and nothing for other people, seems, in every age of the world, to have been the vile maxim of the masters of mankind.” ― Adam Smith

[@JeepCherokeeful]

Janine exposed herself from the start. fine example of a closed mindset. Total ignorance of reality ? Or is she lying?

[@nurlatifahmohdnor8939]

Out.

[@stephanzhechev141]

It is really funny how Chomsky and Waterstone, two people with a grand total of 0 working days outside academia whose only contact to "the working class" is that once in 1952 Chomsky saw a photo of the insides of a factory, discuss what is best for "the working class". I am part of the working class and they have no idea what "the working class" wants. Their view of the world is the one that is actually classist: they are "the intellectuals" who are supposed to guide "the working class" towards the liberation and then be given the power to organize the new utopian society. It is also funny how in other discussions Chomsky supports the covid oppression of the working people because he is under heavy risk of dying from the virus, but a few days later suddenly it really bothers him how the "working class people" are getting poorer because of the very same measures he was ardently supporting earlier.

[@sa-iw4dr]

You are a bot and your opinion comes from outside of America; you are clearly out of touch. Your vile put downs are not based in fact. Just what makes you "Qualified to give a opinion of the working class"? Its not a oppression; and seems like you don't have a thinking brain. So in your opinion it's ok to go to WAR across continents for less that 2,000 dead, from a attack on the towers, But it's not ok to get a shot and wear a mask and stay at home because of 750,000 thousand DEATHS from a virus. Sorry you don't belong here and you aren't qualified to make a valid truthful statement. Please state your "JOB"? Perhaps if you read the contents of their book you might understand more of your situation and your future. Sounds like you are a Millionaire that just doesn't want to pay his/her fair share of taxes.

[@stephanzhechev141]

@@sa-iw4dr #youareabot #orangemanbad #npcculturegood #abolishcapitalism #noamforpresiden

[@kennethmarshall306]

COVID only causes economic hardship because of our “free market’ economic system where the driving force is short term profit with no obligation to look after each other. We could easily make sure that there was work for all and fair distribution of wealth if the people that work in businesses owned them. And that business was accountable to local, regional, national and international communities

[@stephanzhechev141]

​@@kennethmarshall306 Absolutely. In fact, the economy is actually all coming out of an infinite amazon warehouse that Jeff Bezos happened to randomly find one day and claimed for himself. Profit BAD!!! But not as much as orangeman. Orangeman worse. Also, profit could be good when it is from the MIT endowment investments because then it pays Chomsky's fat salary, otherwise profit real bad. Your wild misunderstanding of how the world works is the reason for the trouble.

[@debralegorreta1375]

Thank You, Stephan Zhechev! . . . These are just sheepdogs.

[@debralegorreta1375]

At what point is bringing out Chomsky to rally the sheep constitute elder abuse?

[@cliffgaither]

She simply talks too much.