Zinn on class in America

More at therealnews.com/t/index.php?op...
Howard Zinn: In the United States we are brought up to think there's only one class

[@blackiron60]

Howard Zinn is an absolutely brilliant man, and unafraid to tell the truth. That's an honourable thing.

[@GetMeThere1]

Zinn makes a valid point (that's not often made) about the duplicity between focusing on "the market" for economic emergency, vs focusing on "the govt" for war emergency.

[@PeterSodhi]

@Greatbroad "What we have is, we are lied to and led like sheep, instead." QED.

[@mantonio121773]

The Real News should be on national Television

[@seastar8]

Howard Zinn has an unclouded mind.

[@LisaS1]

I was unlucky enough throughout all my years of grade school and even some in junior and high school (but especially grade school) that most of my class-mates were middle class, upper middle class and rich kids. And believe me I could tell. And I played a musical instrument and had to put up with all these upper middle class and rich kids. In my high school orchestra class I had not one friend - they were all so stuck-up. It's no wonder I didn't stick with playing the viola.

[@Vierotchka]

Yes, an excellent book which all Americans worthy of calling themselves Americans should absolutely read if they haven't already.

[@LifeIsGoodLydie]

When Mr. Howard Zinn speaks, I listen. What a brilliant man!

[@rickobrien1583]

Howard Zinn! What a real live example of a true American patriot!

[@mantonio121773]

This newsnetwork needs to be subsidized by our government as a matter of national security for the people of the united states. We need an unbiased network

[@LisaS1]

It's surprising that most people don't think, or realize, (according to this Mr. Zinn) that there definately is a social class system in America. I think I realized it even before entering kindergarten. I think the class system makes it even more hard for poor kids to climb up the unfair, stupid, stuck-up, just plain wrong social ladder. It's like the poor don't have half a chance to succeed.

[@abraxaseyes7]

Read some of his book and found interest with his point of middle class created to buffer the elite from the rest.

[@Okhlopkov]

Howard Zinn and Micheal Parenti are great american teachers. If they would only learn more of them in future, then America will be great.

[@ItaloSuave]

I had no idea Howard Zinn was still living. What a pleasant surprise. I must get around to reading his famous book. I am an American Roman, but "all roads lead to Harvard" it seems. Too bad I only worked there, but never attended classes.

[@anumpeshi]

HOWARD ZINN IS A SPIRIT BEYOND HUMAN, OKCHA 2012

[@imadizzy1]

I wish Howard was here for occupy wall st. he'd put it all into perspective. I'm sure he's smiling down somewhere on the struggle.

[@lucristianx]

I love Howard Zinn. Excellent speaker.

[@JTsmiley14]

Right on, brother.

[@jollyjack4271]

Could you please provide a programme discussing Jacque Fresco's Resource Based Economy?

[@cool70200]

I have said very similiar things this guy is saying to my co workers and they look at me like I dont know what I'm talking about. They just dont get it until it hurts, then they complain, cry, scream and yell. Its violence folks, violence assaulting your quaility of life, dignity, indentity

[@MultiSmartass1]

The history of America was always basically a form of entertainment before Tv and movies arrived. Part of that story is the idea that the US is a classless society which has no basis in reality. What America has had is a socio-economic class structure as opposed to a class system backed by and aristocracy and monarchy that you find in England. Class here is largely educational, economic and employment oriented. Zinn is right. You never hear of poor and working class by pols.

[@ShakiraAbdulAli]

Lately that 'trickle' has become a Gusher!

[@athabascka]

I read A People's History, the edition starting in 1870. Great book.

[@seastar8]

@Minnesnowtakid I don't think I did. I used it to paint a clearer picture. Class is defined by the money you are able to accumulate or have inherited from family. What I tried to paint a picture of is that it's used as an illusion of worthiness in society. We are all worthy of life and sharing the Earth's abundance. No one is really poorer than another if we don't use money as our only means of trade. It was a plan of Roman society and has to go.

[@arthurcainii]

@OneVoiceMore Who said anything about development? Is your PC/Smartphone from the government?

[@seastar8]

@Inoitspointless It is not hopeless, not even now. The people they don't care about are many, many, and strong at heart. Do something in your power don't worry about what is not in your power. Speak to others about what you feel and never give up ok.

[@spankrobot]

"It's kind of hard to sell 'trickle down,' so the supply-side formula was the only way to get a tax policy that was really 'trickle down.' Supply-side is 'trickle-down' theory.” -David Stockman, Ronald Reagan's budget director.

[@Mooky220]

Can anyone tell me the name of the film that was based on his book? Also are there any other good programmes on KZbin on Class in America?

[@LisaS1]

School was just a terrible experience for me. In later years my mother (who sadly is no longer with us) said that if home schooling was allowed she ought to have home schooled me.

[@inferno0020]

Of course there is the class in America, but it is not linear, unlike France and England. In France and England, the class system is linear since the wealth, prestige and political influences are concentrated in Paris and London. The way the Elites, the Middle Class, and the Working Class talk, eat, think are completely different.

[@catgumart]

Someone asked me "How do you suffer? What do you have to worry about? There are starving people who would give anything to be where you are, get a job & stop complaining you wining,cowardly,spoiled loser." I told him I suffer depression,alienation, a feeling of powerlessness ,loneliness, I feel antagonized,stress from being in a precarious economic situation, & from having to compete tooth & nail with my fellow human beings for really very little- he laughed called me an idiot-

[@DanielMazahreh]

Powerful. Thanks for sharing that. That person is the real idiot. You are speaking the truth.

[@maxgunn555]

@catgumart well not more than food obviously because we need food to survive. but i agree learning is the greatest good. in fact that's all i spend my time doing at university really learning.

[@boosuff]

LOL I was wondering the same thing

[@AGoodWomanDiji]

There is no middle class. You are either rich or part of the working poor.

[@tarnopol]

Depends on who controls the government, to some extent, but also consider that when all power is in the hands of private tyrannies with virtually no popular input, the one power center left, with some, if not much, popular input is both better than the former and required for protection from the former.

[@Capitalocracy]

If you find it, send me a link...

[@AirelonTrading]

From 0:01 to - 5:54 He's bang on From 5:54 onwards, he gets a little shaky on economic ideals. There are people who were given bonuses for increasing their regional banks business - and they make under $30,000 a year. The problem, is everyone is indignant, and so few understand economics. And too many people think they understand economics.

[@zayadnay]

i like this guy, he makes alot of sense... why worry about the millions of dollars in bonuses (a distraction) when you already gave out BILLIONS of tax payers' money with no regulations!

[@krevice]

@spankrobot Perfectly put

[@greatbroad]

@ mikezephyr I just saw a Noam Chompsky video, but I cannot remember the name of his book that just came out. We basically need an organized public, who makes their own policies first, THEN picks their political representative. (We been on the 'wrong end' of the elephant and donkey for far too long.)

[@gulbirk]

I would rather say there is no middle class. There is a working class, whom if threated correctly and has some power, becomes a middle class (a moderately wealthy class). Then there is the working class under capitalism and exploitation, a class that does not have allot. But in real life, there is just the working class and the upper class.

[@Elin48]

@DominoChild How can a book be banned?

[@cool70200]

Even though we have rising populations and the pie is getting smaller, "without rising jobs and wages", about how long would it take for real inflation "as a whole" to come down (agriculture, textiles, electricity, metals, chemicals, energy, medicine, telecommunications, media, transportation, land/real estate etc..)? Say about 6-8 months? and depending on if there are monoplies or healthy competion involved? To let things fail and prices come down or try to keep them afloat, hmmm.

[@niggaville7545]

Shoutout to howard zinn

[@greatbroad]

@ PeterSodhi I'm not sure what QED means... But I got a good idea for a video, showing what I mean. Picture this: The way politics is today -- Crowds of unhappy people gathered behind and following a gigantic donkey and elephant (getting pooped upon) The way politics should be: --Crowds of people smiling, walking AHEAD of a much smaller donkey and elephant (they follow the people who feed them) This is the way our Forefathers intended it to be, in my opinion.

[@DominoChild]

This book is apparently banned in m state, but i was able to get a copy.

[@obbeachbum69]

He really did look like he was on deaths door.

[@KevinCody1964]

He's one of histories great teachers...even teach us all how to die. Not morbid.

[@cool70200]

(social, racial, economic, gender, age, interpersonal, identity) - politics And who gets treated, regarded, given attention to, rewarded, OR those who are excluded, overlooked, rejected, abused, robbed, deprived etc... same old human indirect or "soft" - violence against the most vulnerable

[@ST8URCASE]

i tried to give you double thumbs up but could not so i will tell you..."double thumbs up"

[@catgumart]

@maxgunn555 Right we want people to have a good quality of life we don't want them working their asses off just to have a tight budget- we want people to have HAPPINESS- accessible opportunities, good health,self cultivation,self expression, time for other things besides employment,lifelong affordable education- especially people doing mundane tedious work like most low income jobs- This is what is essential- food and shelter are already a given-unless you are living 100 years ago-

[@seastar8]

@Minnesnowtakid a class is a segment of society or people who are categorized by the amount of money they produce, the house they live in, and the cars they get to drive. Categorizing people is not real...but it is useful if you want to eliminate one of the groups and justify it by alienating them from the rest. The predominant candidate being groomed to lead the people out of chaos does not believe in the poor, the sick, and disabled being cared for when they no longer can care for themselves.

[@maxgunn555]

@catgumart learning french, piano and going to yoga - doesnt sound that essential.

[@brownnoice]

I think it is quite balanced, showing different views from different people, you sure you just did not get offended because some of these views shown are not your own?

[@greatbroad]

@ PeterSodhi Looks like folks here on KZbin happen to disagree with you. Sheep are led. In a truly free country the people are represented by Congress. What we have is, we are lied to and led like sheep, instead. --It doesn't have to be this way. The Internet enables us to connect and share ideas.

[@tarnopol]

I think Zinn is also an anarchist, FWIW.

[@1258-Eckhart]

As a European, I've always wondered why the Americans use the term "class" in a sociological context. It would be very liberating not to have to, and surely Americans don't have to. Our "bourgoisie", or middle class, consisted of those families who broke up the feudal system in the late middle ages, leaving behind them the now useless serfs (proletariate) and the now useless aristocracy. In Europe, "class" is a historic entity, in America, probably an invention of 1920's Marxist syndicalism. From the outside, it would appear that America divides itself along racial lines - Native Americans, Blacks, Hispanics (with Asians), Whites (with Jews). There isn't really room for an ex-feudal stratification as well. In Europe, we still have the remains of a feudal elite, in America, it never existed. Be glad!

[@TheBuddharabbitjo]

From an American - thank you. You are absolutely right. Beyond emulation of Erupeon culture and markets - Americans have no inherent long running fuedel systems. They sure try to create fuedilist systems though!

[@raindog5109]

From another American there seems to be Bourgeoisie here as well that are generational kin from the immigrated poor tier lmao the Irony anyhow yes you can imagine the circus we experience here..the only difference I suppose is the ethnicity but how shall I sum this up ah early settlers that became colonists the first Americans that rmigrated away because of their revolution from the feudisltic English and generations later still uphold what they fought not to become so you see, The apple does not fall far from the tree lmao. Social protocol in tiers and standards are different but nonetheless similar at the core .

[@EclecticSceptic]

Class is a historic entity? What? Jeff Bezos has as much wealth as 2.3 million Americans. You think class is in the past?

[@tarnopol]

Even totalitarian states have some mobility; it's about the power -- who has that? To say nothing of the fact that in a just society, the concept of "mobility" would have no meaning.

[@catgumart]

I think it is unfair to evaluate the real suffering & struggles of lower classes in 1st world countries by comparing it to horrendous misery of extreme poverty in 3rd world countries. Some people do this to try to inspire poorer people to look on the bright side & pick themselves up by the bootstraps etc.., but they don't want to recognize the different complex & personal issues that, along with class dynamics, effect individuals & keep them poor-

[@catgumart]

Even if homeless people get jobs they are going to have to work a lot at miserable low wage jobs so to afford shabby low rent apartments in bad neighborhood, they are still stigmatized, experience stress & limitations & conditions of low income-They aren't going to be learning french, or piano, or affording adequate fruits & vegetables, or making it to many yoga classes- they suffer amongst themselves within their impoverished lot- a lot of wasted potential- & we only live this life once : (

[@abraxaseyes7]

Most with "class" have none.

[@greatbroad]

@ Truthisnonexistant Ever hear of a man named Thom Hartmann? He wrote a book about how corporations overtook and control the US Constitution and our rights. I did a 4 min vid on it if interested.

[@lordblazer]

they are separate issues, but in America the two only get linked due to of course racism. When you keep certain groups of people form doing certain things for over 100 yrs through apartheid. Then of course these people won't be in the wealthy bracket, or even the middle class bracket. ITs not really a secret. Different sides aren't talking about anything. Instead every avoids the real issues of class and race and just talk about the things that divide instead of the real solution.

[@casperjuulberthelsen3263]

Very interesting talk, but quite unserions studio. A kitchen or something in the background and people walking around. That leaves an improper setting for a serious interview. Also the interviewer is somehow not as objective as would seem proper.

[@RocknRollDina]

the background looks like a secretary's space and the interview is inside his office

[@maxgunn555]

@spankrobot so you're saying the rich should have their money forcefully taken off them? and given to the rest?

[@catgumart]

@maxgunn555 lifelong learning & self expression are absolutely essential- you could argue convincingly more essential than food--food is very important but even food that the lower income people can afford is unhealthy & the shelters they live in are unhealthy- they are crowded,small,toxic- & they do not have much HEALTHY freedom of expression they are kept conditioned & trained to behave a certain way within a power structure if they veer outside those boundaries they get punished or shunned

[@DatsWhatXiSaid]

If you want to call trying to find information that'll help regular hard working people "socialism" and put a negative spin on it, so be it, but regualr hard working people have been unfairly fucked, while corportations have been making record profits, often via loopholes and unethical practice.

[@PeterSodhi]

@tiisibbeymen - you really think that the French under the Dictator Napolen, Russian under Stalin or current American experience under the rule of the foreign controlled Federal reserve are examples of the people leading their owners?? You have clearly heard about those events but have no freakin idea of what they entailed or the dynamics of how the control of the people passes from one leadership to another. Start reading and stop writing.

[@arthurcainii]

"The market doesn't work?" Who brought me this computer? A government employee? Who came up with KZbin? The government? Yeah, okay. Sorry Zinn, you lost me.

[@Franz19970]

The government did bring you this computer and the internet. It was developed with taxpayer money in the military system. Then later it was handed over to private power. Profits are privatized and risks are socialized. We don't have 'markets', well the rich don't. If we did Wall St wouldn't have ran to the government for a bailout after they crashed the economy if they really believed in 'markets'

[@lordblazer]

often at the expensive of many lives, and suffering of the workers. It really pisses me off, and many Americans don't see this. Many Americans can't see the real problem. I dunno. But I see my country turning more and more fascist. More towards corporatism, and no one else seems to notice this. Meanwhile market funalmentalist will continue to make sure we can't become a democratic socialist country as is the rest of the developed world. hell china has better heathcare than we do. its fucked up!

[@OneVoiceMore]

Goodness. You think computers and the internet weren't developed in military and government? I know where he lost you. Research.

[@PlateauEast]

well, i hadn't counted on the fact that you were a blind man, so my apologies. on the other point, it's quite easy to learn about the history of the establishment of the Zionism of which you would be aware. there have been several eras of this thinking, but none as old as anti-semitism, which, of course, was a direct reaction of extreme persecution throughout Europe. without that, it likely wouldn't have had much sway. no happy community left in peace would suddenly decide to up and leave.

[@ddrumsman549]

Peoples History of AMERICA?....

[@jstef928]

A true Communist.

[@niggaville7545]

Im god

[@Arondeus]

(yawn)

[@JTsmiley14]

Except that's just a big lie. :(

[@Paetaor]

Big government is the answer? So he thinks that the government can spend your money better than you can? Let's raise taxes 100%, hire 10 million beaurocrats and put a hammer and sickle on the flag.

[@lMlellow]

It is not a "trickle-down" theory that Obama is supporting. It is a Keynesian approach to saving the economy from collapse. I love Zinn, but he's shaky when it comes to economics.