Comments on: The Shock Doctrine http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/ a radical newsletter in the struggle for peace and social justice Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:07:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Lloyd Rowsey http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-7337 Lloyd Rowsey Sun, 14 Oct 2007 13:10:43 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-7337 test test

]]> By: josephD http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-7309 josephD Sat, 13 Oct 2007 16:44:26 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-7309 What jumps out at me from Klein's analysis is the concensus among the power brokers that enables coordinated action on the ground in response to disasters. Capital is locked and loaded and ready to roll, armed with Uncle Miltie's "shock doctrine", prepared to engage in pre-meditated acts of social engineering. From another angle, Numinous Naomi Klein is indulging a "conspiracy theory". Opportunities don't just fall out of the blue for the canny investor, they are anticipated beforehand. Is it a stretch to suppose that a group of rich people have had their eye on NO for many years, keenly aware of the high probability of an "act of god" that would provide them with their clean slate? Is it a stretch to suppose that this same group has been able to influence policy over the years to prevent the allocation of funds necessary for the remediation of levees? Not a big stretch, not for the canny investor who has the patience of a vulture waiting for its lunch to stop moving. It is a stretch to suppose that this group engaged in a little "black op" and employed a crew to actually bomb the levees at critical points, even though at the time residents did report hearing explosions? Now that's a stretch, let's not go there. Responsible commentators do not offend the logic of ethical behavior with groundless speculation based on mere anecdotal evidence, the testimony of traumatized victims. God can engage in acts of horrific destruction, but humans, particularly the lofty owners of capital who, as we know, protect and nurture the masses in their charge, do not play God. Do they? One shudders to think that they would. We must guard against this kind of anti-social thinking and do our part to discipline irresponsible commentators who would say, for example, that in order to justify imperial aggression, ortganized capital sponsored the destruction of the WTC through a fake act of terror. That is just too preposterous. Sweet Naomi never intended to imply such a thing. With a wink and a Mona Lisa smile, pretty Naomi reassures us that she is no delusional conspiracy theorist. This sort of thinking is repugnant. In their wisdom, the former Soviet leaders recognized it for what it is, a species of mental illness aptly called "sluggish schizophrenia". Clearly, our Numinous Naomi is in the best of mental health. What jumps out at me from Klein’s analysis is the concensus among the power brokers that enables coordinated action on the ground in response to disasters. Capital is locked and loaded and ready to roll, armed with Uncle Miltie’s “shock doctrine”, prepared to engage in pre-meditated acts of social engineering.

From another angle, Numinous Naomi Klein is indulging a “conspiracy theory”. Opportunities don’t just fall out of the blue for the canny investor, they are anticipated beforehand. Is it a stretch to suppose that a group of rich people have had their eye on NO for many years, keenly aware of the high probability of an “act of god” that would provide them with their clean slate?

Is it a stretch to suppose that this same group has been able to influence policy over the years to prevent the allocation of funds necessary for the remediation of levees? Not a big stretch, not for the canny investor who has the patience of a vulture waiting for its lunch to stop moving.

It is a stretch to suppose that this group engaged in a little “black op” and employed a crew to actually bomb the levees at critical points, even though at the time residents did report hearing explosions?

Now that’s a stretch, let’s not go there. Responsible commentators do not offend the logic of ethical behavior with groundless speculation based on mere anecdotal evidence, the testimony of traumatized victims. God can engage in acts of horrific destruction, but humans, particularly the lofty owners of capital who, as we know, protect and nurture the masses in their charge, do not play God. Do they?

One shudders to think that they would. We must guard against this kind of anti-social thinking and do our part to discipline irresponsible commentators who would say, for example, that in order to justify imperial aggression, ortganized capital sponsored the destruction of the WTC through a fake act of terror.

That is just too preposterous. Sweet Naomi never intended to imply such a thing. With a wink and a Mona Lisa smile, pretty Naomi reassures us that she is no delusional conspiracy theorist.

This sort of thinking is repugnant. In their wisdom, the former Soviet leaders recognized it for what it is, a species of mental illness aptly called “sluggish schizophrenia”.

Clearly, our Numinous Naomi is in the best of mental health.

]]> By: Mulga Mumblebrain http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-6149 Mulga Mumblebrain Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:40:05 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-6149 The essence of Capitalism is hatred of the Other. As they say, 'If you want a friend on Wall Street, buy yourself a dog!'. The Other may be other human beings, the natural world or posterity and those ghastly unborn generations who will be living when I am returned to clay. Capitalism is inevitably and inexorably destructive, as everything must be turned into money. It is a system that selects the worst for success, the unscrupulous and the unprincipled who will stoop to activities others abjure as wicked, or a waste of precious, limited, time. As with the adage that bad money drives out good, under Capitalism bad people drive out good people. When the choice is whether to have or to be, the Capitalist always chooses avarice and accumulation, as he or she is attempting to feed an insatiable inner emptiness, a bottomless black hole where their soul has imploded. We see the evidence of our Capitalist ordained fate every day. Climate Change, habitat destruction, desertification, acidification of the oceans, toxic pollution, grotesque inequality, war and murder in pursuit of loot. By not succeeding in replacing Capitalism we go to our doom, brainwashed and self-satisfied, ignorant, fearful and deluded, like an army of Panglossian lemmings throwing ourselves into space, in the manic belief that an 'Invisible Hand' will reach out and catch us before we fall into the abyss. The essence of Capitalism is hatred of the Other. As they say, ‘If you want a friend on Wall Street, buy yourself a dog!’. The Other may be other human beings, the natural world or posterity and those ghastly unborn generations who will be living when I am returned to clay. Capitalism is inevitably and inexorably destructive, as everything must be turned into money. It is a system that selects the worst for success, the unscrupulous and the unprincipled who will stoop to activities others abjure as wicked, or a waste of precious, limited, time. As with the adage that bad money drives out good, under Capitalism bad people drive out good people. When the choice is whether to have or to be, the Capitalist always chooses avarice and accumulation, as he or she is attempting to feed an insatiable inner emptiness, a bottomless black hole where their soul has imploded. We see the evidence of our Capitalist ordained fate every day. Climate Change, habitat destruction, desertification, acidification of the oceans, toxic pollution, grotesque inequality, war and murder in pursuit of loot. By not succeeding in replacing Capitalism we go to our doom, brainwashed and self-satisfied, ignorant, fearful and deluded, like an army of Panglossian lemmings throwing ourselves into space, in the manic belief that an ‘Invisible Hand’ will reach out and catch us before we fall into the abyss.

]]> By: Daniel http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-6140 Daniel Thu, 20 Sep 2007 06:18:27 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-6140 The World Utopian Movement has some answers for our conflicted world. Capitalism is a curse as is nationalism and religion. We need a better way. Check out Seeking Utopia for a new direction. The World Utopian Movement has some answers for our conflicted world. Capitalism is a curse as is nationalism and religion.

We need a better way. Check out Seeking Utopia for a new direction.

]]> By: Michael Rappaport http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-6125 Michael Rappaport Wed, 19 Sep 2007 22:32:15 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-6125 This is a brilliant article, but those who talk about capitalistic orthodoxy are missing the point. What this is about, and what it almost always has been about throughout history, is oligarchy. The "haves" want to continue that way and to become the "have mores," doling out as little of their wealth as they must to keep the masses satiated. This is a brilliant article, but those who talk about capitalistic orthodoxy are missing the point. What this is about, and what it almost always has been about throughout history, is oligarchy.

The “haves” want to continue that way and to become the “have mores,” doling out as little of their wealth as they must to keep the masses satiated.

]]> By: gerald spezio http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-6117 gerald spezio Wed, 19 Sep 2007 20:41:33 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-6117 Deadbeat, to qualify my use of theory, may I suggest that the theory is what informs the inquiry and the searching. Without theory, there is no science in the modern sense. Simply stated; "You can't count every grain of sand on the beach." Brainy Klein is doing genuine social science. She is proposing a "nomothetic" process that would answer similar questions under recurring natural and social conditions - general causes and general effects. Much of what passes as academic social science is somebody's personal sorcery filled with all manner of witchcraft and mentalistic terminology. Deadbeat, to qualify my use of theory, may I suggest that the theory is what informs the inquiry and the searching. Without theory, there is no science in the modern sense.

Simply stated; “You can’t count every grain of sand on the beach.”

Brainy Klein is doing genuine social science. She is proposing a “nomothetic” process that would answer similar questions under recurring natural and social conditions – general causes and general effects.

Much of what passes as academic social science is somebody’s personal sorcery filled with all manner of witchcraft and mentalistic terminology.

]]> By: Deadbeat http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-6116 Deadbeat Wed, 19 Sep 2007 20:20:31 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-6116 I wouldn't necessarily equate Ms. Klein work to as "theoretical". It always confound me that that leftist writers today must append Capitalism with some sort of prefix as if to imply some different type of Capitalism. This is how Capitalism works and we should just face that fact. What Ms. Klein has done is stripped the facade off of "economics" to high light the inner working of Political Economy. In the end that is what it's really about -- POWER. I wouldn’t necessarily equate Ms. Klein work to as “theoretical”. It always confound me that that leftist writers today must append Capitalism with some sort of prefix as if to imply some different type of Capitalism. This is how Capitalism works and we should just face that fact.

What Ms. Klein has done is stripped the facade off of “economics” to high light the inner working of Political Economy. In the end that is what it’s really about — POWER.

]]> By: Lloyd Rowsey http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-6113 Lloyd Rowsey Wed, 19 Sep 2007 19:47:01 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-6113 Absolutely first rate. Yes. Bravo Naomi Klein. We are all Kleinists now. Absolutely first rate. Yes. Bravo Naomi Klein. We are all Kleinists now.

]]> By: Sunil Sharma http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-6104 Sunil Sharma Wed, 19 Sep 2007 16:05:38 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-6104 I agree with you Gerald. Klein is a brilliant writer and activist. The Shock Doctrine is one of the most important books to have appeared in recent years, and is essential reading for anyone wanting to get a more realistic grasp of the political terrain we face. I agree with you Gerald. Klein is a brilliant writer and activist. The Shock Doctrine is one of the most important books to have appeared in recent years, and is essential reading for anyone wanting to get a more realistic grasp of the political terrain we face.

]]> By: gerald spezio http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-6103 gerald spezio Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:55:11 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/the-shock-doctrine/#comment-6103 Naomi Klein's "Shock Doctrine" is a magnificent and scholarly scientific general theory. She makes every well reasoned attempt to explain what is happening to our very lives. She asks and answers the question; who is doing what to whom. She is specific and precise. It is as sound an explanation as human intelligence informed by science can make it. We won't find any better. For scientists it is in a class with evolution by natural selection. Most people have never known what was happening to them. Naomi Klein is trying her very best to tell us. Naomi Klein’s “Shock Doctrine” is a magnificent and scholarly scientific general theory. She makes every well reasoned attempt to explain what is happening to our very lives. She asks and answers the question; who is doing what to whom. She is specific and precise.

It is as sound an explanation as human intelligence informed by science can make it.
We won’t find any better. For scientists it is in a class with evolution by natural selection.

Most people have never known what was happening to them.
Naomi Klein is trying her very best to tell us.

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