Requiem for the American Dream

The definitive discourse with Noam Chomsky, widely regarded as the most important intellectual alive, on the defining characteristic of our time - the deliberate concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a select few.

This film is being touted as the "final" film of Noam Chomsky. I don't buy that. He's not dead, for one thing. But also, the amount of footage out there is pretty daunting... people could be making films of Chomsky's speeches for years to come.

There isn't all that much here that you won't hear elsewhere if you're familiar with Chomsky's work. It's a standard denouncement of various systems and how Americans interact with their government. For those who aren't fans, it may also be really, really dry. Chomsky packs a lot of information into his words and is not the most exciting speaker. It is more accessible, though, than some of his broader work... unlike his views on foreign policy, he does not dig into decades of obscure history to support his theories.

If you're a Trump supporter, you probably won't watch this. Too bad. It's about YOUR beliefs. Everyone's beliefs.

A great deal of Noam Chomsky's attention over his long career has been about how consciousness is shaped by------as well as shapes---- language. Language consequently becomes power to control others......as Eric Blair pointed out so brilliantly in 1984 with his totalitarian NewSpeak. Language, words, grammar, inflections . . .the stuff of thoughts and ideas.

In this lovely synopsis of his book by the same title the filmmakers managed to encapsulate the leading points one of America's greatest intellectuals makes by paring the content down to ten overarching themes ---all of which point to seizure of power by the most manipulative for their own purposes.

We learn how the money and power are consolidated, controlled by the wealthiest. How free markets aren't free. How the concept of democracy was always feared by the leaders in the US....even though their rhetoric is full of token adoration of it. How minds are controlled-- brainwashed by repetitive messaging. How power, and wealth in the hands of a few renders everything else unstable. How the entire system is imploding because it is no longer sustainable. How the damage to the ecosystem, to societal harmony is ruinous......and what must be done to alter the current flow.

If you haven't seen this short documentary, watch it. Especially if you're one of the people not given to thinking about deeper social causes and effects. You know, Trump supporter types.

He is a genius and explains our situation with big business, banks and the wealthy that control the politics. His explanation shows how Trump is fooling the ones who voted for him. By reducing taxes for the corporations the Wealthy will get bigger, There will be another stock market crash and the taxpayers will bail them out. Getting rid of the EPA powers, and school funding he will keep the poor in their place. (slaves for the Corporations. The corporation will still be in control with the lobby and no cap on what corporations can give to each party. He goes into detail and backs up his views with video history. It is a must see video.

This eerily prescient documentary (2015) narrated by Noam Chomsky was in development before the official announcement of Donald Trump's candidacy. Yet, in the "Ten Principles of the Concentration of Wealth and Power" the viewer sees the redesigning of the US economy."Requiem for the American Dream" is indeed sobering. Chomsky, known for his activism during both the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War,bemoans the state of "an uninformed electorate making irrational choices often against their own self-interest." This is a documentary that is a must-see for all of us trying to make sense of the election of Trump. The historical perspective is an eye- opener!

most of people that I know are aware the the rich gain more that politicians are corrupt that bankers only want money for themselves etc.. but we know it because we hear it here and there.

this movie actually shows you how this is all engineered and does it in a way that slowly builds up and makes you even angry to see how much truth is in it.

But I am posting here mainly for one reason, I am neither American nor live in the US but in Spain and I can tell that over here (Europe) we have got exactly the same structure that this movie shows. It is an actual copy but in Europe, that tells that this is not US on their own with their economy and social classes etc... it is Global or at least common to the so-called 1st world.

In Spain and other southern European countries like Italy, Portugal or Greece it is not enough nowadays with having a full time job for not to be poor. Many salaries are around the 1K EUR mark those that earn 1.5K consider themselves somehow with a good salary but that is totally wrong with current earnings people can barely pay the rent, bills,schools, insurances etc...

Today's poor is not a street begger but also someone who does have a full time job but cannot afford a decent live.