Requiem for the American Dream

This is a very important documentary with a lot of information - especially for the uninformed about society and what mechanisms there are that's "controlling" us and how we then behave, like puppets.

But what I miss here is discussions about solutions, and that's why I can't give this documentary a 10 out of 10. I would like this documentary to be more educational and have more discussions about alternative solutions - like the "Zeitgeist Moving Forward"-documentary did!

But Requiem for the American Dream is, of course, very much worth seeing! This informative educational documentary should be viewed in schools! Why isn't it?

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!

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.

Everyone should see this. Confused, concerned, and frustrated by what is happening in America? Watch this and you'll begin to understand.

I would also recommend watching Adam Curtis' excellent documentary "The Century of the Self" as a companion documentary to help understand how we got here.