The Myth of Progress, the Necessity of Rebellion

Part 1: New World Notes #528, 28:07 (April 17)
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Decent quality MP3 (13 MB)

Part 2: New World Notes #529, 29:28 (April 24)
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In a brilliant speech, Chris Hedges argues that the class war is real ... that the ordinary people are losing ... that all of society's institutions have betrayed the people and "sold out" to Established Power ... that whatever political and economic justice there has been exists only because ordinary people struggled hard against the elite to create that justice... and that widespread nonviolent rebellion by the people is now essential to prevent disaster.

Part history lesson, part political science, part cultural analysis, and part sermon, Hedges' talk is an intellectual tour-de-force--and also a great listen.

Previously broadcast, as NWN #528-529, in December 2014/January 2015. MP3 files downloaded from the links, above, are identified as #528-529.

American Food

New World Notes #527, 28:16 (April 10)
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The season inspires thoughts of food--including the politics, economics, and ecology of American agriculture. Some personal reflections by KD are interwoven with eight short commentaries by Jim Hightower and a little music.

Topics include deceptive packaging, declining food-safety rules for corporate meatpackers, low wages at fast-food chains, huge "agricultural" subsidies for the rich, how drug-warriors destroyed an organic farm, and a Connecticut vegetable farmer decides to add a few pigs and sell a little pork.

Previously broadcast, as NWN #300, in December 2013. Files downloaded from the links, avove, are identified as #300.

Jim Hightower's recorded commentaries are from his Web site.

How 'The System' Causes Addiction

New World Notes #526, 29:03 (March 27)
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Dr. Gabor Mate

A good introduction to Dr. Gabor Mate's insights into addiction. Mate (mah-TAY) shows that addiction is caused not by chemical substances themselves but by the complex interaction of brain, experience, the environment (including society and the economy), and chemical substances. Our stressful, exploitative economic system is a major factor causing addiction.

And since The System's "War on Drugs" does little good and much harm, could its real goals be more sinister than its professed goals?

This program replays parts of an interview with Mate (January 2010) by Mike McCormick, on Mind Over Matters, and parts of a speech Mate gave in Berkeley in November 2011 (courtesy of the National Radio Project and Making Contact). The links connect to these original sources, for which many thanks.

Previously broadcast, as NWN #211, in March 2012. Files downloaded from the links, above, are identified as #211.