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Quote by Chris Hedges

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War Is a Force that Gives Us Meaning

This book delves into the profound effects of war on the human psyche, analyzing the complex emotions and motivations that drive people to engage in conflict. It explores the moral and ethical dimensions of war, offering a critical perspective on the role of violence in human history. more

Author

Chris Hedges
Chris Hedges

Chris Hedges is an American author, journalist, and activist renowned for his incisive critique of American politics and society. He specializes in examining issues such as corporate power, social inequality, and the consequences of war. Hedges has penned several notable books, such as 'War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning' and 'American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America'. He has contributed to various publications, including The New York Times and The Nation. more

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“We have to grasp, as Marx and Adam Smith did, that corporations are not concerned with the common good. They exploit, pollute, impoverish, repress, kill, and lie to make money. They throw poor people out of homes, let the uninsured die, wage useless wars for profit, poison and pollute the ecosystem, slash social assistance programs, gut public education, trash the global economy, plunder the U.S. Treasury and crush all popular movements that seek justice for working men and women. They worship money and power.”

“Inverted totalitarianism, unlike classical totalitarianism, does not revolve around a demagogue or charismatic leader. It finds expression in the anonymity of the Corporate State. It purports to cherish democracy, patriotism, and the Constitution while manipulating internal levers.”

“The split in America, rather than simply economic, is between those who embrace reason, who function in the real world of cause and effect, and those who, numbed by isolation and despair, now seek meaning in a mythical world of intuition, a world that is no longer reality-based, a world of magic.”

“The corporations that profit from permanent war need us to be afraid. Fear stops us from objecting to government spending on a bloated military. Fear means we will not ask unpleasant questions of those in power. Fear permits the government to operate in secret. Fear means we are willing to give up our rights and liberties for promises of security. The imposition of fear ensures that the corporations that wrecked the country cannot be challenged. Fear keeps us penned in like livestock.”

“In the beginning war looks and feels like love. But unlike love it gives nothing in return but an ever-deepening dependence, like all narcotics, on the road to self-destruction. It does not affirm but places upon us greater and greater demands. It destroys the outside world until it is hard to live outside war's grip. It takes a higher and higher dose to achieve any thrill. Finally, one ingests war only to remain numb.”