Customer Reviews

The Coming Insurrection (Semiotext(e) / Intervention Series)

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(27)

 

 

This is not the type of book one looks at based on the usual "do I like it?" criteria. It's NOT that kind of book.

THE COMING INSURRECTION is, simply put, a manifesto. It is dull and wandering. As a "workable plan" for a society, it is the usual Marxist utopian vision of all men enjoying the benefits of nobody's exploited labor.

And as scary as the idea of anarchists and Marxists rioting in the streets is (Don't LOOK--they're doing it right now in France on 10/22/10), the really scary part of this book is the authors' analysis of the state of Western Civilization. This is not so much a condemnation of Capitalism by Marxists--we're all familiar with that--but, rather a clear outline of the hardcore Marxist view of Progressivism, community organizing, Environmentalism and Social Democratic ideas.

The contention the authors have that Western Civilization is IN collapse and not in "crisis" should cause you to consider whether or not government action is designed to prop up the free-market economy and society or whether they are merely trying to prop up the FACADE of the free-market economy and society. Ask yourself if the authors are right when they conclude that the negation of ideas has become the norm and whether or not current society exalts those who believe in nothing and demonizes those who hold to principles. Ask yourself what REALLY drives those in government and the environmental movement and compare it to what the authors think is the motivating force.

DRAW YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS. If you want to stick your head in the sand or don't want to give up the comfortable idea that everything will be alright because it's always worked out OK before, that's your choice. Otherwise, agree or disagree with what these people believe, you SHOULD read this book. It's dull, it's rambling and it's unpleasant at times, but it's 3 hours (audio book time) that will enlighten you as to what's really going on in some people's minds. Whether you are Conservative OR Progressive, you should know that these people view YOU as their enemy.

++++AUDIO BOOK PRODUCT REVIEW+++++++
No problems with audio playback. Narrator Christopher Lane does a very good job. Given the subject matter, he's not dull or boring. His voice is pleasant, clear and he enunciates well.
FOR THE PRODUCT I give FIVE STARS.

For the book I give a generic, non-opinionated 3 STARS. I'm neither endorsing nor condemning the CONTENTS of this book. I just think that the wise person, who is concerned one way or the other about the future of western civilization owes it to themselves to see the current world from the perspective of The Invisible Committee.

This somewhat bizarre, yet intriguing, commentary on contemporary society and the building revolt against the governmental and economic oppression being felt is set in France. This version is a translation from the original, which includes good endnotes that clarify some references to French agencies, governmental or commercial entities and revolutionary or terrorist groups.

But American readers (hearers) will instantly be able to envision the analysis in the American context. This is not a classic format nor is it classic content. The authors' introduction clarifies that this is not a composition based on their own viewpoint It does involve an analysis or reflection on what they have observed.

The oral presentation is well done and easy to listen to. They present this as a compilation of comments and viewpoints they have picked up and recorded in barroom discussions and backrooms, ion street corners and in various locales where the general populace discuss the problems of the day. They present a basic view that can be called Marxist in the formal sense, and they carefully define their viewpoint, indicating that their commentary on what they have compiled focuses on the perspective of group or society, that is, communal concepts.

They dissociate the term commnune-ism from the classic Leninist concept known politically as Communism. They describe what they understand as communal living in society. The perspectives here seem closer to Marx's original analysis of early capitalist industrial society in Europe. But you will see it is not exactly Marxism as we have known it, either.

The perspective is quite disdainful about the possibilities of the current society, but does not fit neatly into what we have known as "Communism" in the 20th century. Much of the ideological rhetoric is similar. The committee zeros in on the City, the modern urban area, as the stealer of identity that causes isolation and traps individuals and families in economic cycles they cannot control. They attack the materialistic focus of modern consumerism.

The reader-listener, though, needs to listen carefully to sort out what they are really saying, not just try to dump these guys into a comfortable, recognizable bin of classification so they can be easily dismissed. As Glenn Beck says in the cover notes, "... And let me tell you something: Don't dismiss tthese people."

This analysis might be helpful. And I daresay many Libertarians as well as self-styled "Conservatives" in the US will agree with much of the view of government they find here. At any rate, the commentators relate informative instances from recent history, the last hundred years or so and in recent days, to indicate a rising discontent with the entrenched patterns of government, and the increased pressures of government and the allied corporate structures upon the common people.

What they are talking about is commented on regularly in the American phrase "I just can't seem to ever get ahead." The committee indicates how they see the wave of recent protests in European cities related to this growing discontent that they say is bubbling higher and higher into a full-blown insurrection any time now, if economic and social conditions do not improve.

One thing many will agree with is the analysis, drawn out in Disk 3, that the solutions to the many problems identified on a worldwide scale are being presented by the same people who caused the problems. The cynicism of the committee's perspective is somewhat supported by their analysis that the proposed solutions are usually primarily beneficial to the very same financial and industrial sectors that seem to have caused the problem in the first place.

It appeared to me that they are not so much advocating violent overthrow of governments and business systems as describing the process already underway. Think about it: if they wanted this to happen, why would they be warning people about it!? They could just be quiet and let it happen. Now that they have warned us, the insurrection might be prevented.

On the other hand raising awareness of the causes of discontent, which constitute injustices, might raise a clamour to change the conditions. Maybe they think if they warn people it is already happening, the rest of us who are so frustrated with the government intrusions and incomptences will join the insurrection and make it happen more quickly! Hmmnnnn.

At any rate, what is important to me is that they have identified that it seems to be happening. They have flagged key events and trends as indicators. This is the important aspect of this work. For instance, the Longshoremen's strike on the US west coast in 2002 shut down the US import business from Asia for 10 days. This event showed how easily the strongest economic power in the world could be brought to its knees. See what you think about the description and their understanding of the situation.

This work is interesting, though somewhat bizarre, as I commented initially. Thoughtful, and fact-filled, but the droning ideology seems to suffer from the over-simplification most other current political ideologies suffer, settling for too simple an explanation. But you will find valuable the instances they cite and describe.

The great limitation of the ideological aspect of this is that I heard no proposal of a society that might take the place of the current econo-industrial-police state once the insurrection becomes sucessful.

This is where utopian views have always failed. This is where Lenin's implemented program immediately failed to meet the standard of his purported guide, Karl Marx. Lenin sold out Marx. He actually overthrew a people's republic that had already overthrown the Czar. He focused on the power and the control.

The "Communism" that resulted was just another form of the same materialistic dehumanization, it just limited personal freedoms even further, and the oppression took a different, but no better, form.

The particulars of the instances they relate need to be in your conscious awareness as you try to figure out what is happening in our society and world at large, and understand the dynamics. This is a perspective you need to take into account.

Look all around you today and you can take the news and protesting straight from the pages of this book. It's proof of society gone terribly wrong. Proof that massive entitlement programs only breed contempt.

I could get really philosophical about the book but I won't. It's worth reading, it's very political, very left-wing and very, very frightenng.

If you want to understand what may be going on to cause the chaos in the world right now (i.e. Egypt, Yeman, Italy, Mexico, etc) this is a must read. It would seem that the steps and plan is being followed fairly close.

This should be required reading for all American citizens and certainly all High School and College students. We do not need to repeat the mistakes that the French have made in allowing people from outside their country to migrate to their nation and setup communities that do not recognize local laws. Many "unelected officials" in the Obama Administration in the U.S. have similiar goals.

Short, concise and to the disturbing realistic future that may be at our doorstep if we fail to act immediately. That was an opinion, not an endorsement of the ideas presented in this book.

This small book is a freighting and naive portal into the dissatisfaction many of the young diverse population in a socialized Europe, and in particular France, feels about their lives today and the future. The passion and the lack of sophistication are the main reasons for the appeal found in the many diatribes, sermons, pronouncements and hopes the Invisible Committee wanted to be expose by the light of day.

This book is long on emotion and bereft of any real direction. In fact it would appear that the authors are trusting to foster their absolute plan of anarchy from the whole cloth of group consciousness which will bring about the organization of the insurrection. Hmmmm? While you need a flashlight and a GP device to find your way through many of the disconnections, thoughts and aspirations embraced by this work the overall cohesiveness makes it an insightful look at many of today's young communal warriors. A world without money, possessions, status and human organization is not all they want. They want a reality with no work, no debt, no rules and none of the past failings of this species we call man. They are convinced no one is on their side and thus they are on the side of no one and express this isolation by advocating everything in the name of nothing.

Before you reach a decision about my lucidness; read the book and reach your own conclusions............

French communists have never really been appealing to my sensibilities. However, the Coming Insurrection opens a window to the despair and corruption of the human condition harnessed by life in a socialists state. Appealing to the worst instincts of enlightenment, personal respomnsibility and the virtue of merit, the authors of this tome can only appeal to a corrupt juvinile mind. Thinking they build their case step-by-step, they take us to their world of childish whining and fantasy. Most people leave this world behind before they gradute to the real world of hard work, building their character and reputation as a person of integrity that people admire and their future children justly proud. The authors take the path more-or-less taken in todays standard, sustaining their childish notion of every person must be equal without needing to have equal responsiblity to the society which they helped create but nopw heap abuse. The future world depicted does not serve as a constructive example of global problem solving. Instead, the future-world depicted is created solely to satisfy their egos by finding fault without offering realistic solutions. Everyone in their world is equal. They are all equally depraved and lazy, stealing and appropriating for their wherewithall, formenting anarchy in their own contemptible leisurely timetable. Very French . . . very European!

This book could have been ghostwritten for Hugo Chavez. In his (and the author's# world, society should rack up accomplishment on top of accomplishment and compound success and opportunity until a decision is made that the sweat of the toil of humanity is now yours. Sadly, it is not rightly theirs. An interesting window into the world of the mordant thoughts of lazy, juvenile, dillusional French Communists. I cannot really take the words of the authors seriously. They #the authors)appear to be too lazy to actually take their insane plans to actual action against those they percieve as being their oppressors. Not as eloquent as "Mein Kamph" nor as substantive as "The Communist Manifesto". The "Committee" show themselves to be idiots in the first degree.

I recommend this short paperback (love it) as a window into how a nation of liberty can devolve into a sytemic terror if we do not begin to recognize the obvious threats crazy people like these French Communists and the American Communialists (read "regime") pose.

If you're not watching the news, you're missing it. It is happening now - the seeds are in NYC and Chicago. Glimpses of the contents are online, here: [...] and here: [...] and the background story is here: [...] and, finally, there is a summary here: [...]

One should wonder how fast anarchy can spread - and if it will be a factor in the next presidential election and elections to come. It would seem there are two obvious choices, appeasement or surpression. Both are not good. But even the 3rd course of action, some where between appeasement and surpression, is still not necessarily good. Follow the news and make your own decisions.

The real danger is the unification of the anarchist, radical islamist movements, communists, and anyone else or nation who would like to see America's and the Western World's demise. The reflective danger is the radical right - Nazis and other extreme rightist movements whose motives would have nothing to do with preserving the Western way of life.

Sure, it's long-winded, theoretical in the manner of the French lit theorists, implacable, impractical, and bombastic, but doesn't it also ring true? A plaintive call against the out of control corporate-consumerist mindset. Screams of protest at the status quo. Worth seeing, and hearing, but do we really think there's a revolution coming? In fact, they chose the work insurrection to, I think, avoid the cliches about "the revolution" (first against the wall, not televised, and long predicted). Similar works inspired folks 40-45 years ago to no measurable revolution. Regardless of intents and smarts, that precedence is hard to ignore.