Where are the seekers, the free thinkers, the advocates, the rebels?
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28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
We live in difficult times for citizens who take seriously our responsibilities of active involvement with the policies and directions of "our" government. More and more it is clear that we are in a phase where the corporate interests own and direct the directions and programs undertaken in out name. Ordinary people have little or no power to influence policy. Likewise, the flow of information allowed to filter down through the mass media is more and more limited and controlled by the same forces, thus effectively silencing public debate of the most important issues. In "Why Bother" author, Sam Smith, honestly addresses this condition, dangerous to the very foundations of our democratic way of life, and he offers a variety of active responses enabling the citizen to envision a "life in a locked-down land".
This is not a pleasant book. It confronts the readers with a stark vision of where we are and describes ways of living in the face of that reality- in paths fashioned to maintain personal integrity and perhaps eventually engender social change as well. Smith offers no easy or quick solutions. The book is clear about the danger and destructiveness of the present path our institutions are embarked upon and about the power ranked against genuine efforts of reform. Yet, for myself, I value my own and Sam Smith's effort to see social and political "reality" for what it is. It is refreshing to live with a clear and coherent vision of what the issues are, even if they be difficult and unpleasant ones. To live in a world of lies and ingenuineness, to be a helpless, witless target of government and media propaganda is not to be fully alive. For those who prefer to live in the light of this difficult truth, I highly recommend this book!
This is not a pleasant book. It confronts the readers with a stark vision of where we are and describes ways of living in the face of that reality- in paths fashioned to maintain personal integrity and perhaps eventually engender social change as well. Smith offers no easy or quick solutions. The book is clear about the danger and destructiveness of the present path our institutions are embarked upon and about the power ranked against genuine efforts of reform. Yet, for myself, I value my own and Sam Smith's effort to see social and political "reality" for what it is. It is refreshing to live with a clear and coherent vision of what the issues are, even if they be difficult and unpleasant ones. To live in a world of lies and ingenuineness, to be a helpless, witless target of government and media propaganda is not to be fully alive. For those who prefer to live in the light of this difficult truth, I highly recommend this book!
28 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
After reading Sam Smith's online "Undernews" newsletter for some time, and being impressed with his analysis of current events, I bought this book. After two complete readings of the book I think I understand the gist of Smith's message -- but only after struggling with Smith's complex (and dismal) view of the current US political/social situation. I come away from my reading inspired to "bother" and to get involved in some of the ways that Smith suggests.
The following paragraph from the book's Introduction captures his theme well:
"Why bother? Only to be alive. Only to be real, to be made not just of what we acquire or do under instruction, but of what we think and do of our own free will. Only, Winston Churchill said, to fight while there is still a small chance so that we don't have to fight when there is none. Only to climb the rock face of risk and doubt in order to engage in the most extreme sport of all -- that of being a free and conscious human. Free and conscious even in a society that seems determined to reduce our lives to a barren pair of mandatory functions: consumption and compliance."
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
We live in difficult times to for citizens who take seriously the responsibilities of active involvement with the policies and directions of "our" government. More and more it is clear that we are in a phase where the corporate interests own and direct the directions and programs undertaken. Ordinary people have little or no power to influence policy. Likewise, the flow of information allowed to filter down through the mass media is more and more limited and controlled by the same forces thus effectively silencing the range of public debate. In Why Bother Sam Smith honestly addresses this condition, dangerous to the very foundations of our democratic way of life and offers a variety of active responses enabling one to envisiion "a life in a locked-down land".
This is not a pleasant book. It confronts its readers with a stark vision of where we are and the ways of living in the face of that reality- in paths fashioned to maintain integrity and eventually engender change are neither easy nor promising of quick solutions. It is clear about the danger and distructiveness of the present path our institutions are taking and about the power ranked against genuine efforts of reform. Yet, for myself, I value my own and Sam Smith's effort to see social and political "reality" for what it is. It is refreshing to live with a clear and coherent vision of what the issues are, even if they be difficult and unpleasant ones. To live in a world of lies and ingenuineness, to be a helpless witless target of government and media propaganda is not not be fully alive. For those who prefer to live in the light of this difficult truth, I highly recommend this book!
This is not a pleasant book. It confronts its readers with a stark vision of where we are and the ways of living in the face of that reality- in paths fashioned to maintain integrity and eventually engender change are neither easy nor promising of quick solutions. It is clear about the danger and distructiveness of the present path our institutions are taking and about the power ranked against genuine efforts of reform. Yet, for myself, I value my own and Sam Smith's effort to see social and political "reality" for what it is. It is refreshing to live with a clear and coherent vision of what the issues are, even if they be difficult and unpleasant ones. To live in a world of lies and ingenuineness, to be a helpless witless target of government and media propaganda is not not be fully alive. For those who prefer to live in the light of this difficult truth, I highly recommend this book!
Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
Over lunch one day, I asked journalist Stephen Goode how we would describe our era. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, Civil War, Washington Post, Supreme Court, White House, Adam Smith, Thomas Jefferson, Chevy Chase Club, Erich Fromm, James Dean New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Over lunch one day, I asked journalist Stephen Goode how we would describe our era. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, Civil War, Washington Post, Supreme Court, White House, Adam Smith, Thomas Jefferson, Chevy Chase Club, Erich Fromm, James Dean New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 38
books:
See all 38 books this book cites
- Friendly Fascism: The New Face of Power in America by Bertram Gross on page 37, and Back Matter
- Jewish Wisdom: Ethical, Spiritual, and Historical Lessons from the Great Works and Thinkers by Joseph Telushkin on page 114, and Back Matter
- The Evolution of Cooperation by Robert Axelrod on page 124, and Back Matter
- The Origins of Virtue: Human Instincts and the Evolution of Cooperation by Matt Ridley on page 124, and Back Matter
- The Cunning of History by Richard L. Rubenstein on page 27, and Back Matter
See all 38 books this book cites
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