Workin' on the Chain Gang: Shaking Off the Dead Hand of History (Library of Contemporary Thought) (Hardcover)

Mosley examines modern American culture in a way that probably seems heretical to most Americans. Mosley asks his readers to do things most people would never seriously (I mean really seriously) consider.

The light stuff includes viewing people as individuals, not skin colors. Getting to know someone before passing mental judgement on them. Treating everyone with respect, until a person gives you reason to do otherwise. Ensuring all the elderly and all children have adequate food and medical care. Yeah, everyone's with Mosley on those ideas; if not deep inside, at least the majority of Americans realize that is the way it should be.

However, can you name three close friends or family members whom you could convince to give up all television for three months? How about a season's moritorium from sporting events and sports news? While you're at it, locate a group of friends also willing to forgo other forms of LCD (lowest common denominator) entertainment.

If you find it easy to contemplate abandoning those activities, Mosley has another suggestion for you. Let's dump capitalism as a way of life, as a staple of American society. There, are you still with me? Your job is slowly killing you. Going to work daily is like going to the plantation, except the whip has been replaced with credit card debt . . . that is, if you're lucky enough to have a credit card. By eagerly participating in the world as it is, you are no less brainwashed and perversly dependent than a woman who stays with a physically abusive man.

Perhaps even more amazing than the fact that Mosley considers and suggests such actions, is that he presents a convincing argument for all of his suggestions. You may not always agree with Mosley (though I did), but he always presents a logical line of thinking.

Once again, Mosley has produced a book that I am recommending to everyone I know. So far, Mosley is pitching a perfect game.

This non-fiction analysis of our current life has little to do with the problems of 'race'. As in his fiction, it has to do with the problems and solutions of humans imbedded in an inhumane system.

I belive the 21st century equivalent to Luthers manifesto to the ruling church will be a team effort. Walter Mosley is a member in good standing in that team.

I suggest reading Birth of the Chaordic Age by Dee W. Hock in close proximity to this book. Members of the team come from all races and classes.

Vivez la revolution! Vivez l'humanite!

He touches on several topics in this brief work ranging from the selective history we continue to believe and teach, to obsessions with the absurd and worthless that consumes billions of dollars. He specifically cited the time and money spent on the coverage of O.J. Simpson, and Monica Lewinsky as examples. He challenges readers to turn off the television for three weeks to live outside of the sitcom, arena sports, and the for profit network news. Why? So that people have the time to think about what is truly important to them, and for many to realize the system that they are a part of has little concern for them, ever.

He also touched on privatized for profit prisons. This should not be a cause for debate for anyone who thinks about the topic for a moment. What decisions have been made when a prison needs to be profitable? What does a prison become when it is a business like any other that must have a positive bottom line from its operations? What incentive is there to minimize incarceration and its causes when those that are imprisoned have become a source of profit?

And then there is the apathy that is the cause of a minority of eligible voters that bother to vote. Less than half of those who can, choose from two candidates from the same parties election after election. These candidates resemble about 5% of the Country they wish to lead. They are wealthy, well educated, white, male, and have the ability to raise tens of millions of dollars in their pursuit of power. As this last Presidential Election showed, neither candidate could have cared less what was required of them to gain the office they sought for themselves. Winning was never about those voters they say they want to represent, just the fulfillment of their own selfish wishes. We heard that every vote should count, and then both candidates wanted to specify which were to be counted. One candidate who wished to be Commander in Chief thought nothing of trying to and successfully eliminating the votes of actively serving members of the armed forces.

None of these issues are new and that is what should concern all of us. This Country continues to be polarized by essentially two groups, possible three with the advent of almost 300 multi billionaires in the United States. There is nothing wrong with the creation of wealth, what matters is how it is made and how it is used when in the control of one individual. The irony of one of the super rich is that while at the same time accumulating wealth by means that allegedly were illegal, the same person has personally funded the largest charitable foundation on the planet.

Nothing new, no easy answers, but they must be addressed.