Customer Reviews

Necessary Illusions

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Of all the articles and books of Chomsky that I have read, Necessary Illusions: Thought Control in Democratic Societies is without doubt the most exhaustively researched (and footnoted), the most logically structured, and the most convincing. Chomsky reminds us that the majority of the populace rely on the various media institutions for their information about political affairs; both domestic and foreign. One can only hold an opinion on a topic if one knows about the topic. So take, for example, the popular myth of the 'persistent Soviet vetoe' at the UN during the cold war. Why do people believe the USSR was constantly vetoeing any and every Security Council Resolution? Simple! When they did, it generated front page condemnation. When the US or the UK exercised their right of veteo: silence. As Chomsky notes, during the years of 1970 and 1989 the former Soviet Union veteod 8 resolutions. The US veteod some 56. This is what Chomsky refers to as Thought Control. Unless the public examine the factual record of the UN themselves, they will never come by this information, (at least not in the mainstream press). So although Chomsky's title may appear somewhat paradoxical, or oxymoronic, a moments reflection on such facts shows it to be, in fact, extremenly pragmatic and truthful. The question is, have you the honesty and sheer guts to question yourself and challenge the information which has contributed to your beliefs? The crux of Chomsky's argument is that propaganda is to a democracy what violence is to a dictatorship. Chomsky points out that, in fact, propaganda is, contrary to popular postulations, more important and vital to a democratic society because people still have some rights. That is, since people can talk, the powers that be must ensure that only the correct words come out of the peoples' mouths. In a dictatorship it does not really matter too much what people think; for whatever they may think, they have to do what they are told, by pain of death. In countries such as the US (and the UK) other, more subtle, methods are required. People often critisise Chomsky for the sources of his information (the copious footnotes). No such critique can be levelled at this work. Chomsky's sources are declassified internal planning documents, naval proceedings documents, and the very institutions he examines, New York Times, Washington Post etc. If there was one Chomsky book I would suggest you to read, this would be it.

He's done it again. Chomsky's shown that we live in George Orwell's "1984", where only the Party is the true custodian of democracy; where we're trained to forget whatever to whatever is necessary to forget, to draw it back into memory at the moment when it is necessary, and then promptly to forget it again; to be aware of the complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies; to consciously induce unconsciousness, and then to forget the act of hypnosis we've just performed on ourselves...

In "necessary illusions", Chomsky squeezes into 136 pages (excl. appendices) the whole theory of how the world works. The problem I have with this man is that his writings are an accurate description of reality.

Another excellent work of his (which complements "necessary illusions") is "Year 501: the conquest continues", in which he scholarly describes the emperor's new birthday suit.

On the whole, this book is disappointing and greatly inferior to Chomsky's similarly theme-ed Manufacturing Consent. Necessary Illusions amounts to little more than an updating of media duplicity in mainstream coverage of Central America and Israel. From the title, I expected a more systematic analysis of methods, mechanics, and reasons that operate behind media coverage. Instead, Chomsky offers a loose model of journalistic propaganda and a few methods for detecting its presence, viz. the Comparison Method. However, the model is neither detailed nor a really very useful one. Thus at a time when tv's propaganda function, for one, is becoming clearer to the public, Necessary Illusions fails to deliver much beyond the usual case studies familiar to Chomskyites. Important as this empirical work may be, especially for newcomers to Chomsky, what is needed is a more thorough-going model of how raw news gets processed into self-serving policy reinforcement. In short, a better model of the communication industry's ideological function.

It's surprising that someone as skilled at theorizing as Chomsky appears to shy away from this next logical step to his many invaluable case studies. Americans by and large recognise that despite being "free", the popular media is not to be trusted. Now we need be persuaded why this is so. Perhaps Chomsky doesn't want to risk credibility by pursuing more abstract formulations where researchable fact is less immediate. Whatever the reason, in this book he has clearly debunked some of America's most prestigious and self-serving institutions, which is always a worthwhile read.

Many people attack Chomsky and his writings as being biased and propaganda. These people are the very same convetional followers of the status quo that Chomsky often writes about. They are frightened by his words and truths, and will try to persuade others that what he says isn't the truth...simply because they are incapable of believing the truth when they see it.

Read Chomsky not only to hone your critical thinking skills, but to learn the truth about the lies our government feeds us every day.

To put it briefly, the stunning efficiency of Chomsky's logic is matched only by his attention to providing ample evidence for his claims as he examines such dark patches of US foreign policy as Nicaragua, Israel, and El Salvador.

If you ever wondered where the news go that don't make it into the headlines - read this book!
I found the facts presented in some passages hard to believe, but Chomsky (as usual) has included a very comprehensive list of references that makes it rather easy to see that the claims made are well substantiated - an important fact if you are faced with critics who themselves spill unsubstantiable vitriol.
As usual: five stars for Chomsky.

The authors systematically dismantle the illusions around the American "Liberal" media. Explaining the filters in place that through no "conspiracy" or "plot" work naturally in a for-profit media environment. Not content just to explain these filters the authors give detailed examples of them in action and copious footnotes.

Noam Chomsky's poltical works analyzing the media and power in the twentieth cen. continually wipes away the bloody political lies commonly accepted and distributed by the mainstream news media outlets (perhaps by all of the outlets, but the most egergious one of all being the paper of record the; New York Times) to reveal the startling truth of the corruption, hypicrosy inherent in a highly industrialized society (like the U.S.'). He argues, as in most of his works, that propaganda is very much alive and extremely sophisticated. It is a "necessary illusion" kept up by the elitists (politicians both republican and democrat, corporations,newspeople, scholars that serve the ruling class etc.) to limit the collective voice of the "people". It is necessary to deliberately mislead us with second hand facts and knowledge that do not challenge us with the veracity of news or the so-called official truth espoused in them. Everything that will be said by the news establishment will ultimately conform to the government/business line of what *should* be the truth . One of course, need not guess as to why "they" want to shut "us" up--because the elitists need the tacit consent of a passive and uninformed public to perform the duty of running a corrput nation. That is essential in running a business like America. It's terrifying to learn of all the terrorist and unconstitutional acts that the manufacturers of the official agenda don't want revealed . All of the reasons why one should think twice about the concept and existence of "democracy and freedom" in America are summoned such as: drastically low presidential election turnouts, the concept of polls (to gauge the public's level of unrest), what deserves media attention (personal tragedies, concentration on the individual's point of view). After finishing the book I felt strangely isolated and at the same time empowered. This book will really have one asking about the very nature of what America REALLY stands for--big business interests. This book demonstrates in blunt and certain terms that the present political/social crisis that has existed since the founding of the public relations machine during Truman's administration can not be ignored any longer. The style is easy to follow given the high level of scholarship involved in the book, although the reality of the situations that Chomsky describes can seem surreal and certainly nightmarish at times.

This time Chomsky takes on the mass media, showing how in
even democratic societies, newspapers and magazines are just
propagandist tools for the big business advertisers that
support them. As always, biting, backed up by endnotes to
hell and back, and most importantly, truthful.