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Tuesday, November 14, 2017

"Frog Hospital" And "Pax On Both Houses" Discuss Chris Hedges

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Dear Fred,

While it is true that Hedges is very earnest in his public presentation, you can hear his laughter (and jovial anecdote telling) in the following NPR interview: https://www.npr.org/2013/05/15/184232470/looking-ahead-chris-hedges-on-poverty-politics-u-s-culture

I do not, specifically, recall Hedges telling a "joke" but he seems the kind of fellow who would tell them and enjoy them.

That said, Hedges, like all geniuses, exhibits occasional "cracks" in his "attitudinal makeup", but if we are to benefit from anyone's "light," we must tolerate subsidiary darkness as well.  

Hedges reminds me very much of you in that his determination to speak truth resulted in his banishment from The Academy.

You never "got the position" you richly deserve because you are not built to keep your mouth shut about "state secrets," including the central secret that Cowboy Capitalism is the satanically-malevolent beast that towers over us all. 

Here is a description of the speech (in which I doubt Chris told any jokes) that resulted in banishment from The New York Times. (Although it is obvious, note that Chris told "God's truth" about the conservative monstrosity of invading Iraq. 
Hedges was an early critic of the Iraq War. In May 2003, Hedges delivered a commencement address at Rockford College in Rockford, Illinois, saying: "We are embarking on an occupation that, if history is any guide, will be as damaging to our souls as it will be to our prestige and power and security."[24] His speech was received with boos and his microphone was shut off three minutes after he began speaking.[25]  The New York Times, his employer, criticized his statements and issued him a formal reprimand for "public remarks that could undermine public trust in the paper's impartiality".[26] Shortly after the incident, Hedges left The New York Times. 26][27
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Hedges


In passing, I will mention that Chris is an enthusiastic reader of fiction and incorporates literary findings in his political analysis.  

Although joke-telling is an important skill, whenever an insightfully rebellious person has opportunity to speak on a national platform, it is critically important to conduct exposé rather than cracking jokes.

Pax

Alan
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On Tue, Nov 14, 2017 at 11:28 AM, Fred Owens <froghospital911@gmail.com> wrote:

I might challenge Chris Hedges on this principle ..... can he tell a joke?  My standards are clear about this. If you can't tell a joke, then I can't take you seriously.

I only read the first para of your post on Hedges, so I could be off base here.

On Tue, Nov 14, 2017 at 7:39 AM, Alan Archibald <alanarchibaldo@gmail.com> wrote:

Chris Hedges: Americans Are Living A Fantasy; The Illusions Of Love, Wisdom, Happiness

12 Year Old Violin Genius Alma Deutscher


--
Fred Owens
cell: 360-739-0214

 My gardening blog is  Fred Owens
My writing blog is Frog Hospital

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