What do you think of Dr. Naomi Klien's The Shock Doctrine. (See details)
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ETpro (
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March 20th, 2011
Milton Friedman said, “Only a crisis, actual or perceived, produces real change.” That is the_shock doctrine_. The right-wing think tanks cranked out the plans to implement their Neo-Liberalism free-market ideology laying around, ready for any convenient crisis. Friedman predicted that the ideas lying around will be picked up to deal with the crisis. If a crisis wasn’t available, right-wing politicians were not adverse to produce one through deliberate policy changes meant to bring on a crisis.
We saw New Orleans destroyed by Katrina. Some think it should have been a warning sign of the Shock Doctrine’s truth. Before Katrina, there were 5 charter schools and 140 p0ubli schools. After Katrina there are 30 public and 40 private schools. Leave the levies decaying long enough, and the opportunity will come to privatize education. Is the Green Zone versus the rest of Iraq the model we actually all want for the future?
This question expands on and updates “an earlier one:“http://www.fluther.com/24626/do-you-agree-with-naomi-klein/ by chris6137 about Dr. Klein’s views on George Bush’s use of crisis.
Please watch the 6-part film of Dr. Klien’s “Policy Alternatives” speech at the Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives
Naomi Klein: The Shock Doctrine 1/6
Naomi Klein: The Shock Doctrine 2/6
Naomi Klein: The Shock Doctrine 3/6
Naomi Klein: The Shock Doctrine 4/6
Naomi Klein: The Shock Doctrine 6/6
Naomi Klein: The Shock Doctrine 6/6
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8 Answers
I notice you say this is a tactic used by the GOP, but if memory serves, it was Rahm Emmanuel (or however you spell that name) who said to Never let a good crisis go to waste. Other than that, I really have no opinion on Dr. Klein. Kind of like to live by the rule of just because somebody says it doesn’t mean I have to believe it. Being a doctor really means nothing to me. And thanks for the videos, but I believe we’ll just take a pass of this one. The last Shock Doctrine thing I saw was An Inconvenient Truth, and I didn’t buy any of that nonsense, neither.
@12Oaks Indeed Rahm Emanuel did say, “Never let a serious crisis go to waste.” However he was just giving a clever turn of phrase to the shock doctrine Milton Friedman had articulated it in 1982 in the preface to his book, Capitalism and Freedom originally published in 1962.
I am not suggesting that this tactic is exclusive to any particular political party. I am sure it’s been known and used for centuries before there was a GOP,.a Democratic Party or even a USA. But Rahm Emanuel did not apply that strategy to implementing Neoliberalism nearly so much as the GOP is doing. So please don’t try to deflect the question, but address it directly.
@ETpro I did address it when I said ” just because somebody says it doesn’t mean I have to believe it.” This goes for no matter who said “it” and whatever it is that the “it” is.
She made some pretty specific allegations that are a documented matter of history. Which do you not believe happened?
Sadly, it is apparent that Ms. Klien’s “Shock Doctrine” and it’s message has not been or possibly may never be fully appreciated for the major contribution to the world, much like the work of the great humanists, Howard Zinn and Noam Chomsky. The shear mental ability to research, document, and organise such a compelling book is for me, unfathomable. Having only an eigth-grade education makes it somewhat more difficult to comprehend the depth of what I have read, but at 67 I have had life experiences and observed sociieties of the world from near and afar. This includes countries that were destabilized from what was thought to be to socialistic for Friedman type economics which the privatization of a countries national resources only for the growth of corporations and the wealthy or the world. I am re-reading “Shock Doctrine” for the third time, mainly because of my retention of what I have read but also because each time I open the book I see so many important points I missed. Regardless, intelligent conversation is certainly welcome. It is apparent, at least from my perspective, that there is and has been an a great struggle between the humanist, as Eric Fromme so aptly wrote about in books like “The Sane Society”, and corporate capitalism which the “Friedman Doctrine” promotes.
@tksmith Great Answer and welcome to Fluther. I happen to have turned 67 a couple of days ago myself, so I’ve had time to see the changes in American society as well as to travel and live in several other countries. I appreciate your insight and loook forward to your intelligent conservatin.
She is one of my heroes.
Not read the book yet.
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