Changing the System
With Donald Trump in the White House we may have entered a post-truth era. As Orwell wrote in his great essay “Looking Back on the Spanish War:” “If the Leader says of such and such an event, ‘It never happened’—well, it never happened. If he says that two and two are five—well, two and two are five. Orwell added, “This prospect frightens me much more than bombs.” Today, in a country where magical thinking is heard at the highest levels of government, facts are up for grabs. You have your narrative and I have mine. Recall Trump aide Kellyanne Conway’s now infamous “alternative facts” comment. Are we sliding toward a dystopian future? Not necessarily. Informed and organized people, unafraid and willing to challenge power, can change the system.
Speaker
Arun Gupta
Arun Gupta, journalist and activist, was a founding editor of The Indypendent and the Occupied Wall Street Journal. His articles appear in Alternet, Truthout, The Guardian, and Z. He also appears on Democracy Now! and Al Jazeera.
Alix King –
I so enjoyed this thoughtful and practical talk on how and why we should push liberals to the left. His history of how we got here and what we have to do to organize a true power base sent me to Alternative Radio’s website for a transcript and and MP3 so I could listen it again. Thank you Arub Gupta!
Isaiah –
I started listening to this talk on my drive home and got hooked. I ended up spending an hour in my driveway to finish it! His through knowledge of the American system and the treachery that lies ahead with the newly elected administration is impressive and enlightening. The convoluted mix of disinformation, ulterior motives, false hopes, and lies of Donald Trump’s America are picked apart and reorganized into simplicity. This has not only helped me to understand our adversary much better but also offers a plan of resistance. A sobering outlook at the future we are facing if we do not step up and fight for justice and equality.
Jacob Picheny –
Arun Gupta presents a trenchant analysis of what kind of phenomenon Trump is, what he represents for the U.S. beyond himself, his antecedents in our recent history, and the kinds of activity needed in order to effectively confront and oppose his reign.