Rating: 
Summary: A Fantastic Work of Passion and Reason...
Review: The book opens with some simple questions: Is our society one founded on hate? If so, what kind of hate are we talking about? In what ways is it manifested? Jensen starts with these basic compelling questions and as he searches, he finds himself more and more deeply immersed in the actual motivations of our entire culture. No sooner does he tease out an answer to one question when he finds himself holding the thread of another, and pulling upon it, he begins to unravel answers that have been lying in wait, not only for centuries but, for thousands of years.As he points out, even the bible states that "by their works shall ye know them." Not by words or indeed even by actions, but by the fruits of their labor, and Jensen stares unabashedly and painfully at the fruits of ours: how our ever-widening "circle of liberty" is actually an ever-expanding circle of slavery and dehumanizing economic despair; how what we value, which is production and capitalism far above life and human fulfillment, is manifest in our governments, corporations, and indeed the entire societal system in which we live; how we actually invest more in our system than it returns; and how any system wholly driven on consumption and eradication plays a "zero-sum" game, for we live in world of finiteness, and one day there will be no more to consume. The journey upon which he takes us is uncomfortable, distressing, and necessary. As with his previous book, A LANGUAGE OLDER THAN WORDS, Jensen writes passionately and poetically, and yet again, he gives us a book I wish I had the ability and bravery to write myself. This is a "must-read," and a book that has the ability to change the reader for life. Perhaps in that change lies the hope of no longer having to live in a "Culture of Make Believe," where the rules are bent and living as part of the world is not tolerated. At least, I like to think so.
Rating:
Summary: A painful and beautiful read!
Review: The power of this book, for me, is that it brings the horrible events it describes into the readers conciousness in a personnel way. A book like Howard Zinn's History of the United States, while Excelent as a text and historical record, doesn't draw out the reality, the sheer magnitude, of so much of our genocidal history. Zinns is more of a catolouge rather than a reflection.
Jenson doesn't pontificate, he illustrates. He makes you cry. He makes you angry. The relatedness of clearcuts to slavery, or any other example of destruction of the living in the name of production, are articulated in a passionate, matter of fact way. This book should be required reading for humanity.
Rating:
Summary: A painful and beautiful read!
Review: The power of this book, for me, is that it brings the horrible events it describes into the readers conciousness in a personnel way. A book like Howard Zinn's History of the United States, while Excelent as a text and historical record, doesn't draw out the reality, the sheer magnitude, of so much of our genocidal history. Zinns is more of a catolouge rather than a reflection.
Jenson doesn't pontificate, he illustrates. He makes you cry. He makes you angry. The relatedness of clearcuts to slavery, or any other example of destruction of the living in the name of production, are articulated in a passionate, matter of fact way. This book should be required reading for humanity.
Rating:
Summary: Looking Into the Reality Mirror
Review: There is little doubt in my mind that we are going through a great culture transformation. As part of this process, we must face our collective dark side and Jensen's book amplifies our shadow in a manner of a great storyteller. I found that I could not put this book down because I wanted to know how the story ends--for it is our story. His tenacity to look at the most horrific aspects of our history takes tremendous fortitude - it would be much easier to order another whiskey than to face the overwhelming magnitude of atrocities. As I read each chapter, I found that I needed to face yet another facet of our collective shadow, one more unbelievable than the last. Jensen anticipates our desire to turn away and is there to catch us. Whenever I began to think, "but what about..." or "yeah, but..." or "you're too extreme, have you thought about..." he was there to pull me back in. There are just some truths we must face and Jensen provides a superb mirror. I don't think our future is totally hopeless though I can certainly understand why some might feel this way. If Jensen really felt that all is lost, I don't think he would have written this book - he'd be nursing a bottle of Jack Daniels instead. Hopelessness, or that what appears to be hopelessness, is a vital part of transformation because it leaves us with no room but to either change or die. At an unconscious level, I suspect that we have collectively put ourselves into a corner that we cannot escape and therefore will have to make a major change in order to survive. I see change occurring around me all of the time though her voice is subtle. But that is just another aspect of change-we'll need to find ways to hear a broader band of voices rather than the one that's guided us to this point in time. As we do so, we'll discover more deeply satisfying ways of interacting with each other and the world. Since we are also a creative lot, I sense that our future will require a new form of creativity to take the place of the old one - one that heals and brings a world whole rather than splitting it apart.
Rating:
Summary: Every human with a Soul should read this book!
Review: This is by far the best book I've ever read - depressing as it may have been. Not only is it well written and strongly supported by other authors, it gets right to the point - our culture is destructive. His best line in the book I think was when he said (paraphased): how can we possibly love ourselves if we destroy our home. As sad and shocking as this book is, I suggest it to everyone! Our president and presidents to come, should be forced to read it, as well as other world leaders and corportion owners and boards. If you haven't read this book yet, ask yourself "Why?" If you want to open your eyes to the world and our culture, read this ASAP!
Rating:
Summary: a life changing...eye opener
Review: This was one of the most influential books I have ever read. Mr. Jensen writes with such honesty and clarity it is refreshing. He has a "style" that flows from one topic to another, but they are all interconnected and naturally move that way. He spells out the world...western civilization in particular, for what it is.....and not what we are often re-directed to focus on. A hard read at times (a bitter pill). But, it was inspiring to be faced with the degree to which most of us are tied to many of the atrocities that are a result of our "civilization". And that it would be impossible to just pull out. But we are advised to at least be conscious of what the consequences are from our day to day activities. Being left with some hope that if our consciousness is raised......maybe we can change this.
Rating:
Summary: a life changing...eye opener
Review: This was one of the most influential books I have ever read. Mr. Jensen writes with such honesty and clarity it is refreshing. He has a "style" that flows from one topic to another, but they are all interconnected and naturally move that way. He spells out the world...western civilization in particular, for what it is.....and not what we are often re-directed to focus on. A hard read at times (a bitter pill). But, it was inspiring to be faced with the degree to which most of us are tied to many of the atrocities that are a result of our "civilization". And that it would be impossible to just pull out. But we are advised to at least be conscious of what the consequences are from our day to day activities. Being left with some hope that if our consciousness is raised......maybe we can change this.
Rating:
Summary: NO PAIN NO GAIN
Review: Unless you want to know what it feels like to have a bomb go off inside you and lay waste to all your preconceptions about the society in which you were born and raised, do not read The Culture of Make Believe. However, you will be overlooking one of the most important books of the new millennium. Derrick Jensen's relentless social and cultural detective work dares to offer us as individuals incontrovertible evidence that we need to start bringing about vital changes where they really count - in our own minds and emotions. If copies of this book could be dropped into every school in America there would definitely be hope for the planet, and for future generations of human beings who will have to deal with the destructive consequences of our civilization's merciless worship of power and production.
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