America, The Farewell Tour. Has the Empire begun its collapse?



It has been a year since the release of the fascinating and provocative book about America’s pathology written by Pulitzer Prize winner Chris Hedges, “America, The Farewell Tour”. Watch  TVO’s Steve Paquin interview Chris Hedges.

Many of Hedges’ predictions are upon us and others appear to be in the wings.

“We live in an oligarchic state where we’ve been rendered utterly powerless. The judiciary, the legislative, the executive branch is all subservient to an oligarchic corporate elite. And the press is owned by an oligarchic corporate elite which makes sure that any critique of them is never broadcast over the airwaves.” Chris Hedges interviewed by Paul Jay, “The Pathology of the Super-Rich”


by Melissa Hemingway


“Decay,” “Heroin,” “Work,” Sadism,” “Hate,” “Gambling,” and “Freedom” are the chapter names in the book

Chris Hedges’ Criticisms of America one year ago.

  • America is already a failed democracy. Trump has no ideology. His corporate capitalism has no loyalty to Americans.
  • America has become a very violent society
  • White supremacists and neo nazies run the country.
  • America endures widespread sexual abuse, opioid abuse gambling abuse and the proliferation of hate groups. Magical thinking, xenophobia, and a culture of sadism and hate has resulted in mass murder. “As we began, we killed 90% of the indigenous peoples of America and enslaved 5 million Africans.”
  • Meanwhile nothing responds to people’s rights and grievances.
  • Donald Trump has been vomited up by a depraved country” and his election is a symptom of America’s woes, not the cause.
  • Donald Trump is a con artist and demi-God.
  • Trump is dishonest.
  • Trump has led the crusade for marginalization of institutions like academia and the press which customarily have provided checks and balances against lawmakers.
  • America has a need to be in wars to drive the military industrial sales but is only in futile endless war like those in the Middle East for 17 years.
  • America has come to believe that violence is a form of self purification.
  • Grotesque social inequality in the United States

“Resistance is not only about battling the forces of darkness. It is about becoming a complete human being. It is about overcoming estrangement. It is about our neighbor. It is about honoring the sacred. It is about dignity. It is about sacrifice. It is about courage. It is about freedom. It is about the capacity to love. Resistance must become our vocation.”

Christopher Lynn Hedges is an American journalist, Presbyterian minister, and visiting Princeton University lecturer.