Illegal wars, global demagogues rising, the fury of the disenfranchised, millions suffering the effects of unmitigated climate change, wage stagnation, fake news, unfettered corporate expansion exploiting nearly every area of public and private life .. It is easy to despair at the state of the world in the early years of the twenty-first century. It is also hard to make sense of the forces that have led us to this ongoing crisis. In Optimism over Despair, Noam Chomsky insightfully describes the state of the planet. He shows how we got here, explains the motivations of those on the world stage, as well as those behind the scenes, and carefully articulates why and how resistance can be the source of a fundamental and lasting change. As he writes : "We have two choices. We can be pessimistic, give up, and help ensure that the worst will happen. Or we can be optimistic, grasp the opportunities that surely exist, and maybe help make the world a better place."
