The Origin Of the Modern World

1. “I was persuaded to stop writing that book. I started it four more times during the next twenty years. On each occasion, my decision to begin again was influenced by current world events: the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989, the first Gulf War, Somalia, the rise of Osama bin Laden. However, threats or bribes always convinced me to stop. In 2003, the president of a major publishing house that is owned by a powerful international corporation read a draft of what had now become Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. He described it as "a riveting story that needs to be told." Then he smiled sadly, shook his head, and told me that since the executives at world head-quarters might object, he could not afford to risk.”
The statement above was very appealing to me, I think it is because my family is constantly talking about how twisted our government truly is. The fact that there was something to hide so they persuaded him to stop writing it makes me realize how intimidating they must be. And then how he talk about all the wars, invasions, and other twisted things he was discussing made some one scared to publish the book even though they believe he needed to be said.
2. “This book is the confession of a man who, back when I was an EHM, was part of a relatively small group. People who play similar roles are more abundant now. They have more
Euphemistic titles, and they walk the corridors of Monsanto, General Electric, Nike, General
Motors, Wal-Mart, and nearly every other major corporation in the world. In a very real sense,
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man is their story as well as mine. It is your story too, the story of your world and mine, of the first truly global empire. History tells us that unless we modify this story, it is guaranteed to end tragically. Empires never last. Everyone of them has failed terribly. They destroy many cultures as they race toward greater domination, and then they themselves fall. No country or combination of countries can thrive in “the long term by exploiting others.”
This was terrifying for me to read, I cannot imagine the thought of all of the countries coming at each other because their secrets are out in the open. Whenever I am done with my degree I want to study the trade industry around the world, this book makes me almost scared to really find out about how twisted and shallow our government truly is. It is also very scary to hear how our government ruins cultures. After reading this I did some research on endangered cultures and how they are being torn apart. In most reports they show how government take music and traditional celebrations away to make it hard for the culture to celebrate their being.
3. “ These demands became especially urgent after September 11, 2001, when Washington feared that Middle Eastern supplies might cease. On top of that, Venezuela, our third-largest oil supplier, had recently elected a populist president, Hugo Chavez, who took a strong stand against what he referred to as U.S. imperialism; he threatened to cut off oil sales to the United States. The EHMs had failed in Iraq and Venezuela, but we had succeeded in Ecuador; now we would milk it for all it is worth.”
I remember when 9/11 happened and hearing my parents and grandparents talk about the conspiracy of 9/11 and how most people think America planned the attach themselves. Now that I am older I think about if all the conspiracies were true. What motive would people in the US government or establishment have to commit crimes of this magnitude? But if the government had a plan we will probably never know exactly what it is. This book so far has me asking so many questions.