Naomi Klein

NAOMI KLEIN

Ideas

Responses

Naomi Klein is a Canadian journalist and activist. With the 2000 publication of her book No Logo, a harsh critique of corporate branding and the corresponding decline of fair labor standards, Klein became one of the most prominent voices of the anti-globalization movement. Klein's radical roots run deep: her grandparents were American Marxists in the 1930's and 1940's, and her American-born parents left the country in the 60's to protest the Vietnam War. Klein's own politics, however, matured during her time at the University of Toronto in the early 1990's. "I see myself as an activist journalist," Klein says. "I became a journalist because I'm not comfortable being an activist." Klein, a syndicated columnist for The Nation and The Guardian, is also the author of the New York Times bestseller, The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism.

Interests

Most Recent Idea

Wisdom

Re: What is your counsel?

01/27/2008

Description: Citizens need to take back their political systems, says Klein.

Transcript: I think there needs to be a citizen’s revolt against the corporate takeover of politics. And we have to get out of this reality TV show that is just the endless popularity contest of elections. You know it’s an incredible distraction, and Americans are in an endless election campaign. It never ends. So the idea that after the election then there will be policy, there is no after the election. There is always another election, another fundraising campaign, and you know it never ends. It’s a big business unto itself. It’s entertainment. And it’s politics deferral. So you know before . . . Before this can actually lead to political change, we need to change the rules. We need to get corporate money the hell away from politics; or at least a huge separation. It has to . . . It’s the most pressing issue of our time. It’s the most pressing issue of our time because it’s what needs to happen before anything else can happen.

Recorded on: 11/29/07