Absurd Quote by Michael Hastings
“Gore Vidal, Glenn Greenwald, Noam Chomsky, all these guys talk about how the United States became a national security state after World War II. I agree with that thesis. Essentially there's this bipartisan foreign policy elite who've been calling the shots for the last few decades and they're clearly still in control regardless of how clownish or absurd or stupid they demonstrate themselves to be. There's no shaking their orthodoxy.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Fifth Column, Michael Hastings, 2015
The quote argues that a bipartisan elite has shaped U.S. foreign policy into a security‑focused system since WWII, maintaining power despite public absurdities.
In simple terms: A powerful foreign policy elite controls U.S. security policy.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and question entrenched power structures.
Themes
politics
power
foreign policy
elite control
orthodoxy
Mood
critical
skeptical
concerned
Type
analytical
political
commentary
When to use this quote
- journalism
- activism
- policy analysis
- academic research
- public debate
Key Concepts
realism
institutional inertia
elite theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How can citizens effectively influence entrenched foreign policy elites?
- What mechanisms keep the security state resilient?
A Different Perspective
The elite’s grip may be challenged by grassroots movements or systemic reforms.
![“I met Glenn [ Greenwald] briefly in 2009. We were both guests on Real Time With Bill Maher. I was the show's guest and he was on the panel. But this was before the Snowden stuff happened. I didn't have the opportunity to meet him in preparation for the movie, unfortunately, for various reasons…” quote by Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b99/zachary-quinto-4021_able_i-met-glenn-greenwald-briefly-in-2009-we_3075785.jpg)
