The Power of Nightmares: A 3-part documentary...

I have recently watched a 3-part documentary that I would like to share with you. It’s called The Power of Nightmares, directed by Adam Curtis (2005), which he wrote produced and narrated for the BBC.

What Curtis argues is that, the American neo-conservatives and the Islamic fundamentalist are a dark mirror copy of each other; namely ideologues on both sides who believe that liberal values are at the core of all the ills in their societies. He shows in painstaking detail, how the neocons deliberately fabricated evidence of the Soviet threat in order to subjugate the masses into submission during the 70’s and how they used the same tactics during the Bush era after 9/11. At the same time, the documentary traces radical Islam back to the 1940’s and its evolution to our current times. Together these two groups create today’s nightmare!

The most interesting element to the film is that, Curtis examines how the governments around the world exploit this nightmare like vision for their own benefit: The myth of hidden underground terrorist organizations that threaten the public at large, the dream of a better world that only politicians can offer and the promise to protect “us” from scary groups that threaten our “democracy”.

The power of nightmares was shown on BBC a few years ago. The British public had the privilege to watch this detailed documentary that analyzed the whole ideology of “war on terror”. Many nations future have been shaped and destroyed as a result of this mythical war. It is important to understand history within the right contex. The sad truth is, such documentaries can never be seen on CNN, MSNBC or Fox because they are too embedded with Washington.

You do not need to believe or except everything Curtis argues. Nevertheless, watch it, talk about it and discuss it with your friends and family…. There were parts which I felt the documentary didn't delve deep enough on certain issues, however, over all I thought it was thought provoking and educational.