What do you think?
Rate this book
Dreams
Jensen's furthest-reaching book yet, Dreams challenges the "destructive nihilism" of writers like Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris who believe that there is no reality outside what can be measured using the tools of science. He introduces the mythologies of ancient cultures and modern indigenous peoples as evidence of alternative ways of understanding reality, informed by thinkers such as American Indian writer Jack Forbes, theologian and American Indian rights activist Vine Deloria, Shaman Martin Prechtel, Dakota activist and scholar Waziyatawin, and Okanagan Indian writer Jeannette Armstrong. He draws on the wisdom of Dr. Paul Staments, author of Mycelium How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World, sociologist Stanley Aronowitz, who discusses science's lack of accountability to the earth, and many more. As in his other books, Jensen draws heavily from his own life experience living alongside the frogs, redwoods, snails, birds and bears of the upper northwest, about which he writes with exquisite tenderness.
Having taken on the daunting task of understanding one's dreams as a source of knowledge, Jensen achieves the near-impossible in this breathtakingly brave and ambitious new work.
Having taken on the daunting task of understanding one's dreams as a source of knowledge, Jensen achieves the near-impossible in this breathtakingly brave and ambitious new work.
624 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
18 people are currently reading
292 people want to read
About the author
Derrick Jensen
52 books683 followersDerrick Jensen is an American author and environmental activist living in Crescent City, California. He has published several books questioning and critiquing contemporary society and its values, including A Language Older Than Words, The Culture of Make Believe, and Endgame. He holds a B.S. in Mineral Engineering Physics from the Colorado School of Mines and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Eastern Washington University. He has also taught creative writing at Pelican Bay State Prison and Eastern Washington University.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 29, 2011
I keep trying to read and like Derrick Jensen, and I keep failing. My last serious attempt was with Endgame many, many years ago; and here I tried again.
Again, I found I agreed with much of it, but the parts I disagreed with were as close to batshit insane as one can get within the printed confines of a book. As Dreams progressed it gradually became more and more repetitive, grandiose, bizarre and incoherent. By the end I was grimly hanging on with my fingernails just to be able to say I finished the damned thing.
In Dreams, Jensen argues that (literal) dreams (as in, stuff that happens in your head while you are sleeping) are actual messages from the Other Sides that tells you what you should do, especially if what your dreams are telling you is that you should dismantle and destroy industrial civilization, which is what his dreams tell him that he should do. Why this is what dreams ought to tell you, or what should be done with dreams that do not tell one to dismantle and destroy industrial civilization, is never made clear. He spends much time pondering these creatures on Other Sides, and wondering why it is they haven't intervened themselves to dismantle/destroy industrial civilization already; this also is never satisfactorily resolved, possibly because it's a ridiculous question. Assuming that, should these Other Sides exist, whatever lives there has the same values, perspectives, lifespans, perspectives on time, etc., as we do is surely among the most narcissistic of conclusions, and he has no trouble drawing it.
Now: in the 80% of the book where he urges people to take more seriously their own dreams, regardless of their source, act in accordance with their deeper values (particularly environmental), develop a meaningful spirituality that includes non-human nature, etc., he wrote beautifully and I found myself agreeing with his general points. Certainly his very pointed critiques of technology and techno-fetishism were well done, and he has some interesting critiques of science as well (though they, too, later foundered into incoherence and absurdity: there is no objective methodology to distinguish between his eco-warrior dreams of taking on the flesh-eating zombies and a fundamentalist christian's dreams of establishing dominion over the earth; if one is to evaluate them on the criteria he establishes for his own dreams, they are equally worthwhile and therefore neither provide any meaningful guide. Only science would provide such a methodology, and he has no trouble using and relying on it when it suits him, and then dismissing it as yet another religion when it comes to a conclusion he doesn't like). It's unfortunate that the 80% of the book that makes sense is so overshadowed by the end by all of the crap. I say this, incidentally, as a committed environmentalist who works and volunteers to do everything I can to "keep this culture from killing the planet," and who has no trouble listening to and relying on dreams etc. Interesting that my dreams do not tell me to start blowing up dams. I must be having the wrong ones.
Again, I found I agreed with much of it, but the parts I disagreed with were as close to batshit insane as one can get within the printed confines of a book. As Dreams progressed it gradually became more and more repetitive, grandiose, bizarre and incoherent. By the end I was grimly hanging on with my fingernails just to be able to say I finished the damned thing.
In Dreams, Jensen argues that (literal) dreams (as in, stuff that happens in your head while you are sleeping) are actual messages from the Other Sides that tells you what you should do, especially if what your dreams are telling you is that you should dismantle and destroy industrial civilization, which is what his dreams tell him that he should do. Why this is what dreams ought to tell you, or what should be done with dreams that do not tell one to dismantle and destroy industrial civilization, is never made clear. He spends much time pondering these creatures on Other Sides, and wondering why it is they haven't intervened themselves to dismantle/destroy industrial civilization already; this also is never satisfactorily resolved, possibly because it's a ridiculous question. Assuming that, should these Other Sides exist, whatever lives there has the same values, perspectives, lifespans, perspectives on time, etc., as we do is surely among the most narcissistic of conclusions, and he has no trouble drawing it.
Now: in the 80% of the book where he urges people to take more seriously their own dreams, regardless of their source, act in accordance with their deeper values (particularly environmental), develop a meaningful spirituality that includes non-human nature, etc., he wrote beautifully and I found myself agreeing with his general points. Certainly his very pointed critiques of technology and techno-fetishism were well done, and he has some interesting critiques of science as well (though they, too, later foundered into incoherence and absurdity: there is no objective methodology to distinguish between his eco-warrior dreams of taking on the flesh-eating zombies and a fundamentalist christian's dreams of establishing dominion over the earth; if one is to evaluate them on the criteria he establishes for his own dreams, they are equally worthwhile and therefore neither provide any meaningful guide. Only science would provide such a methodology, and he has no trouble using and relying on it when it suits him, and then dismissing it as yet another religion when it comes to a conclusion he doesn't like). It's unfortunate that the 80% of the book that makes sense is so overshadowed by the end by all of the crap. I say this, incidentally, as a committed environmentalist who works and volunteers to do everything I can to "keep this culture from killing the planet," and who has no trouble listening to and relying on dreams etc. Interesting that my dreams do not tell me to start blowing up dams. I must be having the wrong ones.
November 12, 2011
This is Jensen's best book since A Language Older Than Words. While it is long-winded compared to his first book, as his later books tend to be, it could be read as a sequel to it.
Contrary to what one unimaginative reviewer wrote, Jensen does not try to tell the reader what he or she ought to dream about, or that his own dreams as recounted in this book are the right kind.
To the contrary, this book is about being open to epistemologies other than the one narrow as the eye of a needle that we are supposed to believe.
There is no one else writing today who is more of an iconoclast. Jensen's passion is contagious.
(Perfect to read along with Where the Wasteland Ends.)
Contrary to what one unimaginative reviewer wrote, Jensen does not try to tell the reader what he or she ought to dream about, or that his own dreams as recounted in this book are the right kind.
To the contrary, this book is about being open to epistemologies other than the one narrow as the eye of a needle that we are supposed to believe.
There is no one else writing today who is more of an iconoclast. Jensen's passion is contagious.
(Perfect to read along with Where the Wasteland Ends.)
October 30, 2014
Long winded with straw-men lurking around every corner.
January 18, 2012
Derrick Jensen is one of my favorite writers, In Dreams he is letting everyone who will listen know that our system is destroying everything in our world. He radiates outrage, kicking in all directions in his fury. I only wish that he was wrong about these things. He's not wrong. He's right: there is no reason to believe that the system of which we are a part, and which is destroying the Earth, is going to voluntarily dismantle itself for the good of all. It isn't going to happen.
Derrick Jensen's style is extremely casual. The chapters invite us to think and fume and dream along with him. Sometimes it seems that he can write about as fast as I can read. He is outspoken; he doesn't sugar-coat a thing, but instead pulls the candy coated wrapper off so that everyone can see whats underneath.
As for me, I've taken to hauling the book around and begging people, "Could you just read the chapter `Reciprocity'? Please! I'll wait. Please, please! Read `Reciprocity'." I even it take it to my classes and read to my students from the book - making a Discussion of a chapter a "requirement" :)
Derrick Jensen's style is extremely casual. The chapters invite us to think and fume and dream along with him. Sometimes it seems that he can write about as fast as I can read. He is outspoken; he doesn't sugar-coat a thing, but instead pulls the candy coated wrapper off so that everyone can see whats underneath.
As for me, I've taken to hauling the book around and begging people, "Could you just read the chapter `Reciprocity'? Please! I'll wait. Please, please! Read `Reciprocity'." I even it take it to my classes and read to my students from the book - making a Discussion of a chapter a "requirement" :)
May 22, 2016
I couldn't finish this book, after over 100 pages it was still unclear what the point of it all was and I'm not one to finish a book just for the sake of finishing it. Incoherent and rambling and at times just too far off the deep end. The best chapter was one where he paraphrases a conversation with a mycologist author, which made me think I should just read that person's book instead. While I think it's fair to argue for dreams to have meaning, such as revealing subconscious beliefs and emotions or even containing messages from the other side, this book doesn't really make a case for that and just recounts a bunch of the author's own dreams. I found some of these dreams downright disturbing, with no apparent reason or purpose given for telling them. It's not that this book is totally lacking in insight or anything worthwhile, but it could probably have been about 400 pages shorter.
November 17, 2024
In this case my reason was that the real, physical world is being murdered, and I didn’t want to waste my time writing about dreams. With all the world at stake, any book—any action, any thought, any day, any lifetime—that doesn’t help us succeed at stopping this culture from killing the planet is inexcusable, unforgivable. And how could a book about dreams possibly help?
Part of the reason that this culture is killing the planet is that it ignores, devalues, or demonizes messages from those places where writing comes from, where dreams come from, where so many other impulses and ideas and beings come from. It tries to create a rigid separation between what it calls the human1 on one hand, and what it calls the natural, and especially what it calls the supernatural, on the other; it then favors what it calls the human at the extreme expense of everyone else. The fundamental difference between civilized and indigenous ways of being is that for even the most open-minded of the civilized, listening to the natural world is a metaphor. For traditional indigenous peoples it is not a metaphor; it is how you relate to the real world.
This author is always thought-provoking, but this was very rambling and hard to follow.
The insufferable arrogance of human beings to think that Nature was made solely for their benefit, as if it was conceivable that the sun had been set afire merely to ripen men’s apples and head their cabbages. CYRANO DE BERGERAC
I live on Tolowa land. The Tolowa lived here for at least 12,500 years without killing the place. This culture has been here 180 years, and the land is dying. Why? Richard Dawkins says you can tell that a worldview is true if that worldview can help you make matter and energy jump through hoops on command, and predict what will happen and when. I say that you can tell a worldview is true if you and those around you can live with that truth for 12,500 years.
Part of the reason that this culture is killing the planet is that it ignores, devalues, or demonizes messages from those places where writing comes from, where dreams come from, where so many other impulses and ideas and beings come from. It tries to create a rigid separation between what it calls the human1 on one hand, and what it calls the natural, and especially what it calls the supernatural, on the other; it then favors what it calls the human at the extreme expense of everyone else. The fundamental difference between civilized and indigenous ways of being is that for even the most open-minded of the civilized, listening to the natural world is a metaphor. For traditional indigenous peoples it is not a metaphor; it is how you relate to the real world.
This author is always thought-provoking, but this was very rambling and hard to follow.
The insufferable arrogance of human beings to think that Nature was made solely for their benefit, as if it was conceivable that the sun had been set afire merely to ripen men’s apples and head their cabbages. CYRANO DE BERGERAC
I live on Tolowa land. The Tolowa lived here for at least 12,500 years without killing the place. This culture has been here 180 years, and the land is dying. Why? Richard Dawkins says you can tell that a worldview is true if that worldview can help you make matter and energy jump through hoops on command, and predict what will happen and when. I say that you can tell a worldview is true if you and those around you can live with that truth for 12,500 years.
October 18, 2018
This is a timely and important read given the tyrannical corporate, capitalist, and downright horribly dominant culture human world we are being forced to endure. Read this.
August 17, 2011
The next logical step in his series of long thought-provoking, anti-civ line of books. This one focuses on dreams (as the title may suggest) with a strong stress on how religion and science have played a role in keeping us from accessing those "other sides". He relates many of his dreams throughout, analyzing them with an anti-civ bent. His discussions on religion, science, and traditional cultures are very interesting, and sprinkled throughout are criticisms/musings on contemporary issues and current events. He does talk about his personal life, as usual, including the state of his health as well as the frequent burglaries of his house and the changes he has been noticing in the woods that surround his home in the Pacific Northwest. If you enjoyed his other works, I would highly recommend this book to you, as he has several beautiful moments in the book where his notorious eloquence for the tragically elegant comes out. He's a beautiful writer, is what I'm saying, and if you've read his other books then you know what I'm talking about.
The only reason I didn't give this one 5 stars is because, like some of my friends, I think Derrick Jensen could use the help of an editor. Maybe he has one, maybe he edits his own, but there were several points while I was reading where I felt a strong urge to skip a section because he was either rambling or what he was talking about wasn't all the interesting or relevant. I know this is how many of his works go, as if he is publishing his journal entries for the past year, but there are some things that are really only interesting to yourself in your journal. Regardless, still read this, because Derrick Jensen is an excellent writer and will truly stun you with his eloquence at times.
The only reason I didn't give this one 5 stars is because, like some of my friends, I think Derrick Jensen could use the help of an editor. Maybe he has one, maybe he edits his own, but there were several points while I was reading where I felt a strong urge to skip a section because he was either rambling or what he was talking about wasn't all the interesting or relevant. I know this is how many of his works go, as if he is publishing his journal entries for the past year, but there are some things that are really only interesting to yourself in your journal. Regardless, still read this, because Derrick Jensen is an excellent writer and will truly stun you with his eloquence at times.
November 5, 2012
Typical spirited Jensen. He many times makes acute observations on society that cause reader to self-reflect while also providing facts to back up his anti-civ message. I did feel he attacked Dawkins a little too much and could have definitely gone after the Christians a far bit more but I suppose many writers have already done that and Jensen likes to be a voice all his own. My other hang up is Jensen's tendency to repeat himself, which is prevalent in a all his books e.g. His love for salmon in Endgame being repeated maybe a thousand times, like okay we get it dude, you like salmon, you want to see them swimming up stream more, move on. Otherwise very well written and inspiring, I am glad he is out there doing what he's doing and wish there were more people like him. It was a good book and I am glad I read it.
December 23, 2020
I read 30 pages, saw that Jensen apparently hasn't progressed in either theory or writing style since at least Endgame, and decided I didn't need to continue. I mostly agree with his position, but I already got my fill of it over half a decade ago. Move on already.
It also rankles that he doesn't even attempt to convince the reader of his bizarre starting point; he just presupposes acceptance of his "other side" premise. "Lazy" is really the only way to describe it: his bloated stream of consciousness writing, his lack of organization, his argumentation. . . it's all just extremely lazy.
Not Bad Reviews
@pointblaek
It also rankles that he doesn't even attempt to convince the reader of his bizarre starting point; he just presupposes acceptance of his "other side" premise. "Lazy" is really the only way to describe it: his bloated stream of consciousness writing, his lack of organization, his argumentation. . . it's all just extremely lazy.
Not Bad Reviews
@pointblaek
January 5, 2012
I enjoyed the first three quarters and then it got a bit hard to follow and too much about Jensen's personal issues. I agree with much of what he says and I can see that the present methods of trying to influence the powers that be is not enough, but...I still think that if everyone started pulling back, eating locally, conserving energy it would help more than he suggests.
September 1, 2012
This was my first experience with Jensen and I was blown away. Even if you don't agree with all of his ideas, he is an excellent writer. Everyone should read Jensen, even if everyone can't handle Jensen.
August 15, 2012
I love Derrick Jensen's writing but it always depresses the hell out of me so I have to pull myself away before I sink into depression!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews