Chomsky - is he or isn't he?

[mixu]

Continuing a thread from the old MS...

There were a few people accusing Noam Chomsky of being a neo-nazi based on the words of Werner Cohn.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0964589702/104-9240933-7135124?v=glance

Let's just say I'm playing Devil's Advocate (or avocado?) 'cause I know the reaction Chomsky provokes - is there any more basis in this claim than Cohn's book?

Would Chomsky still be Professor of Linguistics at MIT and considered by many to be one of the world's leading intellectuals if it were true? And how come Cohn hasn't published anything since?

Discuss in no more than, let's say, 500 words (are you enjoying this?)...

And don't be picking on me 'cause I'm just asking the question - I remain open-minded.

[GregWhelan]

Well,if he's a neo-nazi he is hiding it quite well!As he always seems to come across as someone who is willing to expose government home truths, and defend minority groups?

I once met him at a lecture in London,and the guy is just so intellectual its untrue.He could literally reel off knowledge for hours on end.My friend once e-mailed him to get tips on an essay,and chomsky replied the same day with an e-mail 3 pages long,that he'd written off the top of his head.

n.b - didnt chomsky travel to turkey to help defend a Kurd who was under arrest,knowing that the authorities could do nothing to stop him(the Kurd was soon released)Doesnt sound like the actions of a neo-nazi?

[Civic_Zen]

I don't think Noam is a neo-nazi. However, he is inconsistent in his political beliefs sometimes. In his books, essays, and various political blogs if you will, he remains pretty consistent, then he will be interviewed about something and start shifting his stance a little to the other side.

I personally agree with some of his views on anarchy and the government, but I have to take everything he says and writes with a grain of salt. Is he a genius, yes, but he is also too intelligent for his own good sometimes. Others probably have a harder time grasping his concepts which is why he is percieved as so many things. And often times mis interpreted.

Overall though, he usually has the exact same politcal stance that I do, one of a conservative anarchist.

[cosmo]

Re:: Chomsky - is he or isn't he?

He is smart when it comes to the political arena, but Chomsky, like Moore, I believe builds a case based on selective reporting on certain issues to prove a point. If a corporation here in America was granted a rebuilding job in Iraq, even though they are the only company that can accomplish what's needed to help rebuild that country for the Iraqis, he claims it's all about money, and America is an evil empire for doing it, forgetting to mention that we build new roads, schools, universities, etc for the common good. He doesn't take into consideration some of the reasons why we are really doing it.

He thinks America is the lone evil empire, a country that is supposedly run by rich, white imperialists who oppresses third world countries and has the balls to label the theocratic Iranian gulag as 'independent nationalism'.

In his spectrum of thought, America is oppressing the rest of the world(not the actual fascist regimes that hold power over the middle-east).

We're the big bully.

[mylexicon]

yeah that's the real problem with people like chomsky......intellectual
and somewhat balanced until their agenda is challenged or unitl they see
opportunity. Then he circulates reckless one-sided information without
giving it any perspective.

Of course, that is actually more of an American problem than a Chomsky
problem.......but just because the societal flaw is nearly universal
doesn't make it acceptable.

[Civic_Zen]

Re:: Chomsky - is he or isn't he?

He is smart when it comes to the political arena, but Chomsky, like Moore, I believe builds a case based on selective reporting on certain issues to prove a point.

Moore and Chomsky have VERY little in common. What you say here is true to a certain extent. But First, Chomsky is an intelligent man, Moore is nowhere near his level. Moore is practically imcompetent in comparison.

Moore and Chomsky want the same thing, but on two entirely different levels with two entirely different sets of ideal's, and two entirely different political stances.

Moore is a communist. He wants more this and more that. He wants the government to have more control. He wants the US to be like Canada and Europe and for the government to own everything. He wants free enterprise and the small business to be extinct. He basically wants a communist government.

Chomsky, on the other hand. Is like I said, a conservative anarchist. He believes in some of what Moore is saying about corporate America, as do I, but his solution is to limit the power those companies and the government has, not increase them. He wants the government to be all but non existent. Having control over only the most necessary parts.

[cosmo]

Re:: Chomsky - is he or isn't he?

Moore and Chomsky have VERY little in common.[/quote]

I understand that they aren't the same politically, but im speaking about his foreign policy issues. He doesn't take into consideration the whole story. It seems to me as if he builds his on case, and leaves other reasons as of why we actually did them.

[davetlv]

As someone who was vocally anti-Chomsky last time we discussed this i thought it useful to repost the link to Cohn's complete essay.

http://www.wernercohn.com/Chomsky.html

Briefly, as its way past my bedtime, to discount Cohn's work just on the basis if what has he published since is the wrong approach to the Chomsky debate. Read his words, in full, make up your own mind.

I will be back to bore you all later on this subject!

[Civic_Zen]

As someone who was vocally anti-Chomsky last time we discussed this i thought it useful to repost the link to Cohn's complete essay.

http://www.wernercohn.com/Chomsky.html

Briefly, as its way past my bedtime, to discount Cohn's work just on the basis if what has he published since is the wrong approach to the Chomsky debate. Read his words, in full, make up your own mind.

I will be back to bore you all later on this subject!

I remember reading most of this during the last thread. Seriously, I've heard Chomsky is a anti-semite and I'm sure he probably is. He acts like its something different, anti-zionism and all, but its pretty much the same thing. Even though I'm not too hip on everything that ground covers.

I can definetely understand where your coming from being an Israeli. And if even half of what Cohn says is true I'm sure Chomsky has many problems to work out.

The only thing I like, and because I like it, really follow is his more anarchist papers that seem interesting to me. Lately though, I've been getting tired of so much hate. You could probably spend a life time just reading about he hatred toward Jewish people throughout history, so lately I've been trying to stay away from all that sh~t. So I might be giving Chomsky to much credit, he is probably a Jerk.

Reading through this forum when your as as I am right now can get really depressing. Frickin hatred, frickin Iraq and frickin Saddam.

[mixu]

Re:: Chomsky - is he or isn't he?

Civic Zen - I think we've found some common ground.

[delirious]

I don't think Noam is a neo-nazi. However, he is inconsistent in his political beliefs sometimes. In his books, essays, and various political blogs if you will, he remains pretty consistent, then he will be interviewed about something and start shifting his stance a little to the other side.

Very interesting. Can you cite any examples of this inconsistency

[Civic_Zen]

I don't think Noam is a neo-nazi. However, he is inconsistent in his political beliefs sometimes. In his books, essays, and various political blogs if you will, he remains pretty consistent, then he will be interviewed about something and start shifting his stance a little to the other side.

Very interesting. Can you cite any examples of this inconsistency

I would have to find the interview I read regarding him again. I think davetlv has it, so he may have the link.

It was just that I've read a lot of his work, and even parts of a few of his books, and he will remain fairly consistent. But then in this particular interview he started treading new ground regarding his "anti-zionism" attitude.

Like I said, davetlv should have some of those links. I don't remember where I read them.

[mixu]

Re:: Chomsky - is he or isn't he?

Let's not continue this thread... Whenever he's mentioned Chomsky (shit, I said it again) brings the MS server down.

[davetlv]

Re:: Chomsky - is he or isn't he?

I agree with mixu - this topic is jinxed!

[krelm]

Re:: Chomsky - is he or isn't he?

He thinks America is the lone evil empire, a country that is supposedly run by rich, white imperialists who oppresses third world countries and has the balls to label the theocratic Iranian gulag as 'independent nationalism'.

In his spectrum of thought, America is oppressing the rest of the world(not the actual fascist regimes that hold power over the middle-east).

We're the big bully.

That's not necessarily the case with Chomsky - at least from what I have seen of him. I recently saw the documentary "Power and Terror" (plus the short followup interview recorded after the Iraq war) and one thing that struck me was how he often made explicitly certain to point out that the US was *not* the only government which was causing problems for their people and the rest of the world.

He does focus more on US policy (he is American, after all), but there were *many* times where he would point out that the US government is not the only one guilty of being greedy, manipulative, oppressive, etc. Chomsky obviously concentrates on the US since that is his area of expertise, but he definitely does not let other governments off the hook with his criticisms.

In his thinking, the US is the BIGGEST bully (sort of a no-duh), but not the only one.