Noam Chomsky today at my college

[graywarrior]

My camera is crap, but here goes:









What was cool about this entire event was Chomsky spoke for an entire hour and then took questions for a half hour. He is a riveting speaker who uses simple terms to explain complex issues. He is a wealth of information and because he has been around for so many decades, he can speak from personal experience. He touched on the anger of Americans today and his take on the Tea Baggers was interesting; he felt they were being told by Rush and the right in simple terms what was happening while the democrats were too afraid to speak the truth. He tries to stay in the middle, but of course, he leans to the left.

The room was packed with students, in fact, there were not enough seats, so people lined the back and sides of the hall and sat on the floor. I'd say in all there were about 200 people, maybe more. At the end, Chomsky seemed humbled and surprised with the standing ovation he got.

I learned at lot that I can apply to my government class and I finally met my gov professor, who arranged the event today. It was a great day.

[Ron Green]

1. Don't sweat the fuzzy pictures; his message is clear. K&R

[JuniperLea]

2. Very, very cool!

Fuzz or no fuzz, this is awesome!!

[frazzled]

3. Rush is telling them what is happening, while Democrats don't tell the truth?

So, Mr. Chomsky thinks Rush is filling folks in on the truth? Really?

And you bought that?

[kenny blankenship]

5. Are you really that stupid?

Have to ask.

[Bjorn Against]

7. You need to go read some Chomsky.

That is most certainly not what Chomsky was saying, and if you were at all familiar with his work you would know that he is most certainly not a Limbaugh fan. I did not hear his speech so I don't want to put words in his mouth, but my guess is that he was trying to explain how Rush has been very effective in his deception.

[frazzled]

14. You don't need to lecture me ...

I knew Chomsky before you were possibly born, having had to plow through everything from his Sound Pattern of English (with Morris Halle) to Studies in Semantics in Generative Grammar when I was a graduate student in theoretical linguistics many decades ago. And I know his political work quite well, too. I have heard him speak on political topics in intimate settings.

Furthermore, I lived for five years in the same gentrified town as Noam Chomsky, where I learned even more about his politics: namely, that he was more interested in East Timor than in attending Town Meeting to make sure we could raise the property taxes so the local workers could get health insurance. Noam Chomsky really wouldn't know what the average person is thinking, doing, or needing. It's all theoretical.

But please ... don't assume I'm some sort of idiot. The OP made a statement as to what was said. I never suggested he was a fucking Limbaugh fan. I do suggest that to make such equivalences by slapping left and right at once is the hallmark of Chomskyan dissociative thinking.

[okie]

17. I don't understand your point about his politics

Chomsky has been engaged in activism for decades. Our government was essentially sponsoring the murder of thousands of people in East Timor. You can't say enough about crimes like that.

I also think his writing is very concerned about the practical concerns of 'average' people. In fact, he is very critical of 'theoretical' work. See:

http://www.cscs.umich.edu/~crshalizi/chomsky-on-postmodernism.html

[ljm2002]

9. I think you may have misunderstood...

...at least, the way I read it, was more of a lament similar to Yeats' stanzas:

The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.

i.e., the Democrats won't proclaim the truth, while the Rush Limbaughs of the world are all too willing and able to fill the gap with their version of "The Truth".

IMO

[frazzled]

15. There's a problem with that parable ...

If you believe, as Chomsky apparently does, that people are mere variables in an equation ... then you believe that these people gravitate toward the narrative that Rush provides merely (and only) because the Democrats aren't telling one (or, as the OP put it, not "telling the truth"). That they are empty vessels ready to be filled by the most gratifying tale.

Unfortunately, that does not comport with the reality of American political behavior. People seek out the narratives they already believe in: homophobic, greedy, racist, anti-government rhetoric in the case of Limbaugh and his ilk. It's not like these same people are willing to listen to, say, Bill Moyers telling them the truth. They do not seek truth. The seek reification of their own belief structure.

The Democrats could shout the truth from the rooftops about corporate greed, etc. and these people would not listen to them.

In Chomsky's world, which is so enrobed in theoretical musings that it wouldn't recognize a real human being if it tried, white male gun-toting racist homophobes would become liberal darlings if only the Democrats told them the real story of the underlying economic structure of our society. Chomsky is being a nihilist here. Liberals, conservatives, it doesn't matter. None of them "get" it like he does.

Feh. Not even Keats would go for that one.

[okie]

16. I don't think Chomsky would argue that

He's not saying the tea party folks would suddenly see the light if liberals, or the left made a strong case for them. He's saying the left is making no case at all! Saying that people seek out narratives they already believe gets us nowhere. It only brings up the question why do these people believe what they believe? Where do their ideas come from? My state of Oklahoma had a strong, vibrant radical left a century ago, now the state is very conservative. What happened? I would argue that particular left movement was crushed, and no one has ever attempted to rebuild it. Of course people only hear the rightwing populists in its absence.

[graywarrior]

10. You had to be there

He did not side with the teabaggers. He just said he could see why they were the way they are. You don't need to insult me. Sheesh.

[bobbolink]

4. ENVIOUS! Thank you so much for the report, and the pictures.

DEfinitely something to tell your grandchildren.

I'm guessing he probably has a similar take on the teabaggers as does Thom Hartmann.

I hope he changed some minds, and inspired others to take action.

:yourock:

[graywarrior]

11. The town my college is in is made up mostly of liberals

However, a number of kids at the school come from different communities and lean toward Ron Paul. Chomsky was able to satisfy their questions today and probably persuaded them more toward the left. However, he is definetly an independent thinker and that made a huge impression on everyone there.

[bobbolink]

19. That is wonderful to hear. He is old, he is comfortable in his skin, and sure of his beliefs.

Because of that comfort level with himself, he doesn't have to "sell" it, he can listen to others, which makes him a great choice to reach those who have been taught otherwise.

At least he got them thinking and that is what college is supposed to be about.

I still ENVY you. ^_^

Are you a student, or do you teach? I have a question about your school... is it OK if I PM you that question?

Thanks for sharing all of this!

[graywarrior]

20. Sure, PM me.

[malaise]

6. Lucky you

I'm so glad Chomsky has been vindicated while he's alive.
Parenti and Chomsky - I adore them.

[graywarrior]

12. Chomsky is adore-able.

He seems very generous with his time and himself.

[amborin]

8. thanks for posting!

[Dystopian]

13. KandR.

Awesome!


peace~

[ZombieHorde]

18. I am jealous. nt