Saturday, March 01, 2008

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NOAM!


Noam Chomsky is 80! Imagine that.

He has been writing articles and books that have, since the 60s, secured Chomsky a place as perhaps the leading dissident voice in the United States. I read one of his books years ago and continue to sample his writings on the internet just to reawaken the drive to look deeper than what we are spoon fed by the media and our government.

Chomsky’s books have served as essential touchstones for activists, scholars, and concerned citizens on subjects ranging from the media to human rights to intellectual freedom. I recommend browsing through the selection at your local bookstore and let yourself be drawn into the world of free thought and political skepticism.

His new book is a collection of some of his most impressive works.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can I say something? I have checked out the local BLOGs lately and I have to say, you jump around many issues more than the others.

This is new for you, will this BLOG get more narrowed down to Kingston issues, or will you continue to provide this variety of lucid thought?

Not that anyone minds.

Anonymous said...

Yeh, this man was and is a real intellectual match for conservative philosophy. He seems more a political philosopher than a politician, and points out very clearly one of conservatism basic fallacies which is a world view base in provincialism and frozen in selfcentered nationalism...smitty

Anonymous said...

I'm a Chomsky fan as well (Happy Birthday!) - and I'd like to make note of an excellent book that he contributed to, as well, called "Talking About a Revolution" (this did NOT have to do with a violent revolution!)

There are a number of great thinkers presented in the book, and a real bonus (something one rarely ever sees nowadays) is permission to reprint parts of the book WITHOUT having to obtain permission (providing the original source is simply acknowleged).

What does that mean exactly?

That these people [Chomsky and company (I have the book & will try to locate it)]felt that their message was more important than cashing in on every single buck (a lot of folks charge for reprint rights...) that they could!

That says something... That says A LOT... all by itself.

Anonymous said...

Some quotes (just a sampling) from "Talking About A Revolution: Interviews with Michael Albert, Noam Chomsky, Barbara Ehrenreich, bell hooks, Peter Kwong, Winona LaDuke, Manning Marable, Urvasha Vaid, Howard Zinn"; South End Press Collective; 1998...

(1) "A very small percentage of the population has become extremely wealthy. Most of the population is either stagnating or declining."

--- Noam Chomsky; p. 18

(2) "Power is in your spirit. Power is in your soul... If you live righteously, you have power."

--- Winona Laduke; p. 77

(3) "We are wealthy enough for full employment and free education, as well as free medical care for everyone..."

--- Howard Zinn; p. 116