[Vision2020] Re: Noam Chomsky

David M. Budge dave at davebudge.com
Sat Feb 12 11:48:28 PST 2005


Ted, you are correct that I have not spent any time reading his 
linguistics work.  I have been reading Chomsky since the early '70's 
when, at that time, I was a socialist.  I couldn't get enough of him 
then, along with other notables like Bertrand Russell who, by the way, 
you indirectly introduced to me through my brother, Bruce (if your 
memory serves.)  

You may recall an article Chomsky wrote  in The Nation in 1977 tilted 
"Distortions at Fourth Hand" which is the primary missive for which he 
is vilified by the right-wing for, among other things, materially 
misrepresenting both the aftermath and the cause of the dire situation 
in Cambodia and Vietnam.  Generally, this article was an argument about 
the malfeasance of the "free press" as a tool to shed a better light on 
the U.S. for their pervious disastrous policy in S.E. Asia.  At that 
time, Chomsky asserted that it was likely that only a few thousand had 
been executed at the hands of the Khmer Rouge.  Christopher Hitchens, 
still one of my favorite writers, defended Chomsky's work as did most of 
the contributors of the magazine at the time.  Since that time Hitchens 
has retracted a great portion of that support. This article, however, is 
not the article to which I make my claim, although a major thread in the 
piece is a rather strong endorsement for Pol Pot's communist authority 
in Cambodia.  I have not found the exact quote from 1975, where Chomsky 
writes about the chances of progress in Vietnam and Cambodia and 
proclaims that the stability of Khmer Rouge portends a good (or at least 
better) future for the region.  And perhaps it was wishful thinking on 
the part of Chomsky to think this to be true given the blunderous 
effects of U.S. policy at the time.

I will set straight any misconceptions that, once the truth was known 
about the brutality of Pol Pot, Chomsky did acknowledge it, but he still 
laid, what I consider to be an undue level of blame, on U.S. 
imperialism.  That, discussion, however,  leads to a long exchange about 
the political practicability of any possible U.S. involvement in S.E. 
asian reconstruction. Perhaps we'll get to that in the future

There are still many things with which I agree in his past writings such 
as his general opinion of Kissinger and the wrong headed hegamonic 
policies that the U.S. undertook in regards to Chile  I'll grant him 
many of the points he makes about positions in the middle east - 
including some of his anti-Zionist rhetoric and the plight of the 
Palestinians too.  As it is often said, however, even a broken clock is 
right twice a day.

You may be familiar with the work of the previous editor of Ramparts 
magazine, David Horowitz.  If you are, you know that Horowitz has moved 
from being a radical communist to being a radical capitalist.  Horowitz 
began to deconstruct Chomsky in the late '70's.  It was Horowitz with 
whom I first took notice about Chomsky's practice of selectively taking 
quotes out of context  and misusing them to make his point.  Horowitz 
has written repeatedly about the famous article referenced above. This, 
however, is not a journalist practice that is unique to Chomsky and I 
find it as well with notable conservatives (or neo-conservatives) like 
William Krystol, Pat Buchanan, and Donald Kegan.  Most interesting about 
Chomsky is his proclivity to do it with his own work. 

I still read Chomsky today at least to the extent of his work as a 
contributor to The Nation and other periodicals I happen upon.  I do 
find that I usually blow out of reading the entirety of his articles and 
misc. essays because he usually has very little new to say with regards 
to hegemony, propaganda, and capitalism.  As my politics have moved 
radically as well over the years from (and I know you hate the sophistry 
of this linearity - and rightly so) left to right, I have become 
increasingly critical of Chomksy. This, not because I think him obtuse, 
but because of the brilliance of his deception. 

It is difficult to find rhetorical balance as a student of political 
philosophy.  In that effort I read regularly:  The Nation, The New 
Republic, Reason Magazine, and The National Review (don't choke Joan.) I 
also make sure I catch every Hitchens' piece in either Slate or Vanity 
Fair.  Given the progression of my leanings it's probably not difficult 
to figure out which I find to be more credible.

One last thing.  I do not now, nor have I ever, considered myself to be 
an intellectual.  I'm a student and I will always listen to opinions 
contrary to my contemporary constructs.  After all, I just might be wrong.

I will find the quote, but I did not mean that Chomsky was a supporter 
Pol Pot's mass murder per se. 

Dave Budge


Tbertruss at aol.com wrote:

>
> Dave et. al.
>
> Perhaps you would like to qualify your statement:  "Ted, I too have 
> read almost everything that Chomsky has ever written"  considering the 
> partial bibliography presented below?  I did not make this outrageous 
> claim, only that "I have followed Chomsky from the late 1960s to the 
> present day."  If you really have read Chomsky this thoroughly, you 
> have my respect.  Perhaps you meant only his political writings.  
> Anyway, those who pose as "intellectuals," including my silly a##, 
> might at least pause when confronted with the real genius contained in 
> the works listed below.  I might have a surprise for the V2020 list 
> regarding your yellow journalism style aside that Chomsky "endorsed" 
> Pol Pot.  We shall see.
>
> http://www.american-buddha.com/chomskY.bib.htm
>
> CHOMSKY BIBLIOGRAPHY
>
> Current issues in linguistic theory (1964)
>
> Aspects of the theory of syntax (1965)
>
> Cartesian linguistics: a chapter in the history of rationalist thought 
> (1966)
>
> Topics in the theory of generative grammar (1966)
>
> Perspectives on Vietnam (1966)
>
> Language and mind (1968)
>
> Syntactic structures (1968)
>
> American Power and the New Mandarins (1969)
>
> I nuovi mandarini; gli intellettuali e il potere in America. (1969)
>
> L'Amerique et ses Nouveaux Mandarins. (1969)
>
> "Notes on Anarchism," (1970), At war with Asia (1970)
>
> Two essays on Cambodia (1970), Chomsky: selected readings (1971)
>
> Problems of knowledge and freedom (1971)
>
> Hypothèses, trois entretiens et trois études sur la linguistique et la 
> poétique (1972)
>
>  Language and mind (1972), Studies on semantics in generative grammar 
> (1972)
>
> Syntactic structures (1972)
>
> Conoscenza e libertá (1973)
>
> For reasons of state (1973)
>
> Peace in the Middle East? Reflections on justice and nationhood (1974)
>
> Proceso contra Skinner (1974)
>
> The logical structure of linguistic theory (1975)
>
> Reflections on language (1975)
>
> Essays on form and interpretation (1977)
>
> Human Rights and American Foreign Policy (1978)
>
> Intellectuals and the state (1978)
>
> Verso la terza guerra mondiale? (1978)
>
> After the cataclysm: postwar Indochina and the reconstruction of 
> imperial ideology (1979)
>
>  Language and responsibility: based on conversations with Mitson Ronat 
> (1979)
>
> Morphophonemics of modern Hebrew (1979)
>
> The political economy of human rights (1979)
>
> Reflexiones sobre el lenguaje. traducción de Joan A. Argente y Josep 
> M. Nadal (1979)
>
> The Washington connection and Third World fascism (1979)
>
> Lectures on government and binding. (1981)
>
> Radical priorities (1981)
>
> Some concepts and consequences of the theory of government and binding 
> (1982)
>
> Superpowers in collision: the cold war now (1982)
>
> Towards a new cold war: essays on the current crisis and how we got 
> there (1982)
>
> The fateful triangle: the United States, Israel, and the Palestinians 
> (1983)
>
> Modular approaches to the study of the mind (1984)
>
> Turning the tide : U.S. intervention in Central America and the 
> struggle for peace (1985)
>
> Barriers (1986),
>
> Knowledge of language: its nature, origins, and use (1986)
>
> Pirates & emperors: international terrorism in the real world (1986)
>
> The race to destruction: its rational basis (1986)
>
> The Chomsky reader (1987)
>
> La quinta libertad: la política internacional y de seguridad de 
> Estados Unidos (1987)
>
> On Power and Ideology (1987)
>
> Turning the tide: the U.S. and Latin America (1987
>
> The Culture of Terrorism (1988), Language and Politics (1988)
>
> Language and Problems of Knowledge (1988)
>
> Manufacturing consent: the political economy of the mass media (1988)
>
> Nuestra pequena region de por aqui: politica de seguridad de los 
> Estados Unidos (1988)
>
> Necessary Illusions (1989)
>
> Pirates & emperors: international terrorism in the real world (1991)
>
> The Sound Pattern of English (1991)
>
> Terrorizing the Neighborhood (1991)
>
> What Uncle Sam really wants (1992)
>
> Chronicles of dissent: interviews with David Barsamian (1992)
>
> Deterring democracy (1992)
>
> Language and Thought (1993)
>
> Lectures on government and binding: the Pisa lectures (1993)
>
> Letters from Lexington: reflections on propaganda (1993)
>
> The prosperous few and the restless many.(1993)
>
> Rethinking Camelot: JFK, the Vietnam War, and U.S. political culture 
> (1993)
>
> World order and its rules: variations on some themes (1993)
>
> Year 501: the conquest continues (1993)
>
> Critical assessments (1994)
>
> Keeping the rabble in line: interviews with David Barsamian (1994)
>
> Manufacturing consent: Noam Chomsky and the media (1994)
>
> Secrets, lies, and democracy (1994), World orders, old and new (1994)
>
> The minimalist program (1995)
>
> Secrets, lies, and democracy (1995)
>
> Chiapas Insurgente (1995)
>
> Powers and prospects: reflections on human nature and the social order 
> (1996)
>
> Class warfare: interviews with David Barsamian (1996)
>
> Media control: the spectacular achievements of propaganda (1997)
>
> The Cold War and the University (1997)
>
> Terrorizing the neighborhood: American foreign policy in the post-cold 
> war era (1998)
>
> The new military humanism: lessons from Kosovo (1999)
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> V2020 Post by Ted Moffett
>
>
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>
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