Noam Chomsky praises Johann Hari (27 October 2009)

[JagjeetMann]

wtf this whole uploaders accountis just Hari videos. Hari was dropped from the Independent for plagiarism and admitted to creating wikipedia accounts to attck others, he sounds like aliberal fool. And in that same link provided in the description he praises the CCTV of UK, what the?

[PhilosopherSY]

Hari is a matchless writer. Good to see Noam give him a shout out.

[slckr80s]

Piracy is not nice.

[Hamilcar275]

Some of his criticisms have justification, especially regarding American foreign policy, but his hatred of America blinds him to the evils committed against America too. If someone commits a terrorist attack against America, Chomsky calls them freedom fighters. However, he is a steaming hypocrite. He criticised trust funds for perpetuating the wealth gap, and yet he set one up for his children, and they stand to inherit his millions upon death. He hasn't redistributed his money

[GiantSandles]

@thatamazinggeek Okay, what's insane about them exactly?

[GiantSandles]

@thatamazinggeek Which is why in 2005, he was voted the world's greatest public intellectual, and - between 1980-92 - was the most cited living person and eighth most cited source overall. How does that fit in with your analysis?

[GiantSandles]

@thatamazinggeek So you're pointing to some violent states on the left of the spectrum and claiming that it's unique to the left? Even if I took your silly argument on board, Chomsky's an anarchist. So no, that argument doesn't do, I'm afraid.

And by the way, any authoritarian state makes the "We're doing it for your benefit" claim that you just described, left or right wing.

[GiantSandles]

@thatamazinggeek That's a bold claim. Care to add some substance?

[VanDoodah]

@thatamazinggeek You didn't present an argument, you just insulted him for being 'left wing'. That's the problem with right wing idiots like you; you have no arguments, so you make ad hominems and attack straw men. Chomsky is an anarchist and an outspoken opponent of authoritarian regimes purporting to be 'socialist'.

[kelly980]

the one good thing hari has ever done. he's such a douche.

[smileyfacemug]

Hari is a tedious liberal bourgeois windbag.

[punxsutawneybarney]

Dr. Chomsky recently told Iranian TV that at the time the US invaded Afghanistan, they had no evidence that al Qaeda did 9/11. See my video "Chomsky on Faith-Based Wars and 9/11"

[superfatman900]

No matter who you believe as the 'white knight' always remember that at the end of the day they are human and not gods.

[ecp73]

So who exactly over fished the international waters outside of Somalia? Chomsky does not say. But he does say that piracy, that is kidnapping and robbing innocent civilians, is justified as a result. What insane logic. This guy was right about Vietnam and let it go to his head and has been swimming in bs for the past four decades.

[massiveants]

@ecp73 I don't think he says it's justified, just explaining some of the circumstances which gave rise to piracy.

[ukuleleladdy]

I see, so unless I agree with Hari and his flip-flop views I am only capable of appreciating Littlejohn?! What risible nonsense tomsega. This is exactly the flawed logic that Hari himself uses. I wrote to him several times about his views on Iraq both before and after his Volte-face and he spat his dummy like a petulant child. His opinions, which are the usual basis for his limited thinking, do not stand scrutiny and usually result in a near hysterical hissy fit when challenged.

[Enantiodromialist]

I recently noted that Mr. Chomsky is 81 years old. Let us appreciate this world living treasure while we can.

[Experiment47]

Turn up the VOLUME!!!

[Mattyb88ful]

I agree. Hari is usually spot on.

[neilbet1979]

Hari is a sanctimonious little prick.

[tomsega]

Hari is a little condescending and moralising sometimes, but he's a phenomenal writer, and on the money 9/10 times. Most of those who slag him off probably can't read anything higher, intellectually, than Clarkson and Littlejohn!

[relarerfhjk]

Hari is "on the money 9/10 times"? He is wrong about almost everything

[neilbet1979]

@tomsega - I think generally, people would rather listen/watch Clarkson than listen to this partronising whinging little moron. Completely out of touch with the real world as most of the Oxford debating team are.

[tomsega]

Well, most people are ignorant and think with their ego.

[neilbet1979]

No, most people aren't necessarily left wing fantasists with no idea how the real world works.

[llewohnewo]

@tomsega

Hari is petulant. Sometimes he is right, but he is a knee-jerk wanker who gives the right wing press the ammunition they want. He defended the Iraq war with Godlike certainty and then did the opposite with Godlike certainty. This is called 'hypocrisy'. A nasty,presumptuous Oxbridge bore, just like Hitchins, who is incapble of considering anyone elses opinion and shoots off at the mouth with theoretical irrelevancies whenever he finds himself cornered.Especially whiny and sanctimonious.

[kumquatmagoo]

@llewohnewo - Hypocrisy isn't the word, that points to pretending to have one set beliefs when you practice the opposite, much like an alcoholic telling you off for drinking. It doesn't apply to a change of viewpoint, as was Hari's case.

[badsushichef]

@llewohnewo What journalists would you recommend? I am curious.

[joachim1987]

Hari is an arogant little fuck, he slaged off Harold Pinter on the day he died and accused him of being ignorent.

not an accusation one could ever make about Hari of though, not at all.

[sailbeyondthesunset]

What is the 'Airforce Document' Chomsky talks about???

[guvnor782000]

noam ,your ea legend but Hari writes for the independent

[Mikeofdundee1987]

If Noam Chomsky was British he would write for the independent

[Nintendomanwill]

@Mikeofdundee1987

Surely Chomsky would write for the Grauniad! And for a leftist, Hari is quite a good writer (I used to read the Independent a fair bit, Jeremy Warner was good on economics & finance) although on Somalia, the piracy is more to do with the bellicosity of the warring tribes-it's nominally anarchy but only in lack of central government, which hardly papered over the violence when it did have power and in fact the central govt produced&reproduced problems in its division of labour

[badsushichef]

@Nintendomanwill The Guardian sucks, Noam Chomsky is too good for it.