Industrial Worker (IWW Newspaper) interviews Noam Chomsky (4/4)

[Skeptic87]

This is the video that made me completely reject the right wing, I had at the time been weary about the right wing, but this just finished any sympathy I had with them, bastards blaming harmless people. Now I'm more left than 99% of people probably.

[mobilechief]

A peace of advise is, that you who are young need not be discouraged and many older people and me myself support you. Keep your faith!

[walterm85]

I also think, according to Chomsky's own statements here and elsewhere, he'd not really appreciate anyone being a 'Chomskyan'. He seems much more interested in people thinking for themselves and developing their own value systems and acting thereupon than constantly looking to him for The Word at the expense of their own critical faculties.

[Chomskyan]

@walterm85 No one is a Chomskyan, but this channel is a collection of Chomsky materials, hence the name.

[walterm85]

The supposed interviewer would've done well to actually ask Prof. Chomsky some questions instead of solilquizing at his expense; it doesn't look as though Chomsky enjoyed or really appreciated it, and *he* is the person I watched this supposed interview to hear. Luckily, he's pretty good at talking on his own (like any good academic!). The titles of these videos are false. I'm not trying to be mean, just calling it like it is.

[Chomskyan]

@walterm85 when you get a chance to interview him, you can ask any type of questions you like. And actually Noam seemed to be in a good mood that day.

[walterm85]

@Chomskyan it's obvious he was in a good mood. I didn't/don't dispute that.

my comment was not about the 'type' of questions, but whether there were actually any, and whether or not questions are required for something to qualify as an 'interview'. You could perhaps argue that they are not. Chomskyan is your username, not the name of your channel. For example, 'walterm85 says "no one is a walterm85"' ...I think these kinds of questions are useful to think about, both for you and others.

[Chomskyan]

@walterm85 the username on youtube IS the name of the channel.

And how do you square the fact that you judge me from a simple name of a channel? How do you know I do not think about issues such as this? I think you presume too much.

Still, I am glad you dropped by.

[walterm85]

I won't argue that first, except to say that your, or any, channel page gives the username, then says "(username)'s channel", so there is a distinction. however, I don't pretend to know your heart here. I can only go by what I see. as to my judgement, the 'simple name of a channel' is one of its primary marketing weapons on youtube. I don't know you don't think about this stuff, nor did I say so, however, you obviously haven't concluded as I have if you have thought of it. my pleasure. :)

[Chomskyan]

@walterm85 I would suggest you look into the content, of the channel and of me, to the extent we interact, before you make any judgements. For the record I think cults of personalities are odious. It's a constant theme I deal with, as I expand my political understanding.

And to the extent that a channel named Chomskyan unwittingly contributes to a cult of personality (I think very marginal), I think exposing more people to the type of institutional analysis he provides more than compensates.

[walterm85]

that's fair, though I think most that see this interview will not go to the extent that you suggest. Do you mean you deal with this issue personally, or in your videos? I will take you up on your suggestion. Your last point may be correct, though I'd be interested to know what Prof. Chomsky might think; From his work on mass media and the propaganda model, we both know that the framing of issues is indeed important, and things like your username are, quite literally, a frame...

[walterm85]

if yours were the only such instance, I might not care as much. And don't think I dislike you or your work, please. One lesson we can both take away from Chomsky's work, or most any of the world's ethical systems, is that we are to hold ourselves to a standard before we do so with others. I critique, correctly or incorrectly, as an ally, not an enemy.

[Chomskyan]

@walterm85 and you know, I think you are being a bit nitpicky, like questioning whether this set of videos can be called an interview because the questioners used long qualifying questions.... or the name of the channel, this and that....

To be honest, where I was politically when I set up the channel 3 years ago, and where I am now, it is not identical. So would I use this name now? I am not sure. But again, I feel it is sort of secondary, compared to the vast problems we are facing today.

[Chomskyan]

@walterm85 I think there are many ways to frame an issue, by establishing bounds and assumptions.... the name is a minor part of it. Could it contribute to negative affects? Probably, but I think you are getting stuck on the name and not focusing on the content. I am not trying to dismiss your concerns, but I think it's misplaced somewhat.

[walterm85]

of course you do. ;) I respect that you say your thoughts and opinions of have changed over the course of 3 years. most of the "long, qualifying questions" were not questions. If you think pointing this out is "nitpicky", ok. neither it nor your name are issues of life and death, if that's what you mean. *comments* that are less severe than that can be legitimate. your name/content dichotomy is tricky, as a name is content. I wouldn't have viewed the intervue were I not interested in "content".

[ymirfrostgiant]

People should really watch all the previous Youtube interviews before they make new ones.

[zkscelso]

Chomsky gives me and the rest of us hope. I've seen many interviews and read a few of his books so far. I'd love to see him speak, I'd really appriciate a schedual.

[csgforme]

Hope for what?

[chocobosage420]

@zkscelso amen brother

[mrtyles]

i love how everyone asks chomsky the same thing: "what can we do"

and he says the same thing.

[Parazitas999]

hmm... so Glen Beck = Hitler?

[AndrewMann552]

Revolutionaries need to unite. The capitalists will not relent. Just look at Latin America, already Obama is surrounding Venezuela with bases in Colombia.

[tarnopol]

4:18 on; truer words were never spoken.

[tokotokotoko3]

Nice interview - much better then other recent ones I've seen. Thanks for the upload.

I still would like to see more new questions though. If the interviewers would watch like a couple of youtube videos before, they could sort out those questions we've heard over and over again. Maybe there could be a list of questions to not ask again.

I mean, it still worked out in this case - he still answered nice and added some new points. But we could get more out of it in my opinion.

[seftonDelmer24]

My main criticism on the global warming issues is the carbon tax emissions that all nations will be forced to pay to a faceless private owned Central Bank.... Certain questions like for example who owns this private bank ?

Isn't that worth knowing or do you already know that answer to that question ??

[KentAllard]

I think the polluting corporations pay it to their government

[seftonDelmer24]

Well they're pretty loose with the details but I'm sure that all nations will have to pay a privately owned global central bank. This is the main argument against carbon tax emissions... It smells of international bankers to me.

[KentAllard]

you smell of classic international bankers paranoia, and that that invokes, to me.

[Marly61]

Kent,

I smell Corporate Psychosis also

as described in the book The Corporation which presents a psychotic profile of corporate personnel having 14 different psychotic traits.

[spartan2600]

I've listened to a lot of Chomsky, so I've heard most of the stuff in the first 3 videos in this interview, but I the bit he says in the last one was new. It is a *very* good point, that the popularity of these "tea-parties" shouldn't be ridiculed, but rather analyzed, we need to reach out to them.

[CalabrezSayZ]

I, like probably everyone here, would love to meet Chomsky. Is there a list of his scheduled visits or speeches? I'd love to see him in Toronto!

[modernmariorc]

email his assistant for a schedule.

[erby1kabogey9]

Noam needs to be interviewed at least once every week by different people from different backgrounds with different questions and all should be posted to try to help bring the rest of us up to his speed so we can all share with the people around us in an educated clear thinking way!

[Chomskyan]

You read my mind..... I am developing something like that. :) I'll make an announcement soon.

[erby1kabogey9]

Sounds great!

[s0673451]

@erby1kabogey9 he is. check out chomskydotinfo and the youtube user copym3 for more videos

[catgumart]

I think we should start creating more shifts with lower hours-instead of having some people work 40 hours a week & others working 0 hours a week we should have twice as many people working 20 hours a week with living wages & good benefits.This would bring more time into peoples life that they could use for other important things that need maintaining in life besides work. I would disagree with Prof. Chomsky(incredibly respectfully) that asking him what are important books is not a good inquiry.

[Chomskyan]

The proposal you've made was also made by Michael Albert in reaction to the rise unemployment rate. I think that's a good idea as well.

And Noam doesn't like to give advice. Instead he feels he is just trying to lay the facts and arguments out there for us to decide to investigate things further, and to organize with others.

[catgumart]

There are so many things that need to be done outside of work-housework,family time,exercise,education,artist­ic passion,self cultivation,rest & de-stressing sense of rootedness at home instead of away from home,of course we need people to harvest crops & deliver mail & run factories & supermarkets etc..but does everyone need to be working 40+ hours a week? are there ways to be more flexible with hours..I've thought about maybe the less you work the more you should get paid on an hourly basis

[Kloxboy]

Chomsky is genuinely empathetic, logical and honest, he's the anti-politician. He seems to see everything so clearly, it's a bit overwhelming.

[andrewtheman19]

I love how he always knows how to put things in perspective and always urges us to look in the mirror before pointing fingers. You're the best Noam!

[vktrsx]

I was cracking up over his dead-on portrayal of the tea-bagger worldview.

There's a decent subversive anarchist attempt to reach out to those folks, at scribd . com / doc / 21562477

[lhooq21]

Fox news is marketed to the people who feel they lost something in the civil rights movement.....

[Xenu]

"What advice would you give to everyone...." ? Worst question ever.

[Kloxboy]

Her heart was in the right place but yeah, that's a pretty general question.

[cjwalsh5]

Great series. The key topic here is individualism in the U.S. has infected the populace, to the point that corporations and government work hand-in-hand to pitch each of us against each other, and the final note that Mr. Chomsky mentions, is that instead of us fighting each other, come to understand one another, and embrace our common goals defending ourselves against the undermining of common people, the community.

[LaughingMan0X]

Great Video +5 stars

[Boomer1949]

I listen to right wing radio as well. Not because I'm a fan or even agree with most of what is said, it's just fascinating to me how they spin things.

But Chomsky is right, the people who call in are like the same people I work with..they are pissed about loosing their wealth and are programed to blame Washington, rather than look to their places of work.

[bjarczyk]

VERY GOOD!