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Obama's arguments here remind me of Noam Chomsky's thoughts on sports: Sports keeps people from worrying about things that matter to their lives that they migh

by marilyn 16y ago

Obama's arguments here remind me of Noam Chomsky's thoughts on sports: Sports keeps people from worrying about things that matter to their lives that they might have some idea of doing something about. And in fact it’s striking to see the intelligence that’s used by ordinary people in sports [as opposed to political and social issues]. So much chatter to distract us from the important issues of the day.

AKSHAYUDAYBHAT 16y ago
Finally some one with sensible opinion!
hugh3 16y ago
For Noam Chomsky, like other radical leftists, the idea that the working class is deceived and distracted is part of an anti-cognitive-dissonance package to explain why the supposedly-oppressed masses fail to share his political opinions. Obama isn't nearly as extreme as Chomsky politically, but come from the same sort of intellectual heritage.
- patio11 16y ago
  Thus the corollary: when the Revolution comes, the workers will need to be lead by those who are intellectually capable of leading them, and academic Marxists will take their rightful place in the cosmos as rulers of all they surv... first among equals. This has basically been the totalitarian promise for a couple of centuries now.
  - hga 16y ago
    Except that the promise is also a lie, for the academic Marxists get slaughtered when a real gangster like Stalin uses the instrumentality they've created against them. A fitting end, too bad so many innocents have to die or suffer in the process.
ebiester 16y ago
The issue is that, with sports, people at least have a chance of being on the winning side. Cheering for the sane public transportation team, in most cities, is like cheering for the Cubs. You know you're never going to win.
- cynicalkane 16y ago
  With sports, people at least have a chance of being on the winning side... ...cheering for the Cubs. You know you're never going to win What you seem to be saying is that the Cubs aren't proper sports players... not that I disagree...

by marilyn 16y ago

AKSHAYUDAYBHAT 16y ago

Finally some one with sensible opinion!

hugh3 16y ago

For Noam Chomsky, like other radical leftists, the idea that the working class is deceived and distracted is part of an anti-cognitive-dissonance package to explain why the supposedly-oppressed masses fail to share his political opinions. Obama isn't nearly as extreme as Chomsky politically, but come from the same sort of intellectual heritage.

patio11 16y ago
Thus the corollary: when the Revolution comes, the workers will need to be lead by those who are intellectually capable of leading them, and academic Marxists will take their rightful place in the cosmos as rulers of all they surv... first among equals. This has basically been the totalitarian promise for a couple of centuries now.
- hga 16y ago
  Except that the promise is also a lie, for the academic Marxists get slaughtered when a real gangster like Stalin uses the instrumentality they've created against them. A fitting end, too bad so many innocents have to die or suffer in the process.

ebiester 16y ago

The issue is that, with sports, people at least have a chance of being on the winning side. Cheering for the sane public transportation team, in most cities, is like cheering for the Cubs. You know you're never going to win.

cynicalkane 16y ago
With sports, people at least have a chance of being on the winning side... ...cheering for the Cubs. You know you're never going to win What you seem to be saying is that the Cubs aren't proper sports players... not that I disagree...