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Chomsky is an incredible writer. His style reminds me of Orwell (what do you guys think about that?). This is interesting, and something that (rather important

Chomsky is an incredible writer. His style reminds me of Orwell (what do you guys think about that?). This is interesting, and something that (rather importantly) shatters many Americans' world views : "It surpasses belief, that is, unless we look at the matter from a more historical point of view ... No one would be disturbed by an analysis of the political behavior of the Russians, French, or Tanzanians questioning their motives and interpreting their actions by the long-range interests concealed behind their official rhetoric. But it is an article of faith that American motives are pure, and not subject to analysis". This ability to shatter a world view is why I appreciate and support Noam Chomsky and Wikileaks and Colbert and anything else that challenges the duping.

krakensden 16y ago
Perhaps it also speaks to the fact that the way we analyze the political behavior of other people is too simplistic and reductive? It took a long time to convince economists to stop treating people as rational automatons that always make the best choice available, maybe soon political scientists and historians will follow suit.
mynameishere 16y ago
That comment is a banality and I'm pretty sure it was a banality in 1967. It is, and I think always was, for "intellectuals" at all levels of ability and arrogance to criticize their families/ethnicies/classes/governments/nations and embrace the "other" in every category. It's a really common pose.