To What End, Mr. Chomsky?

I have been a reader of Noam Chomsky’s work since my early college days. At that time, I was like, “OMG, this is amazing! This is information everyone must know!”

After reading Who Rules the World? by Noam Chomsky, my take now is a bit different. I’d like to think that it is a result of maturity on my part.

Chomsky is a linguist, MIT professor and well-known activist. His writing shares information that a lot of the masses do not understand and for that I applaud him.  However, as this latest book makes clear… he doesn’t really offer any solution. You know the old adage, “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.”

Who Rules the World? reads as just a repetitive America-bashing session. It jumps around with very little cohesion and he shifts time and subject matter in a sort of free-thought writing exercise.  The only consistent thing throughout the book is “America is bad. America is evil. You have been duped by your government.”

Yes, Chomsky is an equal opportunity curmudgeon – he tosses the Kennedy’s and the Obama’s under the bus by pointing out their murderous policies as well as those of his hyperbolic description of folks like Ronald Reagan as an “extreme racist” whose genocidal wars are some of the worst offenses in the history of humanity.

Yes, we get that the United States of America is not the PR darling we have been led to believe.  Yes, America has done much evil in the world – some in the name of national security, but often in the name of profits and domination. Yes, this is important information to know if you still believe that the USA (or any country) is perfect. But to what end?

Should we overthrow our government? Should be rise up and take up arms against the wrongs we see? Should be lower our heads and keep out of the line of fire? Should we move to a remote and uncivilized corner of the world? Chomsky offers no suggestions only criticism.

And lest you hold him up as an authority, lets look at where he misses the mark. Chomsky is quick to criticize the doomsday/end of times believers as manipulators of those around them.  However, throughout the book, he preaches the “end of civilization” as a consequence of short-term, profit-driven actions of big business. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle.

Mr. Chomsky also focuses almost entirely on the wrong doings of the United States and Israel. In ignoring the atrocities and threats posed by other groups, he clearly shows that everything he does is agenda-driven. This removes all credibility. It’s like hating baseball when the Yankees are winning and loving the sport only when they lose.

As I mentioned, there is a lot of truth in his writings. Just be sure to view this book (and his others) as what they are… one side of a very complex story in which there are many players doing many bad things for reasons they each feel justified.

by Chris Doelle

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