callippo Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Is that what a capitalist is? Someone who sells something and lives in a nice house? anybody who sells anything for a living in a competitive marketplace like he has, and lives on the profits is clearly a capitalist, all that distinguishes this one is that he is far more successful than average. Mr Chomsky could have continued writing his books and lived in the ever-diminishing number of communist countries any time he wanted. I'm sure North Korea would love to have him. They'd even give him quite a nice house (though it wouldn't have as nice a view as he is used to) and even a car, which he could drive at higher speeds through Pyonyang than he could through Boston. The party elite there built a massive subterreanean subway system at some considerable expense, so they wouldn't have to bother stopping at intersections for the plebs to cross the street, like rich people have to do, even in limousines, in New York and London. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phanerothyme Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Chomsky is most definitely a capitalist, and an example to other capitalists everywhere to the point where he is a shining beacon of success. He's marketed and sold a saleable commodity, and gotten himself rich from it. He's been so successful, he's able to live in one of the most prosperous areas of the United States, with some of the best civic and educational amenities you will find, anywhere in the world, and surrounded by other successful capitalists just like him. He's laughing, but I don't see many happy faces in this thread. No finer whine etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Sleeps Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 anybody who sells anything for a living in a competitive marketplace like he has, and lives on the profits is clearly a capitalist So someone who does not sell a product in a competitive market place, is not a capitalist? Mr Chomsky could have continued writing his books and lived in the ever-diminishing number of communist countries Why would he do that? I don't believe the man is a communist, in any shape or form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phanerothyme Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 He's an ideologue, an iconoclast, a lighting rod. He has the audience, the wealth, the connections,the intelligence and the articulacy to present his opinion on everything. No wonder people don't like him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perplexed Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Noam is clearly an intelligent chap, but intelligence doesn't make one immune from being wrong or making mistakes. That's 3 minutes of not saying very much. Less than 30 seconds in he's talking about Occupy's success... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phanerothyme Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Yeah, it was an bit of a absent, bumbling and nebulous pat on the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callippo Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 he's a charlatan, a con man - no different from some joker who is trying to sell a bottle opener on a cable tv shopping channel. And the charges of rank hypocrisy are very hard for him to dismiss - he always refuses to answer any questions at all about his considerable Wall Street investment portfolio and what kind of companies he invests in, and profits from. One key moment will be when his will is published after he dies. He's been against the concept of inherited wealth all his life - but he has a daughter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phanerothyme Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 What I like most about him is the gadfly effect he seems to have on the establishment, which could if 'it' wanted, cut him off completely. He's painted as an enemy of the state and yet the state pays him handsomely. Of course as a former linguistics student I still think he's brilliant on linguistics. Accusations of him being a charlatan make me laugh. If he's a charlatan, what is he pretending to be, and why have the establishment fallen for it? He's Noam Chomsky, he's in a category of one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
callippo Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 'the state' even gives him a platform, as in when Chomsky was PAID to speak to a bunch of US Marines. really the efforts of his acolytes to paint him as if he's being suppressed or intimidated by 'the establishment' is the most laughable thing. In the countries that Chomsky has spent all his life trying to promote, dissenters like him aren't permitted to live in some of the most comfortable conditions the world has to offer, like Chomsky does and given every opportunity to air their views to anyone they want. Their work is suppressed and they get sent to prison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Sleeps Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 In the countries that Chomsky has spent all his life trying to promote Which countries has he spent all his life trying to promote? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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