Totally OT now (Off-Topic)

by SonofMacPhisto , Monday, May 12, 2014, 11:47 (3638 days ago) @ Cody Miller

EDIT: I see it's from 1971? I've been reading a lot of his recent stuff (since 2000 anyway), I wonder how it will compare.

Interestingly his writings from post 9/11 are what finally convinced me he isn't so great :-p

He's got the chops when it comes to linguistics, make no mistake. But in terms of politics, he's completely out of touch and anti-intellectual.

I think he would take that as a point of pride. Haha.

I think if you watch the entire debate, you'll see that while both he and Foucault grasp language and media as a form of social control, Foucault has a far better and more correct understanding of dominance by power. Chomsky still appeals to ideas of fairness and justice in modern writings, yet Foucault points out that these concepts are actually internalized expressions of authority's control over you. Instead of appealing to those, you should get to what IS, not what OUGHT to be, and seize power for yourself.

Interesting. Is it right to say the "how" and the "what" is more important than the "why?" And just for yourself? What about everyone else?