I have a hard time respecting Chomsky because of his comments regarding post-modern philosophy. You'd think he would have a cogent criticism where he defends structuralism and Marxism. But no, it's just a bunch of conspiracy minded "they just say that because they're getting paid" nonsense you would expect from Ben Shapiro or Jordan Peterson.
He actually had the nerve to criticize Foucault for using unnecessarily esoteric language to explain simple things. Chomsky said that....ABOUT SOMEBODY ELSE!
That was actually one of my earliest exposures to Chomsky. On one hand, I feel like "Postmodernism is fake because I can understand complex things but I can't understand this" may have prematurely soured me on him. On the other hand, considering his horrific takes on imperialism and atrocities that are committed by non-Western powers, perhaps being soured on him from the start isn't such a bad thing.
It's a completely valid criticism of Foucault. There's nothing I hate more than obscurantist Parisian bullshit.
If I remember correctly, Chomsky is neither a structuralist nor a Marxist, and has said that he has not studied Marxism in much detail. Foucault was (sort of) a structuralist, and I think Zizek is a Marxist.
Chomsky’s response to the Epstein files release indicates 100% he knew and participated.
https://www.insider.com/noam-chomsky-mit-wsj-wall-street-journal-jeffrey-epstein-2023-4
Renowned academic Noam Chomsky told The Wall Street Journal that his meetings with Jeffrey Epstein are "none of your business"
Oh, yikes. Even if that's meant simply as standing on principles of personal privacy, that's... tone deaf and not good optics, at the very least.
its okay he is synthetic left this is to be expected
Chomsky like Greenwald really licking the tit of Kremlin propaganda.
White hot take: All the "leftists" talking about how NATO shouldn't exist and is evil are the same morons who think Americans shouldn't vote for Biden on the grounds of him "not being left enough."
Like, yeah, NATO shouldn't have to exist, but we see what happens when smaller countries don't work together when near a larger/hostile neighbor. Same deal with voting for the (shitty) Democrats over Republicans: we know what happens when shitty people get into power, and it is painfully obvious they will do ANYTHING to keep power once in.
Sometimes, the best we can do is "stop things from getting shittier" instead of "making things less shitty."
It's kind of like in the prisoner's dilemma. That kind of leftist is only cooperating (which in a perfect world would be the best option) but because of that is easily taken advantage of. Conservatives mostly see stuff as a zero-sum game and always choose to defect and make sure they at least don't lose which in the long term is also horrible.
People 'just' need to accept that the world is not black and white and neither perfectly good nor completely bad either and that you achieve more with cooperation but can't be a pushover either...
"smaller countries don’t work together when near a larger/hostile neighbor" Classic propaganda, you are aware that US is alone much wealthier and has bigger population than Russia?
NATO existing had an excuse when there was a Warsaw Pact, which was created to balance the powers of eastern and western block. After the fall of soviet union, it is just Russia (and Belarus in this war) and NATO should have been disbanded because clearly Russia is no threat to Europe and certainly not US, it can't even win it's idiot war against Ukraine.
Classic propaganda on each side is just pointing out other sides flaws, not accepting that all of us live in countries run by imperialistic governments. NATO is involved in far many wars in fighting for their own interests around the World then Russia and are funding Israel and Saudi Arabia, two most horrific countries in the World. There is no excuse for NATO as there is no excuse for Russia.
It amazes me that after two World wars started by the west, people still believe in this idiotic propaganda like they are the victims. Both are horrible, one is far bigger then the other, but both are horrible.
Anarchism doesn't really have an option aside from siding with NATO, as politically expensive that is. Imperialism was bad in the 16th century, in the 18th century, in the 20th century and is bad in the 21st century.
As an anarchist I'm on the side of the Ukrainian people defending their homes and resisting imperialism. The fact that NATO is on the same side is just a coincidence.
in theory yes
but in reality children die and suffer so this war must end
Anarchism doesn’t really have an option aside from siding with NATO,
just because you can type the words in that order doesn't make the statement true. nato is bad and anarchist should not support it.
Imperialism has nothing to do with Ukraine
Based Zizek
We can support Ukraine and even NATO without using the Bandera colours. He was a fascist.
Edit: I can't tell diagonal from horizontal.
Fuck NATO, it shouldn't exist anymore. Putin sucks though.
In a magical fairy-tale land, yes, defense alliances shouldn't need to exist.
In reality: NATO is the only reason NATO countries weren't attacked by Putin's act of blatant imperial aggression.
I mean, honestly, the most anti-NATO position is "Russia shouldn't have attacked Ukraine", considering that there was an open question of "Why the fuck is NATO still around?" in some countries before Russia's act of blatant imperialism.
Russia's attack on Ukraine revitalized NATO both in purpose and in popularity. Fucking insane what a self-defeating action that was in terms of international interests on Russia's part.
How is Nato a defencive alliance? All of it's operations were offensive. That is not even a joke. Yugoslavia and Afganistan... Nato is just a formalization of Eueopean reliance on their US overlord. It beings protection in a same way mafia does - with a hefty price, albeit moral and political, not only financial.
Yeah cause Russia is a real danger to the world with their 50-year-old equipment, ooohhh so scaaryyy. Ukraine entering NATO was the reason Putin needed to justify his aggression, that's the reality. USA should stop trying to be world hero, but this has nothing to do with heroism, war is very lucrative for them, specially when is very far from their territory. I'll say it again, fuck NATO and their bullshit, is not about protection of allies, it's about expanding power and influence as much as possible.
