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A review by jennykeery
The Essential Chomsky by Noam Chomsky
5.0
"And now I can't sleep from years of apathy, all because I read a little Noam Chomsky."
NOFX's blisteringly satirical and insanely catchy song, Franco Un-American, is actually where I first heard Noam Chomsky's name. At 12 (glued to the Kerrang! music channel) the political message went a bit over my head, although I liked the bit about whales. Watching it back now, I'm not sure how it went over my head, as the music video is as subtle as a brick!
Since then, I've seen him referenced everywhere, and my boyfriend describes him as "the don of international politics", so I thought it was about time I read a little Noam Chomsky for myself.
This is an essay collection on topics ranging from behavioural linguistics to 9/11, and it really threw me in at the deep end with the first topic: A Review of B.F. Skinner's book, Verbal Behavior. Ah, good! A discussion of a book I have not read, by an author I do not know, on a topic I do not understand. It's a reflection of Chomsky's clear, concise style that by the end of it I was going: "Yeah that view of verbal behaviour is reductive and flawed!! What was B. F. Skinner thinking?!"
It's a running theme that no matter what the topic is, Chomsky discusses it in a way that's accessible, but no less intellectual for it. You can tell that this man is dazzlingly intelligent; it's refreshing that he doesn't waste time trying to prove it. I'm finding it quite hard to summarise this, because the topics are so wide ranging, but in general Chomsky is critical of American power, and stresses the importance of academics and experts in holding governments and organisations to account. Compassionate and intelligent politics, philosophy and sociology - just wonderful.
NOFX's blisteringly satirical and insanely catchy song, Franco Un-American, is actually where I first heard Noam Chomsky's name. At 12 (glued to the Kerrang! music channel) the political message went a bit over my head, although I liked the bit about whales. Watching it back now, I'm not sure how it went over my head, as the music video is as subtle as a brick!
Since then, I've seen him referenced everywhere, and my boyfriend describes him as "the don of international politics", so I thought it was about time I read a little Noam Chomsky for myself.
This is an essay collection on topics ranging from behavioural linguistics to 9/11, and it really threw me in at the deep end with the first topic: A Review of B.F. Skinner's book, Verbal Behavior. Ah, good! A discussion of a book I have not read, by an author I do not know, on a topic I do not understand. It's a reflection of Chomsky's clear, concise style that by the end of it I was going: "Yeah that view of verbal behaviour is reductive and flawed!! What was B. F. Skinner thinking?!"
It's a running theme that no matter what the topic is, Chomsky discusses it in a way that's accessible, but no less intellectual for it. You can tell that this man is dazzlingly intelligent; it's refreshing that he doesn't waste time trying to prove it. I'm finding it quite hard to summarise this, because the topics are so wide ranging, but in general Chomsky is critical of American power, and stresses the importance of academics and experts in holding governments and organisations to account. Compassionate and intelligent politics, philosophy and sociology - just wonderful.