Syria is bad enough, it's a pretty terrible atrocity. But there are much worse ones in the world. So for example, the worst atrocities in the past decade have been in the Congo, the Eastern Congo, where maybe 5 million people have been killed. Noam Chomsky More Quotes by Noam Chomsky More Quotes From Noam Chomsky In the academic world, most of the work that is done is clerical. A lot of the work done by professors is routine. Noam Chomsky routine done world My proposal happens to be very mainstream. Noam Chomsky mainstream proposal happens Now financial liberalization is just a catastrophe waiting to happen, and there are very well understood reasons for that. Noam Chomsky financial reason waiting The government of Israel doesn't like the kinds of things I say, which puts them into the same category as every other government in the world. Noam Chomsky government israel world In many respects, the United States is a great country. Freedom of speech is protected more than in any other country. It is also a very free society. Noam Chomsky freedom-of-speech united-states country Unlimited economic growth has the marvelous quality of stilling discontent while maintaining privilege, a fact that has not gone unnoticed among liberal economists. Noam Chomsky quality growth gone Governments don't control people like they used to. Noam Chomsky used government people I don't like the intellectual label. Noam Chomsky labels intellectual Markets have built in inefficiencies, serious inefficiencies which are well known. Noam Chomsky well-known wells serious State formation has been a brutal project, with many hideous consequences. But the results exist, and their pernicious aspects should be overcome. Noam Chomsky projects states overcoming In the late 1990s, some of the worst terrorist atrocities in the world were what the Turkish government itself called state terror, namely massive atrocities, 80 percent of the arms coming from the United States, millions of refugees, tens of thousands of people killed, hideous repression, that's international terror, and we can go on and on. Noam Chomsky atrocities government people I remember at the age of five travelling on a trolley car with my mother past a group of women on a picket line at a textile plant, seeing them being viciously beaten by security people. So that kind of thing stayed with me. Noam Chomsky mother birthday past The major advances in speed of communication and ability to interact took place more than a century ago. The shift from sailing ships to telegraph was far more radical than that from telephone to email! Noam Chomsky communication inspirational funny Concentration of executive power, unless it's very temporary and for specific circumstances, let's say fighting world war two, it's an assault on democracy. Noam Chomsky fighting war two For the totalitarian mind, adherence to state propaganda does not suffice: one must display proper enthusiasm while marching in the parade. Noam Chomsky libertarian liberty mind Roughly speaking, I think it's accurate to say that a corporate elite of managers and owners governs the economy and the political system as well, at least in very large measure. Noam Chomsky economics political thinking The rascal multitude are the proper targets of the mass media and a public education system geared to obedience and training in needed skills, including the skill of repeating patriotic slogans on timely occasions. Noam Chomsky patriotic media skills The 'corporatization of America' during the past century has been an attack on democracy. Noam Chomsky democracy america past There's a very committed effort to convert the US into something resembling a Third World society, where a few people have enormous wealth and a lot of others have no security. Noam Chomsky effort people world There is no reason to accept the doctrines crafted to sustain power and privilege, or to believe that we are constrained by mysterious and unknown social laws. These are simply decisions made within institutions that are subject to human will and that must face the test of legitimacy. And if they do not meet the test, they can be replaced by other institutions that are more free and more just, as has happened often in the past. Noam Chomsky acceptance believe past