Summary of Noam Chomsky's On Language

By IRB Media

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book.

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#1 The American linguist Noam Chomsky has a very difficult time explaining how his linguistic theories are connected to his political criticisms of American imperialism. His approach is straightforward, and anyone can do it.

#2 The elitist claim that only intellectuals can produce insightful analyses of social issues is false. In fact, the social sciences are accessible to anyone who wants to take an interest in them.

#3 In American politics, the elitist claim that only intellectuals can produce insightful analyses of social issues is false. In fact, the social sciences are accessible to anyone who wants to take an interest in them.

#4 There is a clear distinction between the scientific fields of mathematics and the ideological disciplines of sociology, political science, and economics. The former do not require special credentials to enter, and their content is simply explained and demonstrated. The latter, however, require special credentials to enter and contribute to the illusion that their content is difficult to understand.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: Oct 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9798350032413

IRB Media

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Insights on Noam Chomsky's On Language

Contents

Insights from Chapter 1

Insights from Chapter 2

Insights from Chapter 1

#1

The role of the American intelligentsia is to analyze and interpret social reality for the masses. But as I have explained, anyone who is willing to extricate himself from the system of shared ideology and propaganda can see through their modes of distortion.

#2

The social sciences, and especially the analysis of contemporary affairs, are quite accessible to anyone who wants to take an interest in these matters. The alleged complexity, depth, and obscurity of these questions is part of the illusion propagated by the system of ideological control.

#3

The media always turn to the professionals in social science to explain an event, and the professionals must make everyone believe in their intellectual frame of reference so that they alone have the right to comment on these affairs.

#4

The difference between the political sciences and the linguistics is that in the former, people are concerned with what you say, not with your certification. But in order to speak about social reality, you must have the proper credentials.

#5

The American media are extremely biased. They rarely present any socialist voice, and never any contradictory reports or interpretations side by side. They are capitalist institutions, and therefore reflect the ideology of the dominant economic interests.

#6

The media subservience to government propaganda is illustrated in less blatant ways as well. For example, when Henry Kissinger said that peace was at hand in October 1972, the press dutifully presented his version of events, though a cursory analysis of his comments showed that he was rejecting the basic principles of the negotiations on every crucial point.

#7

In the United States, political debate has been less diversified than in other capitalist countries. The penalties for deviance