The problem with Chomsky understading without proper context.

[EGarrett]

Book prefaces are not intended to stand alone. If EGarrett wants to argue that the unkind remarks about US policy in one of Chomsky's prefaces are baseless "generalizations," then he had better be prepared to read the parts of the book where he proposes to lay out evidence.

To reiterate, I've been there. I've played the quote-mining game and tried to make a list of "Chomsky's filthy, despicable lies." But I realized that, as a necessary condition, I had to know his argument. That requires, at minimum, reading a few complete chapters.

Also, the appeal to consequences (i.e. "he implies <bad thing>") is a poor argument in any context.

How am I quote-mining when I was analyzing a passage chosen by a Pro-Chomsky opponent who provided it to demonstrate that my criticisms of Chomsky were inaccurate? If anything, it was the opposite of quote-mining...the other side had the advantage.

Then I saw him show up at some Hezbollah rally in Lebanon, showing his support for this organisation.

Exactly. I'm a bit too exhausted at the moment to research his early beliefs, but I would be shocked if he wasn't programmed into being a liberal as a child and then constructed his web of eloquent nonsense to support it later. That's the standard phenomenon.

EDIT: Just looked it up, he was born to intellectual activist parents. Case closed.

 

[Gazpacho]

How am I quote-mining when I was analyzing a passage chosen by a Pro-Chomsky opponent who provided it to demonstrate that my criticisms of Chomsky were inaccurate? If anything, it was the opposite of quote-mining...the other side had the advantage.

My post was addressed to PA, who produced a mined quotation that he could have checked in its original source very easily.

If your internet education and superior brain have led you to believe that it's ignorant to imply any of the following:

- There are people in the US government who look for ways to circumvent the law (say, laws regarding torture).
- The US government sometimes takes foreign actions against broad international opposition (say, invading a country).
- The US government and media sometimes distort facts, logic and moral principles in support of the above.

... then I'm not terribly impressed.

 

[EGarrett]

PA produced a link to a post of mine that contains and discusses that specific quote. There was no other point made in his post for you to have been addressing.

 

[angrysoba]

Exactly. I'm a bit too exhausted at the moment to research his early beliefs, but I would be shocked if he wasn't programmed into being a liberal as a child and then constructed his web of eloquent nonsense to support it later. That's the standard phenomenon.

EDIT: Just looked it up, he was born to intellectual activist parents. Case closed.

This is a seriously misguided notion of "liberal". Chomsky is not a liberal. At least not by any meaningful definition of the word which is in short supply on the politics forums here.

 

[EGarrett]

He's not a democrat, I'll grant you that.

 

[Gazpacho]

PA produced a link to a post of mine that contains and discusses that specific quote. There was no other point made in his post for you to have been addressing.

Well, maybe I'm just making the whole thing up.

The evidence on which Chomsky bases his less-than-flattering remarks about US policy will still be there when you get around to looking at it.

 

[EGarrett]

And my question about where you get your accusation of quote-mining will still be there also.

 

[Checkmite]

The evidence on which Chomsky bases his less-than-flattering remarks about US policy will still be there when you get around to looking at it.

It's true; the fact that the fastest commuter train in the US only goes 150mph is rather blatant and inescapable. I'll have to concede that one.

 

[Gazpacho]

If you can't follow a two-page forum thread then you won't stand a chance understanding one of Chomsky's foreign policy critiques and I can't really help you there.

 

[EGarrett]

Nice cop-out.