Posted by majestic starchild |
- Re: 2 of Chomsky's latest from London
Posted by Bern
on October 31, 2009, 3:29 pm, in reply to "2 of Chomsky's latest from London"
What public intellectual, and one in his 70s, could speak to an audience of early 20 somethings audience of 500 for 60 minutes flat, and another 60 minutes after 20 minutes questions,without the sound of a pin drop?
The range of the lecture, and of the students' question was very impressive; but the last part saw Chomsky in his stride, commenting with great knowledge, wit, and customary ironic understatment, on a large range of issues. One imagined he could have spoken in deeply felt issues for another couple of hours. One notices that LA is very close to his heart.
I heard in the intro. that there were overflow relay theatres all over the University campus. So it probably an underestimate to expect that many more than 1000 students and others must have heard NC live.
A huge credits to NC, and also to the audience.
I was delighted that the his final words replying to the question, "What to do", "What now?", should we be optimistic or pessimistic, (and which I myself often repeat to friends) were Antonio Gramsci's
"Pessimism of the intellect, but optimism of the will"
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: http://www.soas.ac.uk/events/event52739.html
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: http://www.lse.ac.uk/resources/podcasts/publicLecturesAndEvents.htm
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- Re: 2 of Chomsky's latest from London
Posted by The Editors
on October 31, 2009, 3:46 pm, in reply to "Re: 2 of Chomsky's latest from London""What public intellectual, and one in his 70s, could speak to an audience of early 20 somethings audience of 500 for 60 minutes flat, and another 60 minutes after 20 minutes questions,without the sound of a pin drop?"
In fact he'll be 81 in December.
Eds - Mahatma (great soul). Despite his dislike of inflating praise -- what other word fits? NOM
Posted by Rhisiart Gwilym
on November 1, 2009, 12:44 am, in reply to "Re: 2 of Chomsky's latest from London"
- Though I note that he's still shockingly unconvincing about -- erm, THAT subject. Even -
Posted by Rhisiart Gwilym
on November 2, 2009, 8:27 am, in reply to "Mahatma (great soul). Despite his dislike of inflating praise -- what other word fits? NOM"-- mahatmas have blind spots, it seems. And far too many of his obviously above-average-IQ audience seemed to be sharing the same delusion, judging by the applause. Others, though, were clearly a little miffed by his dismissal (as nobodies) of the thousand or more professionals in APPROPRIATE (Sic!) disciplines who have now gone on record as having no confidence in the official conspiracy Big Lie, and who are demanding a new, de-politicised, honest enquiry. (Surely a prime concern for any truth-seeking dissident, considering how this particular Big Lie is STILL being used very actively by USukisnato propagandists to underpin the current USukisnato crimes-against-humanity aggressions in the ultimately-crucial oil/gas/pipeline-patch)
Uncharacteristic unconvincingness, coming from Noam. Still one of my chief moral/intellectual all-time heroes, though. We're all allowed the odd human error, and absolutely no-one can be up to speed on everything at once, especially at 80.
Here's that giggle-pic again. Study it for a minute or two, to see all its highly appropriate implications:
http://www.runtogold.com/images/man-dog-working-together.jpg - Re: 2 of Chomsky's latest from London
Posted by Bern
on November 1, 2009, 9:56 am, in reply to "Re: 2 of Chomsky's latest from London"Thanks, I hadn't registered that. Which emphasises even more what I said about his performance, and stamina.
Perhaps worth adding is that during his discourse on US foreign policy, and the fascinating way he he keeps linking the earlier history to current or more recent examples, I picked up on two highly prescient contemporary remarks.
One refering to upcoming Copenhagen conference, where he mentioned how much lower environmental concerns had become in US public opinion of late. (I looked up the point and have posted a report on that in separate thread).
The other on the Afghanistan election rerun. The gist of what he said is that it is a purely legitimising event for the faked first ballot, which the Americans have imposed on Karzai. This seems amply confirmed three days later, as the oppositional candidate, Abdullah has pulled out declaring it a total waste of time and another fraud.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/
--Previous Message--
: "What public intellectual, and one in his
: 70s, could speak to an audience of early 20
: somethings audience of 500 for 60 minutes
: flat, and another 60 minutes after 20
: minutes questions,without the sound of a pin
: drop?"
:
: In fact he'll be 81 in December.
:
: Eds
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