Tonight I did something I don't do nearly often enough, attended a lecture. The speaker was Noam Chomsky, who for some of you will need no introduction. For the rest, he's a professor at MIT, now retired, who made his academic reputation in the 1950s and 60s with highly technical theoretical work with implications for cognitive science, computer science, and God knows what else, but is almost certainly better known nowadays as a political speaker, a relentless and unappeasable critic of U.S. foreign policy, and general all-around opinion leader for the left.
I won't try to summarize his talk (let's just say he's not a fan of the Iraq war, although there was quite a bit more), but the lecture was part of a conference just concluded at the University of Windsor that was recorded by a professional video crew. The organizers assured us that there will be a documentary made of the conference and I expect there will be no problem finding it online when the time comes. In the meantime, there's lots more just like it (BitTorrent client required; I recommend this one).
The lecture ended with the customary Q&A session which went pretty much like any of the other ones I've seen Chomsky give on video previously, but there were several highlights I took away. The first was when the questioner up on the balcony turned out to be Ken Lewenza, who proceeded to speechify and bloviate until the emcee asked, with only mild asperity, if he had an actual question; Lewenza was drowned out in a sea of laughter. The second was when Chomsky admitted, without prompting, that if he were forced to read one and only one media outlet for the rest of his life, it would be the New York Times (hilariously close to a compliment from a man who has made a second career out of accusing them of lies and distortions).
Finally, the third came when he was asked his opinion of the Daily Show/Colbert Report axis. After admitting to general mirth that he doesn't have cable TV, Chomsky, who clearly finds it a bit demeaning to give credit to a TV show, nonetheless brought down the house by noting the results of a survey which found that: (a) 25% of younger people in the U.S. nowadays are deliberately turning to Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert for news and opinion; and (b) people who watch the shows score noticeably better in their factual understanding of public affairs than those who rely on straight-up TV news (especially Faux News, although he didn't mention them in particular). If it hasn't done so already, the Chomsky seal of approval can only help cement Stewart and Colbert's reputation as Gods Among Men.
Oh, heck, it just isn't possible to watch it too often -- here it is again:
4 Comments:
replica watches, christian louboutin outlet, nike air max, nike roshe run, jordan shoes, louis vuitton, longchamp outlet, michael kors, louis vuitton outlet, longchamp pas cher, nike free, louboutin pas cher, ray ban sunglasses, louboutin outlet, oakley sunglasses, longchamp outlet, air max, kate spade outlet, nike air max, uggs on sale, sac longchamp, polo ralph lauren outlet, louboutin shoes, ugg boots, tory burch outlet, prada handbags, cheap oakley sunglasses, burberry, tiffany and co, oakley sunglasses, tiffany jewelry, ray ban sunglasses, ray ban sunglasses, ralph lauren pas cher, longchamp, oakley sunglasses, louis vuitton outlet, replica watches, louis vuitton, louboutin, oakley sunglasses, ugg boots, gucci outlet, nike free, polo ralph lauren outlet, air jordan pas cher, nike outlet, prada outlet, chanel handbags, louis vuitton
michael kors, nike free run uk, ray ban pas cher, nike air max, michael kors, coach outlet, michael kors outlet, converse pas cher, north face, lululemon, nike air max, lacoste pas cher, ralph lauren uk, ugg boots, nike roshe, ugg boots, nike blazer, new balance pas cher, burberry, mulberry, ray ban uk, hogan, tn pas cher, vanessa bruno, vans pas cher, true religion jeans, replica handbags, north face, burberry outlet online, oakley pas cher, air force, hollister pas cher, michael kors outlet, coach purses, michael kors, hermes, michael kors outlet, sac guess, kate spade handbags, abercrombie and fitch, true religion jeans, michael kors, true religion outlet, nike air max, timberland, hollister, michael kors outlet, michael kors outlet, true religion jeans, coach outlet
lancel, jimmy choo shoes, chi flat iron, new balance, vans, celine handbags, asics running shoes, gucci, converse, soccer jerseys, vans shoes, north face outlet, ralph lauren, reebok shoes, herve leger, nike roshe, timberland boots, ferragamo shoes, nfl jerseys, beats by dre, abercrombie and fitch, birkin bag, hollister, mac cosmetics, soccer shoes, lululemon, ghd, iphone cases, hollister, valentino shoes, longchamp, instyler, p90x workout, oakley, mcm handbags, ray ban, nike air max, babyliss, hollister, north face outlet, bottega veneta, nike trainers, insanity workout, baseball bats, louboutin, nike huarache, wedding dresses, nike air max, mont blanc, converse outlet
canada goose outlet, canada goose, replica watches, louis vuitton, montre pas cher, canada goose, doudoune canada goose, juicy couture outlet, swarovski crystal, moncler, bottes ugg, louis vuitton, canada goose, pandora jewelry, toms shoes, louis vuitton, ugg pas cher, swarovski, karen millen, juicy couture outlet, moncler, pandora charms, canada goose uk, links of london, canada goose outlet, wedding dresses, marc jacobs, pandora charms, hollister, ugg boots uk, moncler, moncler, moncler, moncler outlet, pandora jewelry, ugg,ugg australia,ugg italia, louis vuitton, supra shoes, sac louis vuitton pas cher, moncler, moncler, canada goose, coach outlet, ugg,uggs,uggs canada, thomas sabo
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home