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Is it wrong to like Chomsky's "Manufacturing Consent"? (hexbear.net)

submitted 11 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago) by Wisconcom@hexbear.net to c/askchapo@hexbear.net

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Considering all the recent attention surrounding Noam Chomsky and his connections to Jeffery Epstein, I thought I might ask this question.

I personally think Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media is a good book and makes a lot of good points regarding the bourgeois media which few other left-wing authors have made, at least not in such a concise and easily-explained way. When I shared this book with new leftists, they seem to appreciate and comprehend its contents rather quickly. The only part which I found myself majorly disagreeing with was the conclusion in which Chomsky suggests that "American democracy" is "under threat," as opposed to being non-existent in the first place.

With that being said, I consider Chomsky's work to be a pearl in an ocean of bad takes. I think that Chomsky, particularly recently, is an anti-communist propagandist and apologist for the bourgeois system, basically a left-liberal.

Is my take incorrect?

Edit: I failed to mention how this book was co-authored by someone else who is not on the Epstein files. Thank you to all those who mentioned that.

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[–] purpleworm@hexbear.net 3 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Yeah, if we excuse Marx having extensive relations with a convicted international pedo trafficker while decrying people caring too much about women reporting on their abuse, and also spending decades advocating against any radical leftists who did something other than vote, peacefully protest, and get arrested, then we should excuse Chomsky doing the same.

There are lots of things to criticize Marx for, but this is not comparable at all.

[–] awrf@hexbear.net 3 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago) (1 children)

I think you are missing my overall point, maybe I worded things badly (and if I did please tell me, I struggle with trying to get my point across) but I never said we should excuse Chomsky, in fact I said he was deplorable in my earlier comment which I think we can all easily agree with for obvious reasons. My point was basically just because someone did something horrible doesn't mean you can't read their work. Hitler was obviously a bad guy (as you may know!) but Mein Kampf is fairly interesting, like the bit where he talks about how he had co-opted socialist iconography and names (red flags, party name, etc.) to try to bring more working class people into the party. Obviously there's a lot of evil shit in Mein Kampf too and I wouldn't hand it to the wrong person because it may end up filling them with Hitler particles, but hopefully you get my point even though I'm using extreme examples here.

Sorry for the wall of text sort of, just felt I need to clarify myself thurston

[–] purpleworm@hexbear.net 2 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

I worded my response poorly because my point wasn't about excusing anyone but that Marx didn't do a fraction of the horrible shit that Chomsky did constantly.

And I don't think Mein Kampf is that helpful an example since there's a difference between viewing a work as being credible versus analyzing it due to its historical importance.

[–] awrf@hexbear.net 2 points 6 hours ago

I worded my response poorly because my point wasn't about excusing anyone but that Marx didn't do a fraction of the horrible shit that Chomsky did constantly.

Fair I guess, maybe Marx wasn't the greatest example of the most evil person to ever exist, but to be fair it is really hard to even come close to running the largest international child sex trafficking ring like Epstein did!

And I don't think Mein Kampf is that helpful an example since there's a difference between viewing a work as being credible versus analyzing it due to its historical importance.

I mean, people read a lot of things that they know aren't credible, I can't comment on any of Chomsky's works personally because I never read them, but I don't think it'd be any different than reading liberal economic "solutions" to housing (lol) or something of that nature. It's obviously not credible, but I personally find it interesting to see how people think and what conclusions they come to with that thought process even though I disagree with them and maybe have some fun dunking on them in the process if I'm bored.