i perfer howard zinn over noam chomsky
cm

I hope, twat, when your pathetic existance ends you'll finally realize how much of a complete dipshit you are.

Agreed lunk. These apathetic peices of shit ARE a disgrace to humanity. Ph ya, I did work and go to school fulltime you fucking shithead. I had to after 2 years of part time 30 hours a week because I had no money. I didn't get any scholorships, just money out of my and my families pockets. It's not impossible if you spread out classes you need to take on certain days and take summer classes. My job worked with me and my schedule. It doesn't take a college graduate to figure this out. Idiot.

You know the reason we can't make a difference? because of lazy shits like you. i can understand someone who is ignorant and brainwashed doing nothing, but when someone who isn't does nothing... it's inexcusable. you are a disgrace to humanity.

Show me one thing you've accomplished and I'll gladly give you a handjob. Please show me how you've improved our way of life. It's not giving up dipshit its called reality. If you ask me you're living in your own little world. Where protests and demonstrations actually work against a determined government? How many people protested against the war in Iraq? Did it work? No. Did it make them second guess their decisions? No. If you think it did you’re just an idiot. That right there is the reason you’re a college student living in your own world. You haven’t figured this out yet because you have yet step into the real world and see how pointless everything is. How is a "giver-upper" like me supposed to make a difference? Voting? Umm sure that works, just ask Al Gore. So I'll sit my ass down on my lazy boy in my brand new Hurley shorts and watch my Sony TV. I'll be here credit card in hand buying useless shit off the TV and let the grown ups decide my fate. Just put on some mediocre sitcoms so I don’t have to think anymore.
P.s. shitheads that wasn't me saying "I've been drinking." Not that I'm straight edge or anything.
twat

Suuuurrreee you did. And I keep a Unicorn in my basement strictly for sexual purposes. How does one go to work full time and school full time? Doesn't take a college edjamacation to figure out someone is fibbin.

It's the defeatist/apathetic attitude. If you want to be like that then it's your problem. Don't try to drag me down with your cynical ass. I'm also sick of this college kid stereotype. I went to school and worked fulltime and paid 50% of my tuition and all of my expenses. Similar to many of my friends who didn't go to school and are working class(guess what? these working class people have the same politcal feelings as I do). I haven't gotten some great job and don't make great money, I have worked since I was 15 and I'm 23 now. I don't take the easy road and give shit to people who care about making things better. Let alone give them some ridiculous speech about my working class status. The bottom line is, if you disagree with Chomsky and have a valid argument then do it. Otherwise your not changing anyone's mind when you babble bullshit and insult people.

Twat: everytime you post something it's with the same bitter pathetic attitude, no matter what the topic. NO ONE GIVES A FUCK. I'm really interested in this "real world" everyone's talking about here. In the real world as I see it, chomsky's version is closer than anything you shitheads are talking about.

...Because all kids are totally oblivious to the outside world? The fact is that it's idiots like you, twat, who are uninformed you don't care about changing anything.

What did that sum up, sickboi? That we should all ignore a fuckin' tyranical dictator and watch TV? Really fuckin' smart and healthy... And you must not be strictly "working class", because the sad fact is most of those people in this country can't afford the internet, let alone have the time to go onto a site to post record reviews.

You may say "hey, quit dramatizing it, buddy, we're not that bad off". Materially, no, America is quite well above average... But if you are thinking of foreign policy and treatment towards minorities in this countries, think again.

What is the real world? Your lving room, your cubicle? Yeah, that's so real and natural... The real world is the one with problems that CAN be fixed, albeit not with the help of fat asses like sicboi and twat watching their FOX news all day and getting drunk.

Sadly, life is not about "feeling better". It is not about total self satisfaction, to the point of ignorance.

And what the hell is this "punk has never been left wing" crap? Of course it has! All of you right wingers don't even know what the fuck you are talking about. Read into it: at its root source is actually quite racist.

Fuck hicks like twat and fuck all other giver-uppers.

Wow, twat just summed up a lot of my same feelings. If you choose to do the 8 year college thing, go for it. But I really get annoyed at some kids that try to snub their noses at us that are actually part of the working-class.

-sickboi

I can't wait to get into this "real world" where the catch-all excuse is "I've been drinking." I can do whatever I please so long as I've been drinking! I'm not saying anything against drinking, but you're just as bad by refusing to take responsibility for your actions. Your comments would've been relevant had you not included that postscript, jackass.Love, REALPUNX4LIFE

well in that case twat, youve convined me to never get a job, to never slave fom 9-5, to never dig myself the rut you explains that makes you an isolated dead being whose only purpose in life is to work to get money to survive only to die spiritually unfulfilled. We all need a superior being as yourself to tell us what is.

Punk is not left. Punks can be left.

evidently, you fucking moron.

P.s. I've been drinking

You people are like lemmings I swear to Christ. This is a fucking opinion by some over the hill beatnik. He puts shit out like this to confuse simple people like you. College kids are impressionable youngsters. They don't live in the real world. It frightens them. They don't have to work; they party all the time and don't have the same worries and fears as normal people. Sure you can call studying work, but we know you're just kidding yourselves. Work a 7 to 5 and see what’s on your mind then. Most of you will wait 4 years to figure this out, but then again you have parents with money. So what the fuck right! Go to grad school; put the real world off for a few more years! Bills? What the hell are those? “I’ll keep myself awake at night worrying about shit Mr. Chomsky says!” All of this is irrelevant. You can’t change the world so don’t bother trying. Yes, those are the words of a person in the real world. Of course I care about the same things Noam is talking about, but let’s face it I cant do a damn thing to change it. So why don’t I do the American thing and not vote, buy some shit, and watch access Hollywood. You’ll feel better trust me. So have fun at school while the proletariat keeps the world running until you finally decide to join us. But until then… go fuck yourselves.
twat

The ideal form of communism has never seen the light of day as an actual form of government.

Are you suggesting that Chomsky promotes totalatarian communism? Do you have a clue what you're talking about here?

Refering to communism as a Liberal tyranny is wrong. I don't know what you're talking about with Chomsky and Adam Michnik. Their goals are about the same thing. They both worked the critique of centerism together as well.

Haha. Liberal tyranny! You're an idiot.

Chomsky gets off insulting people who put their lives on the line for democracy, i.e. Vaclav Havel and Adam Michnik, because they disagree with him. They understand what it is like to live under liberal tyrannies. He can go fuck himself.

A majority of punk bands lean left. Some of it may be non-conservative right wing, but it's like a 9:1 ratio. It just makes sense.

there are right wing punk bands out there- your not looking hard enough! White power punk bands and alike are not conservative, but RW yes. Many skinhead youth identify with the punk ethos, which, no matter how emotionally attached lefty punks are, is not in itself leftist. And so leftist youth who identify with punk seem to assume that punk and being punk is to be in some way leftist.

Chomsky's core belief is freedom of action in a social context (he is therefore a LIBERTARIAN). However, he is not a neo-liberal, like many libertarians, and instead believes that the economy should be controlled by the state for the benefit of the majority of people. As a result, he is against globalisation and the exploitation of foriegn peoples that it entails (he is therefore a SOCIALIST).
In conclusion, Chomsky is a socialist libertarian. He is not, as far as i can tell, a punk. Not all punks share chomsky's beliefs or even understand chomsky's beliefs. These people are called MTV punks. They should be shot on site. Punk is not just about the music, it's about a state of mind. empathy for someone other than yourself, and a dedication to using your mind for things other than mob mentality and fashion. 90% of the people who call themselves punks are not punks. they listn to punk music (or a close commercial approximation) but they are merely pretenders, fooling no-one but teenie boppers and themslves.

to sara:

Noam Chomsky is a Lingustics professor at MIT ( i think). He is moreso a teacher rather than a political activist. Noam chomsky believes that human beings are based upon communication as a vehicle to educate and further understand eachother as opposed to other ideas that humans are connected to nature, religion, sex etc. (for development purposes. He is widely overlooked for his opinion in the mass media, that of which we should bow our heads in shame for letting such an influential person's voice left unheard.

Ok. It's like you said, punk was originally "against the grain" type of music and most bands that came out reflected that with politics etc in their lyrics. In fact almost everything involved with punk rock in the 70s and 80s was social or political and it's pretty much leaned that way since for the people and bands involved in it. So I def. see it as leaning that way regardless of why. Can anyone name a conservative or right wing punk band?

i am the offeneded, a number of posts below. Some comments are saying that punk has always leaned left, and generally that punk goes hand in hand with leftist ideals. I would say that it is left leaning people who identify themselves with 'punk'- ideas of being against, of going against the norm. These ideas are something both nazis and leftists can relate to and they are the basis of their beleifs. Punk is not inherently left or right. it is not a political movement. by the way, im a poser, im not actually a nazi of fascist, i was just bored, i still mean what i just said. And Sickboi, Screwdriver reveow i look forward too for a good laugh.

I know on the rancid stream of comments I just nominated someone for the comment of the day award, but I think fortyminuteswest just took the cake

dignin

Do you know who makes up that 90%?

but 90% of them are idiots. That like saying Mike is the smartest retard from the group. You're still a retard.

xhardcoreJeffx

Chomsky has some of the most complete thoughts and ideas most of them making more sense than the usual. He's a step above 90% of the rest.

I've herad of this guy,but don'treally know anything about him. I don't know what he stands for,or what he does. Everyone always thinks widly of someone when they really fight and ramble for something they believe in. I'm not saying this guy is just a rouser,but most of them turn out to be that way. Anyway I'll look more into him.

Sara(no h)

Good post 2 below me! It's more than obvious (unless you're an idiot or right winger who sees everything in black & white) that punk has always leaned left. It's actually pretty strange that someone would even think that.

"Chomsky fucking sucks. He makes a living out of talking but saying nothing. You ask him a question and he spends the next 20 minutes spouting gibberish. Anyone who looks up to this man is a fucking tool."

Chomsky insists on answering questions fully. It's not his fault you have A.D.D.

There was a couple guys below who said that punk has always leaned left.

I would like to qualify that statement because it is entirely true. Punk music was a working class musical genre in the beginning and has always stuck to a human equity ethos.

Lyrics from the early bands of the punk medium dealt with class distinctions and emancipation of those subservient classes. Infact, punk has always concerned itself with equality of all people's and unlimited freedom from state oppression.

Even though the punk scene now is more about girls and high school life there is still a huge library of socially progressive punk rock which, fittingly, is regarded as the best. The punk rock icons will go down as being far left of center look at them now, The Clash, Crass, Minor Threat, Dead Kennedys, Regan Youth, Mission to Burma, Bad Religion, Black Flag, Propagandhi, NOFX.

So if you think lefties are misguided idealogues and the real answer to today's ills is tax cuts and trickle down theory then you should probably listen to something else. I don't want my punk rock shows stunk up with commerce students and fascists.

PS Obvious Nazi Punk Dickheads and their dickhead bands can fuck right off.

I love listening to chomsky. I think hes so intresting and I know a lot of people think hes boring. He should dye his hair green and start doings his public appearances naked with an chimp or something. Then maybe people would listen, learn and focus about more important things than who's gonna be the next American idol. An another note some people on this site should be ashamed of themselves. They sound really ignorant.

Nazi punk is just a litle spin-off of punk rock. Punk rock in general leans left starting back in 70's. What about all the Reagan bands? The Clash? The punk genre has by far the most political bands! About 10% of the people I know who listen to punk are anywhere close to right wing. The fact is they tend to be more Liberal so it's no more outrageous than having Radio Head reviewed, which I don't think is a band thing either.

To the other guy who said Chomsky spouted gibberish - typical argument, no actual facts or examples, like most people.

Luckily I've never been in the situation of a) asking Noam Chomsky a question (how odd) or b) listening to white power records and deciding to review them. I guess I'm a tool of the establishment.

Chomsky fucking sucks. He makes a living out of talking but saying nothing. You ask him a question and he spends the next 20 minutes spouting gibberish. Anyone who looks up to this man is a fucking tool.

To the guy below, don't worry, my Screwdriver review is on the way.

-sickboi

i am insulted that chomsky has been reviewed on this site. Just cos one listens to punk dont mean their lefty scum. Punk is related to nazism/fascism too. Wheres your reviews of white power bands like Extreme Hate...its censorship to hold these views back...not reveiwinf them on your site is overexposing them to Chomskyness and not enopugh fasciousness.

I think we're talking about the in thing for people who come to this site.

I thought the "in" thing to do these days was to watch fox news and blindly follow whatever warmongering dipshit happens to be in charge of your nation? guess i'm just outta touch.

You're complaining about 10$ books? That's pretty cheap, you're lucky to find books for that price.

Someone should tell Noam he'll never get the revolution started if he keeps charging 10 dollars a book.

cobra, the only one making this conversation "gay" is you. And that was real creative when you wrote douchebag confessional, real original. And speaking of the "in" thing to do isnt bashing dashboard confessional really cool to make fun of right now? Ohh, I see your a hypocrite...cool.

dignin(I am serious, and dont call me surely.)

the truth almost always lies somewhere on the left.

Cobra, I have a question. Since you seem to write off Chomsky as if he has nothing good to say (or because you think some people out there read him to be "in")what are your political views? Do you have any intelligent ones based on fact or are you just a cynical shithead that's wasting everyone's time?

-Jay

Exactly, if reading becomes the "in" thing to do then we'll have less ignorant jackasses like you(cobra).

I have yet to meet one person who reads Chomsky to be cool. It's not 5th grade reading material like you're into. It's a little more complex than listening to the latest band or dressing cool.

"THEY ONLY READ ABOUT CHOMSKY BEACUSE IT'S THE "IN" THING TO DO."

Fuck, if people read something interesting because it's the "in" thing to do, what's the problem? I think the problem with the "in" thing to do is when it's something like saying "doushebag confessional." If learning is the "in" thing to do, fuckin' right on!

I did and none of your ignorant ranting makes any sense. Do you honestly think you made a valid point?

Everybody say one more comment and then we'll stop beause this gay.

Hey jay, read the whole conversation idiot. Go throw on your doushbag confessional cd and start crying becuase nobody cares about you.

Wow Cobra, you add about as much to this discussion as the banner ad at the top of the page.

That last comment was by me.

-Jay

Cobra I figured you to be an idiot from the start. It always happens where some dipshit makes a baseless comment and only backs it up with insults(insults like "fag" show your intelligence). If you have a relivant point on the topic, make it. Otherwise why would anyone care to listen to you? That's right, they shouldn't!

Eat me

That's the problem with making blanket statements like you did.

Why are you taking this shit so seriously man? Get over yourself. Fine. What im saying is i hate it when all these punk and emo kids start talking about things they know nothing about. They only read about chomsky beacuse it's the "in" thing to do. Now that may not describe you or some of the others that commented, but i was just making a general statement.

So are you going to actually make an attempt to have an intelligent conversation or are you just going to throw around immature insults. If you make statements you should be prepared to back them up with an actual argument.

Yes, typing in caps makes me feel like a big man. God you're such a fag. Go listen to your poison the well cd and shut the fuck up.

The thing that I find odd about Chomsky calling himself an anarchist is that he has repeatedly stated that he doesn't think government is inherently evil. He has said that with the right amount of participation, the governments of the world could be controlled by the populace and work towards their good.

Well, right, some aspects of the left are in line with anarchism, but "left" refers to economic policies and actually involves MORE government intervention in people's lives. Anarchism doesn't have as much to do with economics (it obviously has some economic factors) but calls for government to be OUT of people's lives (obviously). More government doesn't really jive with anarchism, but people on the left are generally more likely to agree with anarchist views than those on the right. (Overgeneralization, I know, but it's pretty much true.)

Does typing in caps make you feel more important? How does reading Noam Chomsky make someone pretentious? Is it because he's well known? God forbid people try read and learn something or even worse, try to form their own opinions.

Missed the point completely dipshit.

Yeah! Reading is pretentious!

Why do all you pretentious punk kids pretend to care about this guy? Oh wait, answered my question. Nevermind.

Chomsky said he identifies with the left and related that to his leaning toward Anarchy. I can't remember what it's from, I downloaded a few tracks and it was on one of them.

Anarchy isn't really leftist. In fact, a lot of what the left stands for is antithetical to anarchism.

Chomsky is a "self described anarchist". Just the read the a"bout the author" sections of his "Real Story Series" books. That's a lot of quotes.

("the left(anarchy etc.)"

wow. i'd tried my hardest not to tar all Americans with the same politically-ignorant brush, but do some of you colonials really think like this? is all "the left" represents to some of you summed up by anarchy, communism, and the restriction on your god-given right to emploit each other?

turn off the fucking TV and start thinking.

this score is for Mr Chomsky)

Actually all I was doing was describing what Chomsky says himself. He's more along the lines of Anarchy etc which is obviously more left than anything. I know the left isn't all about Socialism or Anarchy.
-Jay

Moore twists the facts so much that it's really hard to take him seriously.

One other note, Chomsky describes himself as an Anarcho-Syndicalist frequently.

http://www.anarchosyndicalism.org/faq/

I like Chomsky, he's clearly a very smart man, and the material of his that I've read is well thought out and generally pretty strong. However, I have to say he's an extremist, and we have too many of those on the right and the left.

If you guys want an interesting political and socio-economic perspective, look for Paul Krugman, he's an MIT Economics professor and a columnist for the New York Times.

(I'm biased because I'm a economics student, I guess)

I think anyone should include Chomsky on their reading list, but also include Lessig, Krugman, and Friedman. I like Michael Moore, but he plays very fast and loose with the facts and I don't think you should read his stuff unless you're prepared to look with a critical eye because, well, he exaggerates.

So the jist is this; having a well-rounded and strong understanding of politics comes from a lot of different perspectives, Chomsky is but one of them.

ummm... i meant left. typo. you'll know what i mean.

Well actually, this is where the left/right political spectrum comes from... It comes from the layout of the french parliament. Those represntatives who believed in a state-controlled economy sat at the left, and those who believed in an economy free of restrictions sat on the right.

socially, you can effectively be left/right too (restricted or non-restricted), but they are more readily known by the terms social libertarian (anarchist), and authoritarian (fascist).

nowadays, the economic right are termed neo-liberals (or economic libertarians)for the most part, while those on the economic right prefer socialist or communist.

so yes, left/right is all about the things you mention. but i gather your point is that chomsky is not just about this. this is true. he is about discovery of fact in this age of ceaseless propaganda. this score is also for chomsky.

"the left(anarchy etc.)"

wow. i'd tried my hardest not to tar all Americans with the same politically-ignorant brush, but do some of you colonials really think like this? is all "the left" represents to some of you summed up by anarchy, communism, and the restriction on your god-given right to emploit each other?

turn off the fucking TV and start thinking.

this score is for Mr Chomsky.

i personnaly don't think Chompsky is unrealistic.

Please e-mail all your threats too, at mrohio537@earthlink.net.

"I wish more Americans would step back from this whole left/right thing and just start thinking for themselves and look at events through the eyes of an independant viewer and come to conclusions through research and overall understanding of the situation and not take guys like Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Moore or even Fat Mike so seriously."

Absolutely. It doesn't matter what party you belong to - it matters that you're involved and taking a stand, speaking out - if you don't vote, then you have no reason to be involved in politics. And everyone makes a wrong assumption that all punks are left or Democratic, whatever. Fat Mike, a great guy nonetheless, doesn't have a better opinion, nor is his opinion right, just because he is in NOFX and owns Fat Wreck. He's just another person speaking his mind, but some people feel that he's right all the time and they have to go along with him because they're punk and he's against Bush, etc. etc. Just think for yourself and research everything yourself. Television and the media are always going to present some kind of bias no matter what they say - think for yourself and make your own opinion.

The reason he was critical of Clinton too was cuz Clinton wasn't liberal enough for him. Chomsky's a very intelligent man but far too unrealistic. If he would focus on helping make small changes instead of just talking and writing and waiting for the world to fit his mold, he would be useful. As it is, he hurts the left as much as he helps.

Noam isn't partisan really, he identifies with the left(anarchy etc.), that's really about it. When Clinton was in office he was just as critical. He just has views that are more popular on the far left but he's not involved in Republic v. Democrat, he feels both parties are crooked in their own right. Although I'd figure he would have more to pick on with Bush.
-Jay

For the sake of bipartisanality, Michael Moore is also fat.

Its not the "first thing he's released" after 9/11... it's a recording of the first public speech he did after 9/11.

Bush is a chump. You don't DESERVE a back up reason.

Ann Coulter has herpes.

This isn't the first thing he has done since Sept. 11...he actually had a book called 9-11, pretty good read too.

Rush Limbaugh is fat.

O'reilly is a tool.

I wish more Americans would step back from this whole left/right thing and just start thinking for themselves and look at events through the eyes of an independant viewer and come to conclusions through research and overall understanding of the situation and not take guys like Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Moore or even Fat Mike so seriously.

But, that'll never happen. Instead we shall continue to hear more of "Bill O'Reilly is a tool!" and "Naom Chomsky is a an idiot" where nobody ever gives reasons to back it up.

Get it right, jackass.NOME CHUMSCEE R NOT INTARESTEEN OR PUNX ROX ET AWL!!! HOWORT SINN R WAE BATER N PUNXER THAN CHOMKEE R!!! OI OI OI!!!Obviously.

This is a great CD as with most of his stuff. These fucks who says Chomsky is stupid just don't get it. You cynical fucks, get a clue.

chomsky is an idiot

chomsky is a chump.

amazing, amazing person, along with Robert Fisk.

It's not his first release on septmber... 11th was it? i forget. anyway, his responses to numerous news agencies' qustions etc. in the days following that obscure day were published as a single written volume quite some time ago.
he's avery intelligent man. some might say agenious. his work in the field of linguistics alone puts him among the worlds' top 100 smartest people. he's been a leader in that field for many decades.
On the issue of US forign policy and globalisation, he is also extremely intelligent. if he sounds unintlligent when he's speaking, it's because he dumbs it down so people don't get turned off. compare some transcripts of his lectures to some of his actual essays and you'll see the differnce.
as for content: he often states what people from the hard left take as a given, but remember, people from the hard left are not his only intended audience. his logic is faultless and his reserach meticulous. he tries not to persuade or convince, but to explore and explain. it is this quality that raises him above the standard of many socialist writers. i share chomsky's core beliefs, as he, like i, is a socialist libertarian (that means economically comunistic and socially anachistic). brilliant stuff.

Remember that one review(Anti-Flag?) where someone called him Norm Chomsky?

WHT IZ THIS!! NOME IZ NT 4 PUNX!! OI OI OI! WHURZ RNCID TRAKLICTNG?!?! THY R REEL PUNX!! OI OI OI

on a serious note, choasky guy is pretty smart and i think gets a fair amount of coverage. i defnitely can't say he's overexposed but i can't say enough people know him. on the other hand, i really don't think he's as intelligent as people grant him for, but there are frequent cases where the facts he convey are well-researched and put through. otherwise he presents some stupid argument but knows his limitations on a said argument and will close it up quickly, especially since he always sounds like he's improvising anyway.

inagreendase

Chomsky is brilliant. He's the type of guy Bill O'reilly will never have on his show for fear of looking like the jackass he is.

Yo, thanks for coverning this. If this interests anyone come check out my website for real though, we are trying to start something us to talk politics and such on. Nothing to make you think one way, just to see if people are even thinking.
Steven
www.murdertheturtle.com
no one comments yet, so we need that bad.