What are you reading? -- LiveWire Teen Forums

Quote: from ziophilosi at 10:34 pm on Oct. 2, 2005

Quote: from haggardgirl at 12:35 pm on Oct. 2, 2005
I haven't read nearly as much by him as I'd like to. The most recent of his work that I've read is Hegemony or Survival , which is fantastic and not nearly as hard to find as his other works (here, at least). In the past, I've also read On Nature and Language, which was incredible and worth the effort to find, and Power and Terror.
It's been a goodly while since I've read anything of analytical merit at the moment, thought. I think I'm a bit rusty on my Chomsky. I'll have to do some (re) reading soon. �
What sparked your interest in his work? �

�An interest in science, particularly the cognitive sciences. Chomsky was mentioned in various articles, books, and such that I was reading. Via google, wikipedia and such I found out more about him and hence discovered his analysis of U.S. foreign and domestic policy.
�Reading some of his stuff then sparked my interest due to its very critical nature. Up to then I hadn't seen any critical material concerning the United State's foreign policy as a whole and I thoght it important to read such a position. For me Chomsky's commentary simply seemed like an extension of critical thinking and enquiry as applied in philsophy and the sciences.
�The effort Chomsky puts forth in commenting on politics and his stature as a major intellectual caused(and causes) me to take his work seriously and reading up on the history of American foreign policy seemed to confirm his commentaries. In my own interest in history and politics I am only looking to apply the same sort of rational mode of enquiry that is �used in science and philosophy.
�Through knowing the wrongs commited by the U.S. around the world and those commited within the U.S. I can put the wrongs currently taking place in the proper context. Really through studying such matters I hope to be able to pressure this government and country to change for the better. I can't have much influce on my own, but in being knowledgable about U.S. domestic and foreign affairs I can (possibly) get others to exert pressure also and with enough people doing so a positive restructuring of U.S. policy and gov't can happen.
�And how is it you became interested in Chomsky?

For me it�s not so much the effort put forth by Chomsky, but rather his congruency between the years and his consistency without repetitiveness. From what I�ve read, he seems to have his stance on the matters at hand, and he rarely (if ever) deviates from his own system. In addition, his system has, thus far, proved to be one that is logical and commendable. He says what I would say if I knew more, basically, so I like to pretend he�s somewhat of a teacher to me. I say pretend because my Chomsky knowledge is not exactly broad as of yet, but I do greatly admire him.

The ways I became interested in Chomsky are twofold: I had a major schoolgirl crush on Tom Morello and picked up Chomsky�s name through either reading about Morello or listening to some sort of interview. In addition, I also had this insatiable appetite to be older than I was at the time (being about twelve, I�d say) and decided the most discernable difference between who I was and who I wanted to be was the fact that I was devoid of any political awareness. So I went to my quaint little suburban bookstore after school with my mommy and picked up something or other by him. I�ve been a fan since.

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