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Even if [9/11 conspiracy theories] were true, which is extremely unlikely, who cares? It doesn't have any significance. It's a little bit like the huge energy that's put out on trying to figure out who killed John F. Kennedy. Who knows? And who cares? Plenty of people get killed all the time, why does it matter that one of them happened to be John F. Kennedy? If there was some reason to believe that there was a high level conspiracy, it might be interesting. But the evidence against that is just overwhelming. And after that, if it happened to be a jealous husband, or the mafia, or someone else, what difference does it make? It's just taking energy away from serious issues onto ones that don't matter. And I think the same is true here; it's my personal opinion.

Noam Chomsky#102

PrioritiesFocusPublic discourse

About this quote

What does it mean?
Chomsky dismisses 9/11 conspiracy theories as distractions from serious issues regardless of their truth.
In plain terms
Arguing about who planned 9/11 distracts from solving real problems.
What can you take from it?
Focus on constructive action rather than speculative investigations.

Where it applies

  • media consumption
  • activism
  • debates

Putting it to work

  • filter noise
  • focus on facts
  • prioritize solutions

Questions to consider

  • What deserves public attention?
  • How do we prioritize political topics?

Another view

The argument assumes that investigating the past cannot inform the future.

More from Noam Chomsky

  1. After September 11th I had tons of interviews everywhere, except the United States of course, and often it was national radio and TV. A couple of times it turn…

    Permalink to quote #101
  2. Such attacks are morally outrageous and politically imbecilic. They are the best gift one can give to the most hardline and brutal elements -- exactly as happe…

    Permalink to quote #103
  3. September 11 shocked many Americans into an awareness that they had better pay much closer attention to what the US government does in the world and how it is …

    Permalink to quote #100

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