The major international campaign orchestrated against Chomsky on completely false pretexts was only part - though perhaps a crucial part - of the ambitious campaign launched in the late 70s with the hope of reconstructing the ideology of power and domination which had been partially exposed during the Indochina war. The magnitude of the insane attack against Chomsky, which aimed at silencing him and robbing him of his moral stature and his prestige and influence, is of course one more tribute to the impact of his writings and his actions - not for nothing he was the only one singled out. --Carlos P. Otero, Language and Politics, 1988 [193]
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Campaigns against Chomsky were part of a larger effort to protect power structures. The intensity of the attack shows how much impact his work has.
- In plain terms
- Attacks on him show how much his words threaten those in power.
- What can you take from it?
- Intense opposition can signal true influence.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why do powerful people attack critics?
- What proves an idea matters?
Another view
It assumes the attacks were solely due to his impact rather than other factors.
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