Those who challenge the 'Right to Lie', as Chomsky describes it, can expect to be met with vilification and distortion. Such vilification campaigns succeed by making the accusation against the critics the topic of debate. By forcing critics into an endless defence of their position, the propaganda system distracts attention from the substantive issues. --Milan Rai, Chomsky's Politics, 1995 [195]
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Chomsky argues that challenging the right to lie triggers propaganda campaigns that distract from substantive issues by forcing critics to defend themselves endlessly.
- In plain terms
- Critics of state propaganda are often attacked to shift focus away from the real problems.
- What can you take from it?
- Be aware that attacking a critic can distract from the actual issue at hand.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you recognize when a debate shifts focus?
- What issues are currently being distracted from?
Another view
Not all criticism leads to vilification; sometimes open debate occurs.
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