Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Noam Chomsky

Quote by Noam Chomsky

“QUESTION: Do you believe that by nature human beings yearn for freedom? Or in the interests of safety, security, and conformity, do we settle for order? CHOMSKY: These are really matters of faith rather than knowledge. On the one hand, you have the Grand Inquisitor who tells you that what humans crave is submission, and therefore Christ is a criminal and we have to vanquish freedom. That’s one view. The other view, held by Rousseau, for example, is that people are born to be free and that their basic instinct is the desire to free themselves from coercion, authority, and oppression. Where you stake your hopes depends on what you believe. I’d like to believe that people are born to be free, but if you ask for proof, I couldn’t give it to you.”

Quote by Noam Chomsky

Author

Noam Chomsky
Noam Chomsky

Noam Chomsky, born on December 7, 1928, is a renowned linguist from the United States. His research in generative grammar and transformational grammar has had a profound impact on modern linguistics. Chomsky's academic achievements extend beyond linguistics, as he is also an active political commentator and philosopher, known for his unique perspective and profound insights. more

You May Also Like

“One must hesitate when calling these protests pro-Palestinian because in that labelling, we lose their truth. They are protests against senseless killings, they are a rejection of regimes that support occupation and a cry for an end to war as a pathway to peace. These protests are pro-humanity in its true sense of the word, an all-encompassing humanity that is not cherry-picked by the powers that be. They are protests against hypocrisy and for a right to life.”

“Монголи любили різноманітні змагання, тож організовували дебати між конкурентними релігіями так само, як організовували борцівські поєдинки. Вони починалися в певний день, і за ними спостері­гала група суддів. «...» Здавалося, жодна сторона не могла переконати опонентів у чомусь. Зрештою, коли вплив алкоголю міцнішав, християни перестали переконувати когось логічними аргументами та вдалися до співу. Мусульмани, які не співали, відповіли на це гучним цитуванням Корану, намагаючись заглушити голос християн, а буддисти почали мовчазно медитувати. Дебати, під час яких вони не могли переконати чи вбити один одного, закінчилися так, як закінчувалися більшість монгольських святкувань: усі були просто занадто п’яні, щоб їх продовжувати.”

“Today at the beach, when she had planted the date tree and watered it with her tears, a connection to the land had begun. At first gentle and overpowered by Ibrahim barging in to hurt her and throw back her things, but now as she looked out at the countryside, it was reaffirmed. This could be his replacement, she thought. Not another man but a place made up of heather and hawthorn, wild cherry and birch. It was the strangest and most muddled of thoughts, but it had a zest to it. - (Page 59)”

“Forgive. It’s key! Sometimes, the past is frightening, and others genuinely hurt, assaulted, or abused you, but for you to move on with your life, you need to forgive. Forgive those who wronged you, even if they’re no longer part of your life, they have Alzheimers, or they died. Ultimately, you’re freeing yourself when you forgive. Words have power.”

“That golden pin ball of a hare must be fresh dead! Thirty eight rabbits, seven squirrels, and one kitty cat D.O.A--MEEEEOOOWWW! Bippity bop-bop-bop bippity boo! I’m not no swineherd, my flocks a dead zoo! Won’t crunch on no crumpets, I slurp bacon stew! Ain’t dyin’ in one life, “my brothaaaa”, I’m livin’ two! Yo! Everything melts like grilled cheese in the grease of Old Blue! Old Blue! Old Blue! Everything melts like grilled cheese in the grease of Old Blue!” The Old Blue the character raps of…is money.”