State Spying & Other Matters
Chomsky puts the Edward Snowden revelations in the context of historical government spying. “If technology,” he says, “or other means of control and domination are available, then power systems are going to use them.” Chomsky relates the continuities between Bush and Obama in foreign and domestic policies. He examines Obama’s assault on civil liberties and the prosecution of whistleblowers. Israel, Palestine, events in Turkey and Syria are also discussed, along with the pitfalls of third parties in the U.S. and much more.
Interviewed by David Barsamian.
Recorded at MIT.
Speaker
Noam Chomsky
Noam Chomsky, by any measure, has led a most extraordinary life. In one index he is ranked as the eighth most cited person in history, right up there with Aristotle, Shakespeare, Marx, Plato and Freud. His contributions to modern linguistics are legendary. In addition to his pioneering work in that field, he has been a leading voice for peace and social justice for many decades. Chris Hedges says he is “America’s greatest intellectual” who “makes the powerful, as well as their liberal apologists, deeply uncomfortable.” The New Statesman calls him “the conscience of the American people.” He is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT and Laureate Professor of Linguistics and Haury Chair in the Program in Environment and Social Justice at the University of Arizona. At 95, he continues to inform and inspire people all over the world. He is the author of scores of books, his latest are Consequences of Capitalism, Chronicles of Dissent and Notes on Resistance.
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