I have a hard time respecting Chomsky because of his comments regarding post-modern philosophy. You’d think he would have a cogent criticism where he defends structuralism and Marxism. But no, it’s just a bunch of conspiracy minded “they just say that because they’re getting paid” nonsense you would expect from Ben Shapiro or Jordan Peterson.
He actually had the nerve to criticize Foucault for using unnecessarily esoteric language to explain simple things. Chomsky said that…ABOUT SOMEBODY ELSE!
That was actually one of my earliest exposures to Chomsky. On one hand, I feel like “Postmodernism is fake because I can understand complex things but I can’t understand this” may have prematurely soured me on him. On the other hand, considering his horrific takes on imperialism and atrocities that are committed by non-Western powers, perhaps being soured on him from the start isn’t such a bad thing.
If I remember correctly, Chomsky is neither a structuralist nor a Marxist, and has said that he has not studied Marxism in much detail. Foucault was (sort of) a structuralist, and I think Zizek is a Marxist.
I have a hard time respecting Chomsky because of his comments regarding post-modern philosophy. You’d think he would have a cogent criticism where he defends structuralism and Marxism. But no, it’s just a bunch of conspiracy minded “they just say that because they’re getting paid” nonsense you would expect from Ben Shapiro or Jordan Peterson.
He actually had the nerve to criticize Foucault for using unnecessarily esoteric language to explain simple things. Chomsky said that…ABOUT SOMEBODY ELSE!
That was actually one of my earliest exposures to Chomsky. On one hand, I feel like “Postmodernism is fake because I can understand complex things but I can’t understand this” may have prematurely soured me on him. On the other hand, considering his horrific takes on imperialism and atrocities that are committed by non-Western powers, perhaps being soured on him from the start isn’t such a bad thing.
It’s a completely valid criticism of Foucault. There’s nothing I hate more than obscurantist Parisian bullshit.
If I remember correctly, Chomsky is neither a structuralist nor a Marxist, and has said that he has not studied Marxism in much detail. Foucault was (sort of) a structuralist, and I think Zizek is a Marxist.