The smugness with which he spoke of AES is the same smugness he responded to people who asked him about his Epstein connections as if it was stupid of them to even question it. Honestly not surprised about this.
Chomsky is adopting the polar opposite of a prison abolitionist position here. I make this same point about figures like Beau of the Fifth Column.
Yes, they may have served time.
Was is enough time?
What rehabilitation did they undertake during this time served?
What degree of restorative justice was undertaken during the serving of this sentence and what has occurred since?
Have they shown remorse for their crimes or did they seek to minimize and conceal their crimes?
But most importantly - do you agree with the notion that the current bourgeois judicial-carceral system dispenses justice and rehabilitation?
If you believe that the judicial-carceral system dispenses justice and rehabilitation then go burn your leftist credentials because you have absolutely no credibility. I’m 100% sure that Chomsky has written about the injustice of the judicial system and how the carceral system does not provide rehabilitation nor restoration to victims but I’m not gonna go digging to find quotes. Strange how he sings an entirely different tune when it comes to Jeffrey Epstein. Almost like he considers him as part of an in-group who gets special treatment? Hm.
I did. But thank goodness I deepened my knowledge enough to leave him behind as an understandable if unfortunate contributor to my early leftism, something to be matured out of. I was fortunate that I did not to end up one of the people who he was put into place deliberately to siphon away from radicalism to be shepherded back to liberalism. But there are many from my age group and older (my father to some extent an example) who did end up like that, just as planned. I’ll be curious to see what excuses are made or whether those I know who did idolize him will finally start to grow out of it.
I do think @Awoo@hexbear.net’s take on it, cynical as it may be, is accurate - he knew what he was doing. Good on you and others for never falling for it like some of us though.
I should add that I’m not really sure where I stand with it, but that considering the possibility of the most cynical position is a good idea. He may very well have been a completely willing and knowing participant who enjoyed the rewards of being one. It is even easier than ever to see the case for that with this shit.
I think you’re on to something. Anyone who’s serious about criticizing capital and the U.S. (Chomsky definitely counts) at some point wonders if what they’re doing with their life is consistent with their beliefs. I don’t see how someone so critical about power can be so close to power and not ask themselves what role they’re playing.
I do think it’s possible he justified his actions in some way (e.g., “I’m changing things from the inside”), but he had to at least have considered the issue.
It’s really hard to make the case for that when “the inside” is fantasising about a pedophile island for trafficked children. There’s absolutely no deniability either due to his conviction for it. I would extend benefit of the doubt pre-conviction but post-conviction these people all know.
never liked him or what he had to say anyways
The smugness with which he spoke of AES is the same smugness he responded to people who asked him about his Epstein connections as if it was stupid of them to even question it. Honestly not surprised about this.
An example I had on hand if anyone is morbidly curious.
youtube link in case nadeko isn’t working: https://youtube.com/watch?v=166857p5R6Y
You know how they accuse us of “Whataboutism”? Well this is some real “public-intellectual”-grade whataboutism for ya.
Worth highlighting a point here:
Chomsky is adopting the polar opposite of a prison abolitionist position here. I make this same point about figures like Beau of the Fifth Column.
Yes, they may have served time.
Was is enough time?
What rehabilitation did they undertake during this time served?
What degree of restorative justice was undertaken during the serving of this sentence and what has occurred since?
Have they shown remorse for their crimes or did they seek to minimize and conceal their crimes?
But most importantly - do you agree with the notion that the current bourgeois judicial-carceral system dispenses justice and rehabilitation?
If you believe that the judicial-carceral system dispenses justice and rehabilitation then go burn your leftist credentials because you have absolutely no credibility. I’m 100% sure that Chomsky has written about the injustice of the judicial system and how the carceral system does not provide rehabilitation nor restoration to victims but I’m not gonna go digging to find quotes. Strange how he sings an entirely different tune when it comes to Jeffrey Epstein. Almost like he considers him as part of an in-group who gets special treatment? Hm.
I found a YouTube link in your comment. Here are links to the same video on alternative frontends that protect your privacy:
I did. But thank goodness I deepened my knowledge enough to leave him behind as an understandable if unfortunate contributor to my early leftism, something to be matured out of. I was fortunate that I did not to end up one of the people who he was put into place deliberately to siphon away from radicalism to be shepherded back to liberalism. But there are many from my age group and older (my father to some extent an example) who did end up like that, just as planned. I’ll be curious to see what excuses are made or whether those I know who did idolize him will finally start to grow out of it.
I do think @Awoo@hexbear.net’s take on it, cynical as it may be, is accurate - he knew what he was doing. Good on you and others for never falling for it like some of us though.
I should add that I’m not really sure where I stand with it, but that considering the possibility of the most cynical position is a good idea. He may very well have been a completely willing and knowing participant who enjoyed the rewards of being one. It is even easier than ever to see the case for that with this shit.
I think you’re on to something. Anyone who’s serious about criticizing capital and the U.S. (Chomsky definitely counts) at some point wonders if what they’re doing with their life is consistent with their beliefs. I don’t see how someone so critical about power can be so close to power and not ask themselves what role they’re playing.
I do think it’s possible he justified his actions in some way (e.g., “I’m changing things from the inside”), but he had to at least have considered the issue.
It’s really hard to make the case for that when “the inside” is fantasising about a pedophile island for trafficked children. There’s absolutely no deniability either due to his conviction for it. I would extend benefit of the doubt pre-conviction but post-conviction these people all know.