Noam Chomsky

..on FaceBook and Twitter and the room sold out in hours apparently. While
we awaited for the appearance on stage of the gentle professor the screens
were promoting the advantages of taking up a course at the various arms of
Deakin University.
The VC gave a short introductory speech – and then the old man was at the
lectern. There was no greeting or otherwise mucking about. The subject of
the lecture was Changing Contours of Global Order and was chiefly
about the US’ ascension to pre-eminence pre-1949 and its gentle decline
since, but it was as if he was resuming a discourse on architecture after
an intermission..
It almost goes without saying that there were no histrionics – the man is
eighty three for goodness sake – but it’s not his style and the entire
lecture was conducted in this quietly considered and dispassionate tone, with
the odd touch of irony, which we usually imagine to be beyond most Yanks.
In fact, there was an instance where he felt the necessity to explain a bit
of (quoted) irony when the audience was in two minds as to whether to titter
or remain mute.
I had a young man beside me who was struggling to stay still in his seat,
but he was clearly mesmerised as Noam, amongst other things, unravelled the
common misconceptions about the Cold War and the continuing role that’s
been found for NATO, which might reasonably have been expected to fold after
the demise of the Soviet Union. (It’s all about the oil).
It was when we got to the Q&A section that there was a moment or two of
discomfort. The professor was ushered over to an armchair and seated. Another
chap arrived to host this section of the evening and clearly thought the ‘show’
needed an injection of local humour. The professor actually looked a bit rattled
at this point and his responses were inaudible. The audience started to get
restive and one fellow yelled, ‘Turn the good guy up!’ Noam was
alerted to his lapel mic situation and the Q&A host toned down the quips
and wisely decided to stick to the script.
Questions to Professor Chomsky had been invited to be placed in advance per
the social media and voted on, so there were perhaps four or five reasonable,
though predictable questions. One of them was about the Israeli / Palestinian
stand off and it was during Noam’s insistently methodical response that
some female downstairs started yelling a stream of presumably political invective.
I couldn’t understand what it was about and neither could Noam, so after
telling the person that this was the case, he resumed his explanation.

There was so much information to digest I couldn’t really sum it up
satisfactorily in a few words. I’m sure I’ve mentioned my wacky
theory as to why Australia is always ready to volunteer to fight alongside
America in whatever loopy war it’s concocted, even before being asked.
Briefly, I suspect that it’s because the Americans went out of their
way to save Australia from being invaded by the Japanese and as a consequence
we’re forever in their debt. Altruism was never involved. The old Sandpit
Theory. This is exactly the way Noam Chomsky views history – and, as
he repeatedly said, the documentary evidence exists to back it up and it’s
(mostly) all in the public domain.

He offered few solutions, although he did suggest that the adoption of a
national health scheme would probably rid the US of its entire deficit. I
wasn’t looking particularly for solutions and nor I suspect was the
audience. I think most of the youngsters there were looking for reassurance;
and reassurance was delivered, as if the flickering torch of protest was being
handed from one generation to another. I got the distinct impression the old
man heartily approved of the Occupy movement and saw in it the only chance
left for effecting real change.
Noam Chomsky should be secure in the knowledge that there were several hundred
young people there in the room that night who will weigh up his words when
they’re considering whether or not to take up the challenge. I wonder
if there was perhaps another young Dylan there too, inspired to capture the
spirit of the moment in song?

.
Thanks Dr Wazz!