In a message dated 2/28/00 10:55:04 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
> Permit me to jump in, Issodos. Chomsky encourages people to read media
> critically
> and not to swallow swill.
This has been going on at least since Socrates and is a habit normally
developed by many without need for a celebrity.
> He has influenced me and many others that I know.
> I
> constantly run into university students who have been influenced by him.
> They
> organize and/or collaborate in protests such as at WTO in Seattle or APEC
in
> Vancouver (to cite some recent examples),
Meaningless.
as well as boycotting sweatshops
> such as
> Nike or killers like Nestle (baby formula), the American complicity in the
> genocide of Mayans in Guatemala, the School of the Americas and so much
more.
Nike is the number one shoe company and controls almost 50% of the
American market, Nestle continues to be a powerhouse in its field, Guatemala
continues to be Guatemala, and the School of the Americas continued to
function.
> I
> think that Chomsky's influence (and that of people like him) has been
> extraordinary. Examples are contributing to the ending of the Indochinese
> war and
> the demise of Nixon's presidency,
Neither Chomsky nor protesters had anything to do with the decision to
leave the Indochinese war, and Nixon's presidency ended because he made
enemies in high places -- not because of academic intellectual activity.
Such activity actually strengthened him.
mobilizing boycotts of companies such as
> Nike or
> Nestle, and deflecting/minimizing current murderous embargos and target
> practice
> or sales demos for new military toys, and so forth.
Nike and Nestles continue to be economic power houses in their
industries, embargos continue, and military weapons sales continue unabated.
Certainly, many are
> unconcerned with social justice and are uninfluenced by Chomsky, while
> others will
> have honest disagreements about what constitutes social justice. But I do
> know
> many, myself included, who have been influenced by him and who have
> participated
> and continue to participate in boycotts and coalition building to oppose
> social
> injustice. We haven't always been successful, let alone completely
> successful,.
> and we won't be in the future.
Neither your activities nor the activities of other like minded
individuals has resulted in fundamental change.
However, I think that it is a severe
> misreading of
> recent and current history to conclude that he has had no influence in
> contributing to altering the trajectory of events.
When he writes it is to the choir, and I do not know what a "trajectory
of events" is.
> Can I prove that? No,
This is accurate.
> I can
> only say that he has influenced me to change my behaviours and that I, in
> turn,
> have influenced others to do the same -- and I think that we have been
> effective
> in creating change.
Personal change is often valued, but that does not necessarily transcend
into social change.
BTW check out Nike's relative stock price and sales
> figures
> for the last few years as an example. Dan
Sales up 8.5%. How many splits has the stock had over the last few years?
Yours,
Issodhos
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