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Noam Chomsky on Freedom

born 1928 United States

← All quotes by Noam Chomsky

5 quotes

If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all.

If you're in favor of freedom of speech, that means you're in favor of freedom of speech precisely for views you despise.

The smart way to keep people passive and obedient is to strictly limit the spectrum of acceptable opinion, but allow very lively debate within that spectrum - even encourage the more critical and dissident views. That gives people the sense that there's free thinking going on, while all the time the presuppositions of the system are being reinforced by the limits put on the range of the debate.

The Common Good (1998)

Goebbels was in favor of freedom of speech for views he liked. So was Stalin. If you're in favor of freedom of speech, that means you're in favor of freedom of speech precisely for views you despise.

Controversy may rage as long as it adheres to the presuppositions that define the consensus of elites, and it should furthermore be encouraged within these bounds, thus helping to establish these doctrines as the very condition of thinkable thought while reinforcing the belief that freedom reigns.

Necessary Illusions (1989)

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: Noam Chomsky (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.