finkelstein on chomsky
finkelstein on chomsky
Professor Finkelstein is a polestar
because he defends his statements
with forensic clarity and moral consistency.
When his opinion is unpopular, he increases the volume
of material supporting his contention
like a scientist.
But that is not why he is a cardinal
whom calibrates my worldview
and keeps those cut adrift from floating without direction.
When discredited by maniacs, he increases the volume
of empathy to encourage his students
like a romantic.
A third, visceral and unvarnished characteristic
which used to be recognized as "authenticity"
(before Comms majors and MBAs ruined the form)
is why other excommunicado
trust the man
like a teacher.
I purchased a second hand copy of The Zinn Reader
and joked with the clerk about "replacing a Chomksy sized hole
in my heart" and bookshelf. The historian was my first professor
and less burdened by foible.
Finkelstein absolved the linguist, my second professor,
like a human.
Finkelstein described Chomsky's life in terms of "moral conflicts" and confusion including Israel, the Gaza genocide and apartheid. He compared Chomsky's late life change on the Palestinian question to South African Apartheid Judge Richard Goldstone's report (claimed both Israel and Palestine were responsible for the genocide) framed as a "loyalty" to family or laws. Both Goldstone and Chomsky's later works were incongruous with their earlier work. Finkesltein understands this transition through family pressure to support Israel. Finkelstein calls these "real human conflicts" and explains there is no "easy answer" to explain the last decade of Chomsky's public life except through these private issues (including Epstein).
Finkelstein cites his family experience for an example. Much of Finkelstein's legitimacy comes from his parent's experience in the concentration camps and the liberal Jewish Americans they became. So when he refuses to vouch for his mother (who was "losing her mind") in her later years, when she's become a perjurious landlord--she is confused but he is consistent. Her anti-social behavior later in life doesn't negate her life experience or undermine the actions of her younger years.
Becoming stale can happen to anyone and it probably has as much to do with the evolution of social mores and personal vitality than artistic taste or scientific salience. Remember Grandpa Abe said, "I used to be with 'it,' but they changed what 'it' was. Now what I'm with isn't 'it' anymore and what's 'it' seems weird and scary to me. It'll happen to you!." Even dear Professor Finkelstein sometimes becomes an old man yelling at clouds drowned in the cultural effluvium that pads modern political discourse. But he is never disingenuous about his social media staff and doesn't cite "fellow kids" memes for street cred. He would probably miss the two "Simpsons" and one "30 Rock" references in the paragraph above. He would probably be visibly annoyed by the phrase "street cred."
Quoting Finkelstein, "Professor Chomsky got into this entanglement...which created a moral connection...and also...the great, the wonderful, the immortal, the eternal...the saintly Noam Chomsky was human. He was already in his 90s. He was afraid to be alone. He didn't want a public scandal because of that entanglement with someone who destroyed the last decade of his life in ways that are so sickening that they would want to make you wretch. And even if he could do something, the entanglement was such that he was completely isolated. Isolated from his children...friends...everybody. So physically, he couldn't do anything. In other words...Noam Chomsky had gotten himself into a mess. And he had too much pride...to ask for help. And he got caught in a trap, an entanglement, a disaster. From which he couldn't figure out a way out because he was afraid to be alone..."
We are all afraid to die alone. Those who have a legacy also fear dying disgraced. Students who don't understand the last few years must embrace the saintly times when Chomsky was our cardinal point. He belongs in the pantheon next to the other complicated thinkers that raised us: Zinn, Oates, Ginger, Mills, Du Bois, Davis...and Finkelstein. These are good people even when fear, shame and loss (humanity) overwhelms the inherent virtue.
sources:
"Gaza and the Failure of International Justice" Cheragh Laleh چراغ لاله (16 October 2026) question on Chomsky begins at 57:36 and quote concludes at 1:03:36.
Professor Finkelstein is a polestar
because he defends his statements
with forensic clarity and moral consistency.
When his opinion is unpopular, he increases the volume
of material supporting his contention
like a scientist.
But that is not why he is a cardinal
whom calibrates my worldview
and keeps those cut adrift from floating without direction.
When discredited by maniacs, he increases the volume
of empathy to encourage his students
like a romantic.
A third, visceral and unvarnished characteristic
which used to be recognized as "authenticity"
(before Comms majors and MBAs ruined the form)
is why other excommunicado
trust the man
like a teacher.
I purchased a second hand copy of The Zinn Reader
and joked with the clerk about "replacing a Chomksy sized hole
in my heart" and bookshelf. The historian was my first professor
and less burdened by foible.
Finkelstein absolved the linguist, my second professor,
like a human.
Finkelstein described Chomsky's life in terms of "moral conflicts" and confusion including Israel, the Gaza genocide and apartheid. He compared Chomsky's late life change on the Palestinian question to South African Apartheid Judge Richard Goldstone's report (claimed both Israel and Palestine were responsible for the genocide) framed as a "loyalty" to family or laws. Both Goldstone and Chomsky's later works were incongruous with their earlier work. Finkesltein understands this transition through family pressure to support Israel. Finkelstein calls these "real human conflicts" and explains there is no "easy answer" to explain the last decade of Chomsky's public life except through these private issues (including Epstein).
Finkelstein cites his family experience for an example. Much of Finkelstein's legitimacy comes from his parent's experience in the concentration camps and the liberal Jewish Americans they became. So when he refuses to vouch for his mother (who was "losing her mind") in her later years, when she's become a perjurious landlord--she is confused but he is consistent. Her anti-social behavior later in life doesn't negate her life experience or undermine the actions of her younger years.
Becoming stale can happen to anyone and it probably has as much to do with the evolution of social mores and personal vitality than artistic taste or scientific salience. Remember Grandpa Abe said, "I used to be with 'it,' but they changed what 'it' was. Now what I'm with isn't 'it' anymore and what's 'it' seems weird and scary to me. It'll happen to you!." Even dear Professor Finkelstein sometimes becomes an old man yelling at clouds drowned in the cultural effluvium that pads modern political discourse. But he is never disingenuous about his social media staff and doesn't cite "fellow kids" memes for street cred. He would probably miss the two "Simpsons" and one "30 Rock" references in the paragraph above. He would probably be visibly annoyed by the phrase "street cred."
Quoting Finkelstein, "Professor Chomsky got into this entanglement...which created a moral connection...and also...the great, the wonderful, the immortal, the eternal...the saintly Noam Chomsky was human. He was already in his 90s. He was afraid to be alone. He didn't want a public scandal because of that entanglement with someone who destroyed the last decade of his life in ways that are so sickening that they would want to make you wretch. And even if he could do something, the entanglement was such that he was completely isolated. Isolated from his children...friends...everybody. So physically, he couldn't do anything. In other words...Noam Chomsky had gotten himself into a mess. And he had too much pride...to ask for help. And he got caught in a trap, an entanglement, a disaster. From which he couldn't figure out a way out because he was afraid to be alone..."
We are all afraid to die alone. Those who have a legacy also fear dying disgraced. Students who don't understand the last few years must embrace the saintly times when Chomsky was our cardinal point. He belongs in the pantheon next to the other complicated thinkers that raised us: Zinn, Oates, Ginger, Mills, Du Bois, Davis...and Finkelstein. These are good people even when fear, shame and loss (humanity) overwhelms the inherent virtue.
sources:
"Gaza and the Failure of International Justice" Cheragh Laleh چراغ لاله (16 October 2026) question on Chomsky begins at 57:36 and quote concludes at 1:03:36.