Noam Chomsky - Groupthink

'Just because an idea is popular doesn't mean it's right....

Hey could u guys share your thoughts and advice on my progressive content? I would love meaningful feedback and ideas!!!

Our subordination into groupthink is engineered into us, the former part of compound word being operative. The key to power is to take control of whatever abstract unit (Nation, Religion etc.) forms the group, and therefore the group’s values. Once that’s accomplished the ascent to power is relatively perfected because any grumbling from the Proles subsequently becomes little more than the narcissism of small differences. Creating a standardized citizenry - a simple task really - is key, because the people can’t revolt against people whose values they share, or at least have been programmed to believe they share. It explains Trump and it explains Obama -- and all the rest for that matter.

Recall that Socrates later expanded upon “Know thyself” with “An unexamined life is not worth living.” Once we are appropriately programmed in the human equivalent of the BIOS, examination of our lives falls within those parameters at a very subconscious level and so the assessment is really little more than building a personalized case for a status quo someone else has created.

May the force be with you Master Noam.

He sounds like an immature college student who never grew up.

It feels humble to submit to groupthink. This is exactly how the most atrocious and megalomaniac ideas can grow without anyone being truly aware of what's happening. Besides, if anyone is aware of it for a moment, no one is responsible since only everyone is responsible.

what was this from? What was the event called and is there a full video?

174-0

Four minutes well worth our time. It's tragic that we live in a dominant culture hell bent on not understanding it. And that's not accidental.

Chomsky's message is like being told you shouldn't eat bacon. You know the message is right but you just don't want to believe it.

My man, wearing Yeezys.

Dang.. what he said about Iran really put things into perspective...

Not to mention the renewed groupthink of resisting communism in Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba. Those devious rascals must be held accountable for hoarding fossil fuels.

Groupthink I thought was a phrase used also to undermine democracy in favor of Republicans and the Electoral College to cheat voters, also called mob mentality by the few who cheat voters. Bush Jr & Trump- bad, bad, bad & lost popular vote.

Who is the woman wiggling her foot? She seems bored with Chomsky.

Why let every nonce have a nuclear weapon -you have to maintain balance of power. Iran is a major nation and to let it have a chance to throw its weight around get its ego going against its neighbors with whom it is on unfriendly terms doesn't seem ideal.

Is Prof. Chomsky suggesting that Iran, with all its centrifuges, is not trying to develop nuclear weapons? And what is his source for saying every country but Israel and the US is in favor of an enforceable nuclear free Middle East? I think this video is an example of everyone just nodding in agreement with the great sage. Couldn't be group think, could it?

Luckily, there is no "group think" on the left. Ugh.

I am well aware of the (sometimes horrible) failures of US policy. But to think that e.g. a decision is wrong just because the majority of nations is against it, is nonsense. Just take a look at the world and its countries and e.g. how they treat their citizens, which ideas they promote. "Popular" rule which follows the wishes and whims of the masses is not necessarily benevolent. The opposite can be true (as proven by the Nazis). There are good and bad decisions coming from the UN, too. Why? Because all the dictatorships, "people`s republics", and even theocracies are allowed to have a vote in it. (E.g. allowing the Saudis and Iran to have a word about women`s issues is ridiculous.)


Just to name a few "pan-human" failures that were and are quite "popular": ethnocentrism, misogyny, antisemitism, homophobia, racism (which is closely bound to "ethnocentrism"). Sometimes, it takes a few people to advocate for progress, while the mass is defending the "olden ways". Without those free thinking few, we would all still think that a witch hunt is justified or that burning people with different opinions is necessary.

Noam Chomsky, focusing completely on the wrong-doings of the US, forgets that there are many places on earth, where women are third class citizens and/or victims of habitual sexual violence, homosexuals are put to a gruesome death, "blasphemy" may kill you etc.

Hitler was a popular leader, Germans loved him. Where was the "general morality"? We cannot bank on it`s existence. Therefore, Chomsky`s dreams of a better world by more direct "democratic" rule could easily turn into a nightmare of mob rule.

"Community" is a nice sounding word; but "community" has an ugly side. To mention the Nazis again: they were promoting the "community of the German people", die "Volksgemeinschaft". The results: Humans, who were not accepted as part of that community (like the Jews) were killed.

This channel is an asset to humanity

Mr. Chomsky, I've never been a fan of yours. And when a friend of mine sent me a link to a recent commentary of yours, I had to force myself to watch it. How refreshing it was to hear your intellectually honest appraisal of the Mueller investigation. And here I am back, a couple weeks later, curious to hear what you have to say on this timely subject. (To your continuing good health.)

Blah. I'm trying to be a skeptic, freethinker- and these so-called dissidents talk ineffective jargon, while lacking the courage of Gandhi, Mohammed Ali, ... Ugh. Talk is cheap and whiskey costs money!

And the crazy part is Venezuela only has less then 30 percent of GDP as public sector and the rest private . Infact it's oligarch driven speculation , black market and hoarding of general goods to artificially drive prices high that started the crisis , same is true in Nicaragua . Of all the above only Cuba can be accurately called socialist where many poor Americans go for healthcare and to study

Fascinating FACTS this gentleman always puts out for us to know.......I’ve fallowed your work for some time now I thank you for your knowledge and taking the time to do what u do ........... enlighten bless you my fine sir.(O.V)

Only stupid people think that the generalised banality that Chomsky spouts out is philosophy.

He truly is a great thinker but that's what comes with wisdom from a lot of years of Experience
I wish we could say that for everybody

I am unaware of this talk and am not aware of the full context, but I wonder how many people who were there disagreed with what Chomsky was saying, and whether or not they themselves were engaging unconsciously in groupthink, perhaps nodding when they disagreed? I don't disagree with anything he says here, but when an authority figure such as Chomsky speaks I wonder how strong the tendency is to accept his opinion on a topic over our own, because he must know better right? I would think he would welcome the alternative perspective if only everyone thought rationally, critically and openly.


I am not against experts, but I am interested to see how others react around them, some listen intently and do not question what is fed to them, others repel everything the expert says, especially if they identify with a group that thinks the way they do. There are a precious few that hear what the expert has to say, will respect the information given yet question it when they think it might be wrong, and engage in a dialogue from which all parties gain knowledge.

These observations are self evident. I wonder why such a vast majority of people don't know these things.

This is nonsense. I'm from Iran. Our Islamic regime wants nukes to wipe out Israel and threaten its existence. We have one of the most evil and corrupt regimes in existence that routinely tortures and starves us, and somehow the U.S is to blame here?

Israel and Iran don’t “hate” each other. The Zionists and the Shia have had a secret 1000 year alliance. The whole media animosity that is shown to the world is fake. Their alliance is to kill Muslims from the inside.

He's like bloody Doctor Bernasky he knows everything

What would Noam Chomsky think about the group think during pandemic and forcing people to get these vaccines that do nothing to stop the spread.

"People who refuse to accept vaccines, I think the right response for them is not to force them to but rather to insist that they be isolated," Naom himself was clearly a victim of group think.

Noam turned into a medical fascist when c o v I d started. He us a prime example of group think.