Customer Reviews

Chomsky for Beginners (Writers and Readers Beginners Documentary Comic Book, 80)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I'm torn between two sets of reactions to Cogswell's book. On the one hand, I find it simplistic in places--especially the section on Chomsky's linguistics. On the other hand, Chomsky's "deep grammar" model is notoriously difficult, and this book doesn't claim to be anything more than a "beginner's" guide. So perhaps this is an excusable flaw.

Besides, it's probably the case that curiosity about generative/transformative linguistics isn't what draws most readers to this book. My guess is that they're primarily interested in Chomsky the political/cultural commentator and activist. To that end, the book does a much better (although still bare-bones) job of presenting the basics of Chomsky's criticism of the media and his concern that politics is just an extension of corporate interests. Along the way, it discusses Chomsky's 1966 article "The Responsibility of Intellectuals" and his 1980s book "Manufacturing Consent." The former, in my opinion one of the best pieces Chomsky's ever written, ought to be required annual reading for every academic in the country. It might go a long way toward infusing some life into the moribund Ivory Tower (and I speak as one of the Tower's inhabitants). The second, an expose of media bias, has never been topped as the authoritative analysis of how the media is structurally untrustworthy. Information is just another commodity in our commodity-driven culture, and is fashioned and sold in order to fit the tastes of the consumer and bring in profits to the manufacturer. To read *Manufacturing Consent* is to begin the process of seeing the world through one's own eyes, rather than through the eyes of the media.

Cogswell's comic book occasionally uses gratingly dated leftist dysphemisms such as "goons" to describe the powers-that-be, and overdoes the Noam-as-superman cartoon that illustrates the cover. But if going through this book encourages readers to check out Chomsky's writings themselves, it's well worth reading.

One final word: anyone wanting a timely introduction to Chomsky in his own words might want to consider reading *9/11*, a collection of interviews with Chomsky conducted shortly after last year's terrorist attacks. The book is vintage Chomsky. His reflections are penetrating, rational, extremely fair-minded. One of the most refreshing qualities to them--and to most of his other writings--is Chomsky's refusal to fall into leftist stereotypes, slogans, or jargon. He's a guy who thinks for himself. He's also an extremely good-hearted human.

CHOMSKY FOR BEGINNERS will be of help to anyone interested in the works of Noam Chomsky. It is true that the focus of the book is mainly on his work in political science, but I think that is logical since that is what he is most famous for, outside of scientific circles at least. And while the description of his work in linguistics is certainly brief and relatively superficial, I have to humbly admit that even at that rate it was over my head - I've had to re-read that section several times, and I still don't think I quite get it.

I know that as a "serious" student of his works, I am supposed to be somewhat offended by the depiction of Chomsky as a superhero cartoon character with an "N" on his shirt. But to be honest, I kind of liked the cartoons. Chomsky's work and intellect are often so astonishing that it can be a bit intimidating. I mean, this man has been referred to as "arguably the most important living intellectual," "maybe the smartest man in the world," and ranks just behind Plato and Freud on the list of the most-quoted authors; Chomsky is the most-quoted living author. It's hard to imagine, to "image," this remarkable man and his remarkable career. Within the course of the answer to a three-sentence question, Chomsky will often reference history - off of the top of his head - going back five centuries. This can be overwhelming, and it can seem a bit intangible. Also, as CHOMSKY FOR BEGINNERS details, his double career and path to it is very unconventional. Somehow, seeing somewhat crudely drawn cartoons of Chomsky throughout his career gives me something tangible to interpret, to relate to. I've heard that it is an aspect of human cognitive abilities to need symbols in the quest to understand a given topic. For me, that's what the cartoons are - symbols that help me understand.

The only concern I have with CHOMSKY FOR BEGINNERS is that it occasionally refers to Noam Chomsky as a "radical." As Chomsky himself has pointed out many times, there is nothing radical about his political work. His interviews, lectures, and books, often reference the mainstream papers like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, etc. What Chomsky doesn't indulge in is "the doctrine of change of course." This doctrine holds that the mistakes and atrocities of the governing power of the moment, the United States for example, are automatically erased from history. For example, the fact that the United States government once aided Saddam and considered him an allay, or that the United States government at one time supported Hitler and Mussolini, or that under the Reagan administration tens of thousands were slaughtered in Central American, are no longer admissible into any mainstream political debate. If you bring up such things you are labeled a "radical." But I don't see much radical in simply being honest about history.

This is definitely an interesting bathroom book. Take Noam Chomsky, social irritant and world-renowned Linguistics expert, and tell his story in a documentary comic book. Add some background information about the science of Linguistics as well as plenty of info about the American Capitalist machine, and you got quite an interesting read that you can pick up and put down whenever you're up for a quick paragraph or two.
Noam Chomsky isn't that well known. And that's because the powers that be want it that way. Chomsky's goal in life is to open the eyes and ears of the American public so that they'll take a better look around once in a while and see what's really going on. He takes on capitalism and the American government all the time. And because the American media machine is owned by some big corporations, don't expect to be hearing anything soon from the man, unless you crawl out from under the big money umbrella and dig around a bit.
I think that most people will ignore him, not because they don't believe what he has to say, but because they are afraid of the truth. They like to go along making their money, spending it the same thinking that all is fine in the world and that good ol' USA will carry the burdens of freedom and Democracy as it's fights the evils of the world. But that's just not the way it is. The truth is a lot darker than that. Yes, America once stood for democracy and greatness. But it lost it's direction along the way when the dollar signs floated in front of it's eyes.

Noam Chomsky is renowned for his work in both linguistics and sociogeopolitics (for want of a better term). Although Chomsky's own writings often deal with profound and difficult to master ideas, 'Chomsky for Begginers' offers a superb introduction to this leading intellectual.

The book is light hearted and witty, but not patronizing, and the reader will at the very least come away with a critical view of world events and an admiration for Chomsky's breadth of knowledge.

One of Chomsky's ideas, that most international conflicts can be shown to have at their root a major corporation using government to effect a country's stability for their own ends, had a profound impact on how I now view current events. One might not agree with what Chomsky has to say about the nature of linguistics, society, the media or world events; but, at the very least this book forces one to think about things with a far more critical, if not quite synical, eye.

Chomsky for beginners is great for anyone that has picked up one of his books then tilted their head sideways in a confused state of not understanding. It breaks Chomskys work into two parts: The Linguistic Era; and the Politics and Media Era. Both are equally fascinating and well written. Profound in its clarity, this is surely a book that will make you appreciate Chomsky's thought, whether you agree with him or not. Chomsky always believed in freedom of thought, and a disgareement is just as valid and important as someone who agrees. Both should be heard. A good springboard to reading his works and not overwhelming in comparison to Chomsky's own writings (who is one of the most prolific writers today). I highly reccommend this book who wants to learn in a nutshell what Noam Chomsky is about.

I never knew who Chomsky was until I saw him on TV. I noticed he was very sharp and punctual when he spoke. It intrigued to get a book by him, but it was too heavy. Luckily, I found this book. This book allowed me to understand Chomsky in a another form of intelligence through pictures and vocabulary I could comprehend.
It covers many actual quotes and text which really makes Chomsky truly be a genius people should read and understand.

This book introduces Noam Chomsky's ideas in a compact, very readable way. The cartoon format isn't up to Gonick's standards, but it doesn't really detract. This title is worlds more sophisticated than the Dummys or Idiots guides you might relate it to initially. Don't be fooled.

It does a fair job of covering Chomsky as a person, and his linguistic background. But the meat is the media and political criticism. Chomsky's basic ideas that there is a small ruling class in the US that control the media and just about everything else are laid out with enough support to be quite believable.

The book is necessarily short, and often leaves me wanting more. Sometimes it even reads like propoganda, making seemingly outrageous claims with little support. But it references Chomsky's own works extensively, inviting you to explore more if you're sceptical.

If you have ever wondered why you hate watching news on tv or why it doesn't seem to matter who you vote for; you owe it yourself to read Noam Chomsky. No other writer of the 20th century quite captures the essence of the problems we so often ignore or run from in American society. Reading Chomsky is not comforting, but will give a clear platform to critically examine our government's policies. Wheter you're a white separatist, black muslim, communist or suburban housewife. The questions Chomsky presents are relevant to your existence.

I have been meaning to write a review for this book for a very long time... For me, this is the quintessential beginner's book on Chomsky... As both my husband and I are avid political activists, we have been occasionally frustrated, and quite often saddened, by the fact that so many people we meet have no idea who Noam Chomsky is... It is no good preaching to the choir, we are out there to give folk the opportunity to expand their political awareness, to entertain some new ideas, to think from a different perspective... Indeed, to even begin to 'think' at all...

When we are met with, 'Noam Chomsky who? huh?', this is the book we recommend, and have given out over the years I don't know how many times; we just keep replacing it, *lol*

Why is this book so invaluable? Because it is succinct, (153 pages), visually funny and, in a nutshell, entertaining from beginning to end... But do not mistake the 'fun' for 'fluff'... This book packs a most powerful punch in that it is essentially a primer for looking at the way one thinks, and how one goes about the process of beginning to think 'critically' instead of thinking 'emotionally'.

Given the State of the Union these days, more and more people are questioning not only the trustworthiness of their leaders, but the very process of governing itself... They are asking, 'How did it come to this?'... Through this book, they can see how the 'messaging' takes place through the use and manipulation of the media and political spin... they can see how they've been, and are continuing to be, influenced... and once this revelation takes place, they are much more prone to relegating 'emotion' to its rightful place while simultaneously beginning the journey of 'critical thinking'...

All of this takes place in this perfect little beginner's book... Giving someone just stepping into the fray of politics a book such as, 'The Essential Chomsky', (500 pages), will daunt them to the point of regressing back into their shell of complacency... Giving them, 'Chomsky for Beginners', will teach them, entertain them, and spur them on to finding out more... and when that happens, we then recommend the 'Real Story Series' with books such as, 'The Prosperous Few and the Restless Many', 'The Common Good', 'Take the Rich Off Welfare', or 'What Uncle Sam Really Wants'... all books that are also packed with a punch, but very succinct, (100-200 pages), and easy to understand...

I cannot recommend highly enough, 'Chomsky for Beginners'... David Cogswell and Paul Gordon have gifted us with a brand of genius that teaches through the art of tweeking our funny-bone... Huzzah! for their brilliance, *vbs*

This cartoon version of Noam Chomsky's life and works, leaves a lot to be desired. Out of deference to the man himself, it gives only the briefest sketch of his life outside of academe. Also, as far as linguistics, the academic interests that made him famous is concerned, the narrative is erratic at best and incoherent at worse. Perhaps it is simply the case that linguistics is not the kind of substance that lends itself to being easily summarized in cartoon fashion. If so, then maybe the author should have said as much up front.

The introduction is equally erratic in trying to set up a philosophical basis for Chomsky's growth, however, other than the general influences that philosophy has had on us all, there seems nothing uniquely interesting to draw about Chomsky's relationship to philosophy based on this background sketch.

The bulk of the book (which is placed towards the end) expounds on Chomsky's life as a public intellectual and his relationship to the media; and on this aspect, the book tries to capture Chomsky and put him into an ideological box. However, Chomsky resists that too. The best fix the author can make on him is to label him as a "public Intellectual" and then place him somewhere deeply to the left end of the spectrum very close to being an anarchist. But reading between the lines, it seems more likely that Chomsky's politics places him closer to being a kind of "Libertarian near-Anarchist."

Fundamentally, Chomsky emerges as a believer in freedom at all cost, and believes that the best government (and its associated institutions) is a non-hierarchal one that is incapable of tyranny and lying to its people. Even before he became a linguist, which accelerated his distrust of governments, Noam already had a visceral distrust of governmental institutions, politicians and their instrumentalities, political parties, all of which he sees as little more than the "lackeys" of the monied interests that manipulates and uses them against the public's interests.

Among others, his ideological soul mate is George Orwell, who like Chomsky himself saw the immense potential for evil in governments in the modern era. Chomsky however is much more Orwellian, even than Orwell himself, as with linguistics, he has an even higher and more panorama vantage point on the world of politics.

As a "reformed Socialist," and from on high, he sees pretty much what the rest of us eventually are also coming to see: That most modern governments whether on the right or left -- our present democracy included -- are little more than "rigged systems" that serve only the suicidally greedy monied interests. Both the political and economic system in the U.S. are now "rigged" against "the people" in favor of serving the monied interests. The monied interests however is a hydra-headed suicidal mechanism of a few rich families that will eat up everything in its path until there is nothing left to devour, and the people and the environment are left prostrate as a result.

Chomsky's Linguistics

The search for the canons of a universal logic of languages began in the 4th Century BC by an Indian scholar named Panini, and was continued throughout the 17th Century by a host of other theorists. Building on Panin, these efforts led to the so-called general grammars of that era. Chomsky was mentored by Zellig Harris of the University of Pa. and together they resisted the emerging emphasis on behaviorism and structural linguistics, continuing the theoretical threads begun by Panini leading to generative language systems.

Chomsky might be considered the father of modern generative linguistics. His preoccupation has been with capturing the subtle rules that come naturally to humans at an early age. He believes that these rules should be explicated in algorithmic or mathematical form and used as a template to generate all languages. His job as an academician has been to expose the superstructure that is innate and probably peculiar to humans that lies just beneath awareness and to formalize it so that its grammatical rules can be made explicit; and so that meaning can be studied as a generalized phenomenon across languages. Thus he is primarily concerned with language systems and with how meaning is created and conveyed through them. Chomsky's research led him to the conclusion that there does indeed exist a universal grammar that is the birth right of all human beings. Three Stars