Who is Noam Chomsky?

Chomsky is a cognitive scientist, political activist and a truly dangerous thinker. He is the world's most-quoted living author. His ideas reveal the possibilities for radical, democratic change - to increase the scope of human freedom.

This world is full of suffering, distress, violence and catastrophes. People must decide: does that concern you or not? I say: look around, analyze the problems, ask yourself what you can do and set out!

Chomsky has spent a lifetime seeking out and challenging illegitimate structures of authority. His razor-sharp critiques of mass media,  government and capitalism have led at times to him being vilified, jailed and denied entry to Israel.

There is constant pressure to make people feel that they are helpless, that the only role they can have is to ratify decisions and to consume.

Chomsky is also an anarchist.

Anarchists try to identify power structures. They urge those exercising power to justify  themselves. This justification does not succeed most of the time. Then anarchists work at unmasking and mastering the structures, whether they involve patriarchal families, a Mafia international system or the private tyrannies of the economy, the corporation. As soon as a person identifies, challenges and overcomes illegitimate power, he or she is an anarchist. Most people are anarchists.

But ultimately, Chomsky is just one individual; he can’t change the world alone. Freedom is won by people acting together, not one celebrity activist. So the Sydney Chomsky Forum invites you to learn about Chomsky's ideas and discuss their relevance to our struggles in Australia at our upcoming events, and to get involved in the gnome rebellion.

You can learn more about Chomsky and read his writings at his official website www.chomsky.info. Or check out the suggested readings we have slected for each of the Sydney Chomsky Forum events.